Heat exchanger arrangement for a carbon black production plant

Abstract

An industrial production plant including at least one reactor for producing a flue gas and including a heat exchanger system having a first heat exchanger section for heat exchange between the flue gas and a fluid and a second heat exchanger section for heat exchange between the flue gas and reaction air for the reactor, which can be preheated by the second heat exchanger section. The first heat exchanger section is configured as a double-tube heat exchanger with first tubes each arranged one-way in a respective first jacket tube, and the second heat exchanger section is configured as a tube bundle heat exchanger with a tube bundle of second tubes arranged in a second jacket tube and each arranged one-way in the jacket tube.

Claims

1. A carbon black production plant comprising: at least one reactor for producing a flue gas and comprising a heat exchange system having a first heat exchange section for heat exchange between the flue gas and a fluid and a second heat exchange section for heat ex-change between the flue gas and reaction air for the reactor, wherein the reaction air can be preheated by the second heat ex-change section, wherein said first heat exchange section is designed as a double-tube heat exchanger comprising first tubes each arranged in a single-path configuration in a respective first casing tube, and wherein said second heat exchange section is designed as a tube-bundle heat exchanger comprising a tube bundle which is arranged in a second casing tube and which includes second tubes each arranged in a single-path configuration in the casing tube, said first and second tubes being adapted to have the flue gas flow through them, wherein said double-tube heat exchanger and said tube-bundle heat exchanger are arranged vertically, wherein the respective upper ends of the first and second tubes are connected to each other via a tube conduit, the flue gas flowing through the double-tube heat exchanger is an ascending direction and through the tube-bundle heat ex-changer in a descending direction.

2. The carbon black production plant of claim 1, wherein the double-tube heat exchanger is designed as a natural circulation steam generator.

3. The carbon black production plant of claim 2, wherein the double-tube heat exchanger comprises a vertically standing first entry chamber for the flue gas that has connected to it the first tubes and is delimited by a first lower tube plate accommodating the first tubes.

4. The carbon black production plant of claim 3, wherein, adjacent to the first lower tube plate, at least one inlet chamber for the fluid is arranged that has the first casing tubes connected to it.

5. The carbon black production plant of claim 1, wherein the tube-bundle heat exchanger is designed as a counterflow heat exchanger.

6. The carbon black production plant of claim 1, wherein the tube-bundle heat exchanger is arranged in a suspended manner.

7. The carbon black production plant of claim 1, wherein the tube-bundle heat exchanger comprises a vertically arranged second entry chamber for the flue gas, said chamber being arranged in an upper end section of the tube-bundle heat exchanger, having the second tubes connected thereto and being delimited by a second upper tube plate accommodating the second tubes.

8. The carbon black production plant of claim 7, wherein the tube-bundle heat exchanger comprises a vertically arranged second entry chamber for the flue gas, said chamber being arranged in an upper end section of the tube-bundle heat exchanger, having the second tubes connected thereto and being delimited by a second upper tube plate accommodating the second tubes.

9. The carbon black production plant of claim 8, wherein a second lower tube plate accommodates the lower ends of the second tubes, wherein the second tubes each comprise individual tube compensators for connection with the second lower tube plate.

10. The carbon black production plant of claim 9, wherein an inlet for the reaction air is arranged adjacent to the second lower tube plate, and/or an outlet for the reaction air is arranged adjacent to the second upper tube plate.

Description

(1) The invention will be explained in greater detail hereunder with reference to the accompanying Figures, wherein

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the principal configuration of a carbon black production plant according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic lateral view of the heat exchange system of a carbon black production plant according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 2A is a schematic detailed view of a first tube with a first casing tube of the first heat exchange section of the heat exchange system according to FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 3A is a schematic detailed view of the second upper tube plate and the second tubes of the second heat exchange section of the heat exchange system according to FIG. 1, and

(6) FIG. 3B is a schematic detailed view of the second lower tube plate and a second tube of the second heat exchange section of the heat exchange system according to FIG. 2.

(7) FIG. 1 illustrates the principal configuration of a carbon black production plant 100 according to the invention. The carbon black production plant substantially consists of a reactor 102, a heat exchange system 1 and a separation device 104.

(8) In said reactor 102, an incomplete burning takes place, resulting in the generation of flue gas. The flue gas is supplied via a tube conduit system 106 to the heat exchange system 1. Via a second tube conduit system 106, the flue gas that has been cooled in the heat exchange system 1 is supplied to separation device 104 in which the carbon black and the gas will be separated.

(9) The heat exchange system 1 is further supplied with reaction air. The reaction air is preheated via the heat exchange system 1 and then will be supplied as preheated reaction air to the reactor. In FIG. 1, the flow direction of the reaction air is represented by corresponding arrows, with arrow A denoting the inflow of the reaction air and arrow B denoting the outflow of the reaction air. Further, a second fluid is supplied to the heat exchange system 1. Also this fluid will be preheated in the heat exchange system 1 and be led off as a heated fluid. The fluid can be e.g. water, wherein the heated water will be led off from the heat exchange system 1 in a vaporous state. By means of the heat exchange system 1, the flue gas is cooled, thereby enhancing the completion of the reaction. The inflow of the fluid is represented by arrow C. The outflow of the fluid is represented by arrow D.

(10) Thus, the carbon black production plant 100 according to the invention has the advantage that, on the one hand, by the supply of preheated reaction air, the thermal efficiency of the reaction in reactor 102 can improved. On the other hand, the thermal energy contained in the generated flue gas can be additionally used for heating the fluid, e.g. for vaporization of water. The generated steam can be supplied e.g. to a separate super-heater and thus be used in a conventional water-steam cycle in order to generate electric power. The generated steam can also be used for other purposes.

(11) In FIG. 2, the heat exchange system 1 of the carbon black production plant 100 of FIG. 1 is schematically shown in greater detail.

(12) The heat exchange system 1 consists of a first heat exchange section 3 and a second heat exchange section 4. In said first heat exchange section 3, the fluid will be heated. In said second heat exchange section 4, the reaction air will be preheated.

(13) For this purpose, the first heat exchange section 3 is designed as a double-tube heat exchanger 5. The double-tube heat exchanger 5 comprises a plurality of first tubes 7, as most clearly shown in the detailed view depicted in FIG. 2A. Each of said first tubes 7 is arranged in a single-path configuration in a first casing tube 9.

(14) The double-tube heat exchanger is arranged in a vertical orientation, and the flue gas will be supplied to it at its lower end. For this purpose, the double-tube heat exchanger 5 comprises a first entry chamber 11. The first tubes 7 are connected to the first entry chamber 11. A first lower tube plate 13 delimits said entry chamber 11, wherein this first lower tube plate 13 accommodates the first tubes 7.

(15) On the upper end of the first tubes 7, a first upper tube plate 15 is arranged. The first upper tube plate 15 accommodates the upper ends of the first tubes 7. Adjoining the first upper tube plate 15, a collector tube 17 for the flue gas is arranged.

(16) The flue gas entering the first entry chamber 11 will be distributed among the tubes 7 and will flow through them. The fluid will be conducted to the casing tubes 9 and will flow into the gap 9a formed between the first tubes 7 and the casing tubes 9.

(17) The first heat exchange section 3 can further comprise a steam drum 19 which serves as a store, distributor and separator of water and steam. The steam drum 19 will be supplied with feed water, as indicated by arrow C. The water will be conducted into at least one inlet chamber, not shown, arranged adjacent to the first lower tube plate 13. Said inlet chamber will distribute the water into the tube casings 9. In each of the upper ends of the tube casings 9, an outlet chamber 21 for the evaporated fluid is formed which will collect the evaporated fluid and return it into the steam drum 19. The evaporated fluid is led off from steam drum 19 as indicated by arrow D. The double-tube heat exchanger 5 is operated in parallel flow. Thereby, in the process of evaporating the fluid, use can be made of a natural circulation so that no additional installations will be required for flow generation, such as e.g. a circulating pump.

(18) It can also be provided that the walls of the outlet chambers 21 are connected to each other and form the first upper tube plate, thus making it possible to omit a separate tube plate.

(19) Generally, the design the outlet chambers 21 and of the inlet chambers can be mirror-inverted so that the inlet chambers can also form the first lower tube plate 13.

(20) The flue gas collected in collector tube 17 is supplied to the second heat exchange section 4 via a tube conduit 23 formed as a bend. The second heat exchange section 4 is designed as a tube-bundle heat exchanger 25. The tube-bundle heat exchanger 25 is again arranged vertically and is designed as a counterflow heat exchanger. The flue gas supplied via tube conduit 23 will thus flow through the tube-bundle heat exchanger 25 in downward direction. The reaction air to be heated will, as indicated by arrows A and B, be fed into a lower section of the tube-bundle heat exchanger 25 and will be led off in an upper portion.

(21) In FIG. 3A, the upper section of the tube-bundle heat exchanger 25 is shown in a detailed representation. The tube-bundle heat exchanger 25 comprises a plurality of second tubes 27 extending in a single-path configuration in a second casing tube 29. Thus, the second casing tube 29 forms a chamber 31 traversed by the second tubes 27.

(22) The tube-bundle heat exchanger 25 is arranged in a suspended manner. For this purpose, the tube-bundle heat exchanger 25 is provided with a holding structure 33 engaging the casing tube 29. The suspended arrangement of the tube-bundle heat exchanger has the advantage that a thermal expansion of the tube-bundle heat exchanger 25 and particularly of the casing tube 29 will occur in a downward direction. Thereby, possible problems caused by different thermal expansion of the double-tube heat exchanger and the tube-bundle heat exchanger will be reduced, thus largely obviating the need for complex compensators on tube conduit 23. Since the tube conduit 23 is conducting flue gas at a high temperature, the tube conduit should be made of high-grade materials. Thus, by omission of further installations, the constructional complexity and the expenses can be distinctly reduced.

(23) The plurality of parallel second tubes 27 are held in a suspended manner by a second upper tube plate 35. For this purpose, each tube is provided with a suspension device 37. Said second upper tube plate 35 delimits a second entry chamber 39 for the flue gas arranged at the upper end of the tube-bundle heat exchanger 25. From said second entry chamber 39, the flue gas will be distributed among the second tubes 27.

(24) Due to the relatively high temperature of the flue gas in the second entry chamber 39, it is provided that the second upper tube plate 35 will be cooled. For this purpose, the second upper tube plate 35 is formed as a double bottom comprising an interior cooling chamber 41. The cooling chamber 41 is supplied, via a plurality of cooling fluid inlets 45, with a cooling fluid such as e.g. cool air. Via a cooling fluid outlet 43, the cooling fluid is allowed to exit from cooling chamber 41. The cooling fluid can be e.g. air which via said cooling fluid outlet 43 will be admixed to the reaction air.

(25) By the suspended arrangement of the second tubes 27 on the second upper tube plate 35, it is also accomplished that an expansion of the second tubes 27 can occur in a downward direction.

(26) To compensate for thermal expansion of the second tubes 27, each second tube 27 is provided with an individual tube compensator 46. The latter can be seen in FIG. 3B which is a detailed view of a lower section of the tube-bundle heat exchanger 25. The lower ends of the second tubes 27 are accommodated in a second lower tube plate 47, wherein the individual tube compensators 46 form a connection between the second tubes 27 and the second lower tube plate 47.

(27) The reaction air is supplied via an inlet 49 into the space 31 enclosed by casing tube 29. After passing through the tube-bundle heat exchanger 25, the reaction air will be led off via an outlet 51. The second lower tube plate 47 delimits a further collector chamber 53 for the flue gas. The wall 55 delimiting said further collector chamber 53 is provided with a main compensator 57 which guarantees that, in case of strong expansion of one or a plurality of second tubes 27 or failure of an individual tube compensator 46, a length compensation can occur between the tubes 27 and the casing tube 29. In such a situation, one or a plurality of second tubes 27 can press the second lower tube plate 47 downwards, this movement being accommodated by the main compensator 57.

(28) By the vertical arrangement of the first and second heat exchange sections 3,4 and the additional connection of the double-tube heat exchanger 5 to the tube bundle at the respective upper end, the first and second heat exchange sections 3,4 can be positioned very closely to each other so that the space requirement of the heat exchange system 1 in the carbon black production plant 100 will be relatively low.