Distillation apparatus and distillation method

Details Distillation apparatus and distillation method Distillation apparatus and distillation method

2001-03-21

2003-06-24

Manoharan, Virginia (Department: 1764)

Distillation: apparatus

Apparatus

Systems

C196S111000, C196S114000, C202S155000, C202S158000, C202S172000, C202S205000, C202S154000, C202S186000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06582564

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distillation apparatus and a distillation method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various kinds of distillation apparatus have been provided for separating, through distillation, a plurality of components contained in a material liquid in order to obtain predetermined components as products.
For example, in the case of a material liquid containing three components A, B, and C, in which component A is lower in boiling point than component B, and component B is lower in boiling point than component C; i.e., component A is a low-boiling-point component, component B is a medium-boiling-point component, and component C is a high-boiling-point component, the following distillation apparatus is used to separate components A to C of the material liquid through distillation.
FIG. 1
conceptually shows a conventional distillation apparatus.
In
FIG. 1
, reference numeral
201
denotes a first distillation column; reference numeral
202
denotes a second distillation column; reference numerals
203
and
205
denote evaporators; and reference numerals
204
and
206
denote condensers. The first distillation column
201
includes, from top to bottom, a first section
211
, a second section
212
, a third section
213
, a fourth section
214
, and a fifth section
215
. An unillustrated packing element is disposed in each of the second section
212
and the fourth section
214
, to thereby form an enriching section in the second section
212
and an exhaust section in the fourth section
214
. The second distillation column
202
includes, from top to bottom, a first section
216
, a second section
217
, a third section
218
, a fourth section
219
, and a fifth section
220
. An unillustrated packing element is disposed in each of the second section
217
and the fourth section
219
, to thereby form an enriching section in the second section
217
and an exhaust section in the fourth section
219
.
For example, when a material liquid M containing three components A, B, and C is fed into the third section
213
of the first distillation column
201
, vapor rich in component A is discharged from the top of the first distillation column
201
and sent to the condenser
204
, there the vapor is condensed into liquid rich in component A. The liquid rich in component A is discharged as distillate from the condenser
204
. A portion of the distillate is refluxed as a refluxed liquid into the first distillation column
201
, whereas the remaining distillate is discharged to an external destination.
Liquid rich in components B and C is discharged as a column-bottom liquid from the bottom of the first distillation column
201
. A portion of the column-bottom liquid is sent to the evaporator
203
, where the column-bottom liquid is evaporated through application of heat to become vapor rich in components B and C. The vapor rich in components B and C is returned to the first distillation column
201
. The remaining column-bottom liquid is fed into the third section
218
of the second distillation column
202
.
When the column-bottom liquid is fed into the third section
218
, vapor rich in component B is discharged form the top of the second distillation column
202
and sent to the condenser
206
, where the vapor is condensed into liquid rich in component B. The liquid rich in component B is discharged as distillate from the condenser
206
. A portion of the distillate is refluxed into the second distillation column
202
, whereas the remaining distillate is discharged to an external destination.
Liquid rich in component C is discharged as a column-bottom liquid from the bottom of the second distillation column
202
. A portion of the column-bottom liquid is sent to the evaporator
205
, where the column-bottom liquid is evaporated through application of heat to become vapor rich in component C. The vapor rich in component C is returned to the second distillation column
202
. The remaining column-bottom liquid is discharged to an external destination.
Next will be described a distillation apparatus to be applied to the case where components B and C are high-melting-point materials.
FIG. 2
conceptually shows a conventional distillation apparatus to be applied to the case where a medium-boiling-point component and a high-boiling-point component are formed from respective high-melting-point materials.
In
FIG. 2
, symbol M denotes a material liquid containing three components A to C; reference numeral
201
denotes a first distillation column; reference numeral
202
denotes a second distillation column; reference numerals
203
and
205
denote evaporators; and reference numerals
204
and
206
denote condensers.
When the condenser
206
employs ordinary cooling water as cooling medium for cooling vapor rich in component B discharged from the top of the second distillation column
202
, and the melting point of component B is higher than the temperature of cooling water (for example, the melting point of component B is higher than a cooling water temperature of 30° C. to 35° C.), vapor rich in component B cannot be condensed before the temperature of the vapor rises sufficiently high after operation of the distillation apparatus is started. During that period of time, the vapor solidifies within the condenser
206
; thus, liquid rich in component B cannot be obtained as distillate.
In order to prevent the above-mentioned solidification of the vapor rich in component B within the condenser
206
, a cooling system
225
connected to the condenser
206
uses a cooling medium heated to a temperature higher than the melting point of component B, such as hot water, cooling oil, or steam, until a predetermined period of time elapses after the operation of the distillation apparatus is started. Distillate is discharged from the condenser
206
to a line L
11
; a portion of the distillate is refluxed into the second distillation column
202
through a line L
12
; and the remaining distillate is discharged through a line L
13
. In order to prevent solidification of the distillate within the lines L
11
, L
12
, and L
13
, the lines L
11
to L
13
assume a double-pipe structure.
Liquid rich in component C, which serves as a column-bottom liquid, is discharged from the bottom of the second distillation column
202
to a line L
15
; a portion of the column-bottom liquid is sent to the evaporator
205
through a line L
16
; and the remaining column-bottom liquid is discharged through a line L
17
. In order to prevent solidification of the column-bottom liquid within the lines L
15
to L
17
when the temperature of component C is higher than ambient temperature, the lines L
15
to L
17
assume a double-pipe structure. The double-pipe structure includes an inner pipe and an outer pipe disposed concentrically. Steam serving as a heating medium is caused to flow through the space between the inner and outer pipes to thereby prevent solidification of the distillate or the column-bottom liquid flowing through the inner pipe.
In order to reduce energy consumed for heating the column-bottom liquids in the evaporators
203
and
205
, preferably the evaporators
203
and
205
are lowered in temperature. However, when the evaporators
203
and
205
are lowered in temperature, evaporation of the column-bottom liquids becomes difficult accordingly. In order to cope with this problem, vacuum generators
227
and
228
are connected to the condensers
204
and
206
, respectively, so as to establish a negative pressure within the first and second distillation columns
201
and
202
. As a result, the column-bottom liquids can be readily evaporated. Also, vent gas generated within the first and second distillation columns
201
and
202
can be drawn out and released into the atmosphere.
However, when the condenser
206
and the vacuum generator
228
are directly connected, a portion of vapor rich in component B is mixed with the vent gas and sent from the condenser
206
to the vacuum generator
228
. The vapor s

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