Liquid purification or separation – Processes – Chromatography
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-19
2002-06-11
Therkorn, Ernest G. (Department: 1723)
Liquid purification or separation
Processes
Chromatography
C210S659000, C210S198200, C210S283000, C210S284000, C210S285000, C210S541000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06402959
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a fluid distributor-collector or a fluid distributing-collecting system that is used, for example, in a device for bringing fluids and solids into contact.
The invention can be applied in particular in the area of chromatography for fluids in a gaseous state, liquid state or supercritical state.
The invention relates to a distributing-collecting system that can be used in a separation process in a simulated moving bed of paraxylene that is contained in a mixture of xylenes and ethylbenzene, for the purpose of terephthalic acid synthesis, an intermediate petrochemical product in the production of textiles.
The invention can also be used in processes for separating, for example, a xylene and ethylbenzene isomer mixture, a mixture of a compound that is selected from saturated fatty acids and their esters, a mixture of paraffin and olefins, a mixture of isoparaffins and normal paraffins, and other compounds.
The device according to the invention can operate in a liquid phase, a vapor phase or in a supercritical phase and in all of the separation areas of chemistry, petrochemistry or petroleum, for example.
In the area of separation processes, it is customary to rely on simulated moving bed systems to separate the elements that comprise, for example, at least two different chemical compounds or else two isomers of the same compound. The adsorption material that is used is, for example, a solid.
The technological background that illustrates the implementation of an adsorption device with simulated countercurrent is described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,985,589.
In these processes, a main fluid that is introduced via a pump flows through the solid bed along the central axis of the column. To obtain the best performances of this process, it is important that the main fluid flows through the adsorbent according to a piston-type flow (plug flow) to have a composition and a flow front that are the most uniform possible at all points of the surface of the adsorbent bed.
For this purpose, the prior art describes various means that attempt to obtain and to maintain such a flow.
The device that is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,762 that is arranged between two adsorbent beds makes it possible to remix the fluid while flowing.
For applications with simulated countercurrent, the device that is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,247 shows a structure that comprises an upper grid, a lower grid for holding particles and two non-perforated horizontal baffles that are positioned between these two grids. The fluids are added or extracted from a central space between the deflectors via a hose that traverses the entire section of the device. Such a device makes it possible to remix the fluid while flowing in the column and also to ensure a good mixing of a fluid that is added to the main fluid.
It is also possible to mention the two patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,346 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,960 that describe fluid distribution panels or DME whose function in particular is to mix, extract or add fluids. These DME are connected to fluid distributing-collecting circuits that seek to homogenize the passage time of the particles of the fluid from outside of the column to the panels and conversely from a panel to an outside collecting network.
Actually, the dispersion into the composition of the flow and in the passage time of the fluid particles can also be obtained in the way in which the fluids are distributed or extracted up to the DME or from the DME.
Some distributing or collecting circuits are designed for reducing the dispersion time of the fluids. The geometry of these circuits is generally adapted to the geometry of the plates and to the arrangement of the DME at these plates.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,346, the circuit for distributing or extracting secondary fluids shows a distribution symmetry and an isolength of the transfer lines of the fluids. These circuits allow a distribution of the separator-type fluids or a radial distribution from or to the center of the separation column.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,960, the distributing-collecting circuit consists of several radial hoses that comprise several branches for distributing or collecting secondary fluids to or from each panel that forms a distribution plate. The branches are distributed over the whole or over a portion of the length of the radial-feed hose to which they are connected. Another variant consists in distributing the fluids from a ring or half-rings that are positioned on the periphery of the column. The fluid transfer hoses up to a DME are distributed over the entire length of the ring or half-rings.
Patent EP-074,815 describes a system for distributing fluids inside a device for bringing fluids and solids into contact that comprises several fluid distributing rings. The rings are mounted on a central tube of the device and arranged between adjacent levels of fluid distributor plates. Several distribution pipes that extend between a fluid distributor plate and the distribution ring make possible the injection and/or collection of fluid.
All of these systems meet the need of obtaining a piston-type flow or “plug flow” inside of a device for bringing it into contact to minimize the passage times of fluids so that they arrive virtually at the same time in the different panels of the same plate.
The object of this invention relates to a fluid distributing-collecting system that in particular makes it possible to obtain and to maintain a plug flow, a homogeneity of the composition of this flow, and to minimize the dispersion time of the fluids that are injected or extracted in the panels that form a distribution plate.
Throughout the rest of the description, a level
1
chamber is defined as a chamber whose function is to divide a fluid at least in two or to collect two fluid flows, and a level
2
chamber is defined as a chamber that ensures the division at least in two of a fluid that is obtained from a level
1
chamber or the collection of at least two fluid flows to send them to a level
1
chamber.
The term DME refers to a panel whose function in particular is to collect, mix, extract or remix one or more fluids.
This invention relates to a fluid distributing-collecting system for a device for bringing fluids and solids into contact, whereby said device comprises a chamber, at least one hose for introducing a main fluid and at least one hose for evacuating the main fluid, several distributor plates (Pn), whereby each of said plates comprises several panels for mixing, distributing or extracting fluids or DME. It is characterized in that it comprises:
at least one hose that makes it possible to link said device and the outside,
at least one chamber (N
1
) that is linked with said hose or hoses,
one or more connecting hoses C(N
20
)j, C(N
21
)j, that link the chamber and at least one of the DME of a plate (Pn), whereby connecting points rj of said hoses are located in a zone (Z
20
, Z
21
), whereby the positioning of said zone is determined by an angle &agr; counting from one of the radial axes of said plate (Pn), whereby each of the connecting hoses has a length li, whereby the value of each of lengths li, of angle &agr; and of length Zr of the zone are selected so that the passage time of the fluids between a panel (DME) and hose or hoses (
1
,
2
) is essentially identical for all of the fluids.
The chamber ensures, for example, the division of the fluid into at least two flows.
According to an embodiment, the distributing-collecting system comprises, for example:
at least one level
1
chamber (N
1
) that ensures a two-way division or collection of the fluid flow, whereby chamber (N
1
) is linked with the hose or hoses,
at least one so-called level
2
chamber (N
20
, N
21
), whereby the chambers ensure a two-way division or collection of the fluid flow that comes from or is sent to chamber or chambers (N
1
),
one or more connecting hoses (C(N
20
)j, C(N
2
,)j that extend between at least one level
2
chamber (N
20
, N
21
) and at least one of the DME of a plate (Pn), whereby connecting poi
Callebert Olivier
Dessapt Jean-Paul
Duchene Pascal
Ferschneider Gilles
Szymkowiak Bertrand
Institut Francais du Pe'trole
Millen White Zelano & Branigan P.C.
Therkorn Ernest G.
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