Re-direction of vapor flow across tubular condensers

• US 9,671,173 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2014
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Daly, Phillip F., Lankton, Steven P., Tucker, Raymond E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leo, Leonard R
• Application Number:
  US14/495,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20150007964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 165113, 165114, 165111, 165 74, 165 75, 165181, 202158, 202161, 2021851, 2021854, 202189
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0009 Horizontal tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0012 Vertical tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0063 Reflux condensation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/009 Collecting, removing and/or treatment of the condensate
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0093 Removing and treatment of non condensable gases
• CPC Class Codes: F28B 1/02 using water or other liquid as the cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: F28B 9/02 for feeding steam or vapour to condensers
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/02 in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/06 the conduits having a single U-bend F28D7/10 takes precedenceF28D7/0016 and F28D7/0033 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/08 Tubular elements crimped or corrugated in longitudinal section
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/10 Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses crimped or corrugated elements F28F1/06, F28F1/08
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/14 and extending longitudinally F28F1/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/24 and extending transversely F28F1/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/36 the means being helically wound fins or wire spirals
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/42 the means being both outside and inside the tubular element
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/422 with outside means integral with the tubular element and inside means integral with the tubular element F28F1/424 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/426 the outside portions and the inside portions forming parts of complementary shape, e.g. concave and convex
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/12 by creating turbulence, e.g. by stirring, by increasing the force of circulation F28F13/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/187 especially adapted for evaporator surfaces or condenser surfaces, e.g. with nucleation sites
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2009/226 Transversal partitions
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2210/06 : having walls comprising obliquely extending corrugations, e.g. in the form of threads
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/22 : Arrangements for directing heat-exchange media into successive compartments, e.g. arrangements of guide plates

Abstract

Vapor flow-diverting devices that re-direct upwardly flowing vapor, for example, in a downward direction across condenser tubes disposed in the upper or top section of a vapor-liquid contacting apparatus, are described. These devices are particularly beneficial in tubular condensers within distillation columns and may be used in combination with other associated equipment (e.g., a deflector plate and divider plate) as well as in combination with the tube surface enhancements to improve the heat transfer coefficient.

Claims

1. An apparatus for vapor-liquid contacting, comprising

a vertically oriented column having disposed therein a plurality of condenser tubes;

an upper section of the vertically oriented column configured for receiving vapor rising upwardly from a lower contacting section of the column;

a vapor flow-directing device disposed within the column and having a vapor inlet above at least a co-current contacting section of the tubes and defining a vapor-liquid disengagement volume, wherein the vapor inlet is in fluid communication with the upper section of the column for redirecting at least a portion of the vapor rising in the upper section downwardly through the co-current contacting section of the tubes;

a non-condensed vapor outlet external to the column and in communication with the vapor-liquid disengagement volume;

a condensed liquid outlet internal to the column and in communication with the vapor-liquid disengagement volume; and

a divider plate extending into the vapor flow-directing device and dividing the co-current contacting section of the tubes, in a contacting volume, from a disengagement section of the tubes, in the vapor-liquid disengagement volume, wherein the divider plate extends substantially vertically and wherein;

the condenser tubes extend substantially horizontally and each include a U-bend portion; and

the U-bend portions of the condenser tubes are located in the disengagement section.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vapor flow-directing device comprises a shroud positioned within the vertically oriented column, and further wherein said shroud includes at least three side surfaces, a bottom surface, a top surface, and wherein the vapor inlet is defined within the top surface of said shroud.

3. An apparatus for vapor-liquid contacting, comprising:

a vertically oriented column having disposed therein a plurality of condenser tubes;

an upper section of the vertically oriented column configured for receiving vapor rising upwardly from a lower contacting section of the column;

a vapor flow-directing device disposed within the column and having a vapor inlet above at least a co-current contacting section of the tubes and defining a vapor-liquid disengagement volume, wherein the vapor inlet is in fluid communication with the upper section of the column for redirecting at least a portion of the vapor rising in the upper section downwardly through the co-current contacting section of the tubes;

a non-condensed vapor outlet external to the column and in communication with the vapor-liquid disengagement volume;

a condensed liquid outlet internal to the column and in communication with the vapor-liquid disengagement volume; and

a divider plate extending substantially vertically within the vapor flow-directing device for dividing the co-current contacting section from the disengagement section,

wherein the vapor flow-directing device substantially surrounds the co-current contacting section of the tubes on three sides thereof, while allowing the vapor rising to the upper section of the column to pass upwardly between said vapor flow-directing device and the column along said three sides.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the condenser tubes extend substantially horizontally and each include a U-bend portion; and

the U-bend portions of the condenser tubes are located in the disengagement section.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the divider plate divides the vapor flow-directing device such that the vapor on one side of the divider plate generally flows downwardly and the vapor on the other side of the divider plate generally flows upwardly.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the condenser tubes have external surfaces comprising one or more surface enhancements.