Vaporization of liquids

• US 4,765,398 A
• Filed: 05/06/1987
• Issued: 08/23/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lummus Crest, Inc. (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lummus Crest, Inc. (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Tsao, Utah
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS JR, ALBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/046,316
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 165/110, 165/114, 165/108, 122/32, 122/34, 60/649
• US Class Current: 165/110
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 1/10 with long tubes, e.g. Kestner evaporators B01D1/12 B01D1/065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 165/183 Indirect-contact evaporator

Abstract

Two immiscible liquids are vaporized in heat exchanger tubes in a manner such that each tube receives both liquids and neither liquid is completely vaporized in the tubes.

Claims

1. A process for vaporizing a liquid mixture containing at least two immiscible liquids, comprising:

introducing a liquid mixture containing at least two immiscible liquids into at least two tubes;

heating said liquid mixture in the at least two tubes to a temperature sufficient to effect vaporization of a poriton of the mixture;

and introducing the liquid mixture into each of the tubes in amounts such that each of the tubes receives each of the at least two immiscible liquids and neither of the at least two immiscible liquids is completely vaporized in any of the at least two tubes.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the at least two tubes are vertical tubes in a vertical heat exchanger, and the liquid mixture is upwardly passed through the at least two vertical tubes.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the immiscible liquids are comprised of ethyl benzene and water.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the immiscible liquids are comprised of a hydrocarbon and water.

5. A heat exhanger for vaporizing a mixture containing at least first and second liquids which are immiscible with each other, comprising:

an inlet compartment;

an outlet compartment;

a plurality of vertical tubes having an inlet in fluid flow communication with the inlet compartment and an outlet in fluid flow communication with the outlet compartment, said tubes extending into said inlet compartment;

a first inlet means for introducing a first liquid into the inlet compartment;

a second inlet means for introducing a second liquid into the inlet compartment, said first and second liquids being immiscible with each other; and

inlet control means on the tubes for controlling introduction of the first and second liquids into the tubes to provide both first and second liquids within each of the tubes in amounts such that neither of the first and second liquids is completely vaporized in any of the tubes during vaporization of the liquid mixture.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein the ends of the tubes in the inlet compartment are closed and the inlet control means is comprised of at least one hole in the periphery of each of the tubes above the interface of the first and second liquids in the inlet compartment and at least one hole in the periphery of each of the tubes below the interface of the first and second liquids in the inlet compartment.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein the ends of the tubes in the inlet compartment are closed and the inlet control means is comprised of at least one vertical slot in the periphery of each of the tubes which extends above and below the interface of the first and second liquids in the inlet compartment.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a shell.