APPARATUS WITH INTEGRATED CONDENSER AND SEPARATOR

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for separating a condensable reaction product from a process gas mixture. The apparatus includes a pressure jacket having an interior, wherein two process units are arranged one atop the other in the pressure jacket. The upper first process unit is configured for condensing the liquid reaction product from the process gas mixture and is thus in the form of a plate heat exchanger. The plate heat exchanger includes vertically arranged plates traversable by a cooling medium. The plates have plate interiors which are traversable by the cooling medium. Adjacent plates spaced apart from one another define plate interspaces which are traversable by the process gas mixture. The lower second process unit is configured for separating the reaction product condensed in the first process unit and is thus in the form of a gas-liquid separator.

Claims

1. An apparatus for separating a condensable reaction product from a process gas mixture comprising: a pressure jacket having an interior, wherein at least a first process unit and a second process unit are fluidically interconnected and arranged one atop the other in the interior; a first process unit, wherein the first process unit is configured for condensing the reaction product from the process gas mixture and the first process unit is in the form of a plate heat exchanger and the first process unit comprises a multiplicity of plates arranged vertically and parallel to one another with traversable plate interiors and plate interspaces are present between adjacent plates, wherein the plate interspaces are traversable from top to bottom by the process gas mixture and the plate interiors are traversable, preferably traversable from bottom to top, by a cooling medium; a second process unit arranged below the first process unit, wherein the second process unit is fluidically connected to the plate interspaces of the first process unit and wherein the second process unit is in the form of a gas-liquid separator and is configured for separating the condensed reaction product obtainable in the first process unit from a residual gas.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a support structure, wherein the support structure is in the form of a propping means arranged at least partially below a process unit or in the form of a suspending means arranged at least partially above a process unit and thus forms a mechanical connection between a process unit and the pressure jacket, or the support structure is in the form of a connecting element arranged at least partially between the first and second process unit and thus forms a mechanical connection between both process units and the pressure jacket.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a support structure, wherein the support structure is in the form of a propping means arranged at least partially below the second process unit or in the form of a suspending means arranged at least partially above the first process unit and thus forms a mechanical connection between the respective process unit and the pressure jacket, and the apparatus comprises a connecting element arranged at least partially between the first and second process unit, wherein the connecting element forms a mechanical connection between the first process unit and the second process unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plates of the first process unit are in the form of pillow plates.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first process unit comprises a first and a second compartment, wherein said compartments are configured such that plate interspaces of the first compartment are traversable from top to bottom by the process gas mixture and plate interspaces of the second compartment are traversable from bottom to top by a residual gas dischargeable from the second process unit, as a result of which further reaction product is condensable from the residual gas in the plate interspaces of the second compartment.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the interior of the pressure jacket has a drying apparatus arranged therein, wherein the drying apparatus is fluidically connected to the plate interspaces of the second compartment.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the drying apparatus is arranged above the first process unit, in particular above the second compartment of the first process unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a process gas inlet port, wherein the process gas inlet port is fluidically connected to the plate interspaces of the first process unit and extends through the pressure jacket, wherein the process gas inlet port is arranged at the top of the apparatus so that the process gas mixture can enter the first process unit at the top thereof.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a condensate outlet port, wherein the condensate outlet port is fluidically connected to the second process unit and extends through the pressure jacket, wherein the condensate outlet port is arranged at the bottom of the apparatus so that the condensed reaction product can exit the second process unit at the bottom thereof.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a cooling media inlet port and a cooling media outlet port, wherein the cooling media inlet port and the cooling media outlet port extend through the pressure jacket and wherein the cooling media inlet port and the cooling media outlet port are fluidically connected to the plate interiors of the first process unit and wherein the cooling media inlet port is arranged at the bottom of the first process unit and the cooling media outlet port is arranged at the top of the first process unit so that the cooling medium can enter the first process unit at the bottom and the cooling medium can exit the first process unit at the top.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distributor system fluidically connected to the plate interiors is arranged in the interior of the pressure jacket, wherein the distributor system is configured for distributing cooling medium entering the apparatus to the plate interiors of the first process unit.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a collector system fluidically connected to the plate interiors is arranged in the interior of the pressure jacket, wherein the collector system is configured for collecting cooling medium exiting the plate interiors of the first process unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0071] The invention is hereinbelow more particularly elucidated by exemplary embodiments. In the following detailed description reference is made to the accompanying figures which form a part of the exemplary embodiments and which contains an illustrative representation of specific embodiments of the invention. In this connection, direction-specific terminology such as top, bottom, front, back, etc., is used with reference to the orientation of the described figure. Since components of embodiments may be positioned in a multiplicity of orientations, the direction-specific terminology is used for elucidation and is in no way limiting. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodiments may be used and structural or logical changes may be undertaken without departing from the scope of protection of the invention. The following detailed description is therefore not to be understood in a limiting sense, and the scope of protection of the embodiments is defined by the accompanying claims. Unless otherwise stated, the drawings are not true to scale.

[0072] In the following description and in the drawings identical elements are described with identical reference numerals. Arrows illustrate the flow direction of the process gas mixture, of the condensed reaction product, of the residual gas and of the cooling medium.

[0073] In the Figures:

[0074] FIG. 1 shows a highly simplified schematic representation of an apparatus according to a first example of the invention and

[0075] FIG. 2 shows a highly simplified schematic representation of an apparatus according to a second example of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0076] FIG. 1 shows a highly simplified schematic representation (outline sketch) of an apparatus 1 according to a first example of the invention. The apparatus 1 is shown in a front view on the left-hand side of the figure. FIG. 1 further shows a side view of a portion of the first process unit 5 on the right-hand side of FIG. 1.

[0077] The apparatus 1 according to FIG. 1 shows a pressure jacket 3 in whose interior 4 a first process unit 5 and a second process unit 6 are arranged. The first process unit 5 is arranged in an upper portion of the interior while the second process unit 6 is arranged in a lower portion of the interior 4 and below the first process unit 5. Both process units 5 and 6 are fluidically interconnected, for example via corresponding pipe conduits (not shown).

[0078] The first process unit 5 fulfills the function of condensing a condensable reaction product from a process gas mixture 15 which is introduced into the first process unit from above via a process gas inlet port (not shown). The process gas inlet port extends through the pressure jacket 3, i.e. establishes a connection between the exterior of the apparatus and the first process unit 5. The process gas mixture is for example a gaseous mixture from a methanol synthesis starting from synthesis gas as the reactant gas mixture. In the first process gas unit 5 the process gas mixture flows from top to bottom and is thereby cooled, with the result that reaction product, for example raw methanol (methanol-water mixture), condenses out of the process gas mixture.

[0079] The cooling of the process gas mixture is effected via a cooling medium which is introduced into the first process unit via a cooling media inlet port (not shown) as cooling medium 14a. The cooling media inlet port extends through the pressure jacket 3, i.e. establishes a connection between the exterior of the apparatus and the first process unit 5. The cooling medium 14a is cooling water for example. The cooling medium 14a is heated and/or evaporated by the cooling of the process gas mixture 15. It is discharged from the first process unit 5 as exhausted cooling medium 14b via a cooling media outlet port (not shown).

[0080] The first process unit 5 is in the form of a plate heat exchanger. Accordingly the first process unit 5 has a multiplicity of traversable (heat exchanger) plates 7, the arrangement of which is shown in a side view on the right-hand side. Only three plates 7 are shown by way of example whereas the first process unit 5 would in practice have a substantially greater number of plates 7. The totality of the plates may also be referred to as a plate packet. The plates 7 are vertically arranged and have plate interiors 8. The plate interiors 8 are traversable by the cooling medium. The cooling medium 14a enters the first process unit 5 in a bottom region, traverses the plates 7 from bottom to top in the vertical direction through the plate interiors and subsequently exits the plates 7 in a top region of the first process unit. In a particularly advantageous embodiment the plates 7 are not in the form of straight plates as shown here but rather in the form of pillow plates. In this embodiment the first process unit would accordingly be in the form of a pillow plate heat exchanger.

[0081] The traversable plates 7 are arranged vertically and spaced apart from one another in parallel. Respective adjacent plates 7 thus define a plate interspace 9, represented by the dotted area. A plate interspace may also be defined by the freely traversable space between a plate 7 and a wall (not shown) of the first process unit 5. In any case the first process unit 5 is configured in such a way and comprises means such that the plate interspaces 9 are traversable from top to bottom by the process gas mixture 15. A liquid reaction product condenses from the process gas mixture 15 through indirect cooling by the cooling medium 14a run in countercurrent in the plate interiors. This results in a mixture 16 of condensate (liquid reaction product) and uncondensed residual gas which is discharged from the first process unit 5 in the bottom region thereof on the side of the plate interspaces. This mixture is transferred into the second process unit 6 via a fluidic connection, such as a pipe conduit or a more complex system composed of a plurality of pipe conduits and optionally collectors and distributors (not shown).

[0082] The cooling medium 14a supplied via the cooling media inlet port (not shown) is distributed to the individual plates 7 or respectively plate interiors 8 via a distributor system 12 (horizontally shaded area). The exhausted cooling medium 14b, for example heated cooling water, is combined from the plate interiors 8 via a collector system 13 and withdrawn from the apparatus via the cooling media outlet port (not shown).

[0083] The first process unit 5 is connected to the pressure jacket 3 of the apparatus 1 by means of a support structure. The support structure is arranged below the first process unit 5 and is thus in the form of a propping means 10. The propping means is mechanically connected both to a lower region or bottom region of the first process unit 5 and to an inside of the pressure jacket 3 (not shown). The type of mechanical connection may be any suitable type of a mechanical connection, for example a weld connection. Due to the arrangement of the support structure as a propping means 10 below the first process unit 5 said unit can accordingly expand freely upwards within the interior 4 in the case of heating in operation.

[0084] The second process unit 6 is arranged below the first process unit 5 in the interior 4. The second process unit 6 is in the form of a gas-liquid separator. Accordingly the mixture of condensate (liquid reaction product) and residual gas introduced into the second process unit 6 is separated into a liquid and gaseous phase therein. In other words the liquid phase is separated from the biphasic mixture. In the example shown the gas-liquid separator is in the form of a cylindrical container having a conically tapering bottom. The residual gas contains, for example in the case of a methanol synthesis, unconverted synthesis gas, inert uncondensable constituents, unseparated raw methanol and uncondensable byproducts. The residual gas is withdrawn from the second process unit via a residual gas outlet port (not shown). The residual gas outlet port extends through the pressure jacket 3 of the apparatus 1.

[0085] Separated condensate (liquid reaction product) 17 is obtained in the bottom of the second process unit 6. Said condensate is withdrawn from the second process unit 6 via a condensate outlet port (not shown) and sent for further processing. The condensate outlet port extends through the jacket 3 of the apparatus and essentially represents a connection between an outlet of the second process unit 6 and the outer environment of the apparatus 1.

[0086] The second process unit 6 is connected to the pressure jacket 3 of the apparatus 1 by means of a support structure. The support structure is arranged above the second process unit 6 and is thus in the form of a suspending means 11. The suspending means 11 is mechanically connected both to an upper region or top region of the second process unit 6 and to an inside of the pressure jacket 3. The type of mechanical connection may be any suitable type of a mechanical connection, for example a weld connection. Due to the arrangement of the support structure as a suspending means 11 above the second process unit 6 said unit can accordingly expand freely downwards within the interior 4 in the case of heating in operation.

[0087] FIG. 2 shows a highly simplified schematic representation (outline sketch) of an apparatus 2 according to a second example of the invention. The apparatus 2 is shown in a front view on the left-hand side of the figure. FIG. 2 further shows a side view of a portion of the first compartment 5a of the first process unit 5 in the middle of FIG. 2. FIG. 2 further shows a side view of a portion of the second compartment 5b of the first process unit 5 on the right-hand side of FIG. 2.

[0088] Elements already shown in FIG. 1 with identical reference numerals to elements in FIG. 2 fulfill, in relation to the example in FIG. 2, the same function as in the example of FIG. 1 and are therefore not elucidated in detail again.

[0089] The apparatus 2 according to the example as shown in FIG. 2 comprises a first process unit 5 having two different compartments 5a and 5b. The apparatus 2 further comprises a droplet separator (demister) 19 as a drying apparatus.

[0090] The compartments 5a and 5b of the first process unit do not fundamentally differ in terms of their structural features. Both compartments have (heat exchanger) plates 7 arranged vertically and parallel to one another. These are traversed from bottom to top in the vertical direction by a cooling medium 14a on their plate inside 8. However, in contrast to the first compartment 5a the plate interspaces 9 of the second compartment 5b are not traversed by a process gas mixture 15 nor are they traversed from top to bottom in the vertical direction. On the contrary, the plate interspaces 9 of the second compartment 5b are traversed from bottom to top in the vertical direction by residual gas 18 discharged from the second process unit 6. An aftercooling of the residual gas 18 is effected by cooling with the cooling medium 14a on the plate insides 8 of the compartment 5b. This aftercooling causes further condensate (liquid reaction product) to condense out of the previously saturated residual gas 18. The condensate formed flows downwards on the plate interspace side of the compartment 5b and passes via a corresponding fluidic connection (not shown) into the second process unit 6 in the form of a gas-liquid separator and is therein separated in the bottom of the second process unit 6 with otherwise obtained condensate 17. The efficiency of the separation is thus improved over the apparatus 1 since residual gas not saturated with gaseous reaction product is withdrawn from the apparatus.

[0091] In the second compartment 5b the residual gas 18 and the cooling medium 14a, 14b are run in cocurrent.

[0092] According to the apparatus 2 the efficiency of the separation is further improved by the arrangement of a drying apparatus, here of a droplet separator (demister) 19, above the second compartment 5b. The droplet separator 19 is fluidically connected to the second compartment 5b of the first process unit 5. Smaller droplets of condensed reaction product are agglomerated into larger drops therein. This increases the weight of these droplets which then also flow downwards under gravity via the plate interspaces 9 of the second compartment and pass into the second process unit 6. Liquid droplets not agglomerable into drops are evaporated in the upper region of the second compartment 5b and/or in the droplet separator 19. This ensures that a purely gaseous residual gas 18 is discharged from the apparatus 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0093] 1, 2 Apparatus [0094] 3 Pressure jacket [0095] 4 Interior [0096] 5 First process unit [0097] 5a First compartment (of the first process unit) [0098] 5b Second compartment (of the first process unit) [0099] 6 Second process unit [0100] 7 (Heat exchanger) plate [0101] 8 Plate interior [0102] 9 Plate interspace [0103] 10 Propping means (support structure) [0104] 11 Suspending means (support structure) [0105] 12 Distributor system [0106] 13 Collector system [0107] 14a, 14b Cooling medium [0108] 15 Process gas mixture [0109] 16 Reaction product (condensate) and residual gas [0110] 17 Reaction product (condensate) [0111] 18 Residual gas [0112] 19 Droplet separator (drying apparatus)

[0113] It will be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments in the examples given above.