Dividing wall distillation column control apparatus

• US 7,267,746 B1
• Filed: 08/27/2003
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Schultz, Michael A., Stewart, Douglas G., O'Brien, Dennis E., Harris, James W., Rosenblum, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manoharan; Virginia
• Application Number:
  US10/650,570
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 202/158, 202/160, 203/2, 203/99, 203/DIG.18, 203/DIG.19, 196/111, 196/132
• US Class Current: 202/160
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/141 where at least one distillation column contains at least one dividing wall
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/4255 Head-, side-, bottom- and feed stream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 203/19 Sidestream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 203/20 Power plant

Abstract

A control apparatus and control method for controlling the separation in a dividing wall distillation column of at least two feeds into at least three products is disclosed. The apparatus uses a temperature measuring device to measure the temperature of fluid in the column, a controller, and a means for adjusting the temperature of fluid in the column. The temperature measuring device may be on either side of the dividing wall or above or below the dividing wall, and more than one such device may be used. The apparatus and method may be used in the production of alkylaromatic hydrocarbons by alkylating aromatic hydrocarbons with olefinic hydrocarbons.

Claims

1. In an apparatus comprising a dividing wall distillation column, the column having a shell defining a middle vapor-liquid contacting area containing at least one vertically oriented partition dividing the middle vapor-liquid contacting area into at least a feed section defined by the shell and the partition and a sidedraw section defined by the shell and the partition, an upper vapor-liquid contacting area being above and in communication with the middle vapor-liquid contacting area, and a lower vapor-liquid contacting area being below and in communication with the middle vapor-liquid contacting area, the column having a first inlet port in communication with the upper vapor-liquid contacting area, a second inlet port in communication with the feed section, and an outlet port in communication with the sidedraw section, the improvement comprising

a) a temperature measuring device operably connected to the column to measure temperature in the column and to establish a temperature signal representative of temperature in the column, wherein the temperature measuring device is vertically spaced above the outlet port;

b) a controller to receive a controller input signal responsive to the temperature signal, to compare the controller input signal to a set point, and to establish a controller output signal responsive to the difference between the controller input signal and the set point; and

c) a means for adjusting temperature in the column, the means being responsive to the controller output signal, wherein the upper vapor-liquid contacting area is in communication with a contact condenser and the means for adjusting temperature comprises a valve operably located to control the flow of a cooling medium to the contact condenser.

2. An apparatus comprising

a) a distillation column having a shell defining a middle vapor-liquid contacting area, an upper vapor-liquid contacting area above and in communication with the middle vapor-liquid contacting area, and a lower vapor-liquid contacting area below and in communication with the middle vapor-liquid contacting area;

b) at least one vertically oriented partition dividing the middle vapor-liquid contacting area into at least a feed section defined by the shell and the partition and a sidedraw section defined by the shell and the partition;

c) a first inlet port in communication with the upper vapor-liquid contacting area;

d) a second inlet port in communication with the feed section;

e) an outlet port in communication with the sidedraw section;

f) a temperature measuring device operably connected to the column to measure temperature in the column and to establish a temperature signal representative of temperature in the column, wherein the temperature measuring device is vertically spaced above the outlet port;

g) a controller to receive a controller input signal responsive to the temperature signal, to compare the controller input signal to a set point, and to establish a controller output signal responsive to the difference between the controller input signal and the set point; and

h) a means for adjusting temperature in the column, the means being responsive to the controller output signal, wherein the upper vapor-liquid contacting area is in communication with a contact condenser, and the means for adjusting temperature comprises a valve operably located to control the flow of a cooling medium to the contact condenser.