Process and Apparatus for distillation

Abstract

An apparatus and process for distillation of methanol, which may also be used in distillation of other products, such as ethanol. The present apparatus and process have the purpose of reducing the consumption of energy and of cooling water and/or electricity in a distillation process of crude intermediate products, comprising a pre-treatment stage, known as stabilizing stage, for the removal of the volatile components, and a concentration stage, including one or more columns for distillation.

Claims

1. Process for distillation of methanol, comprising: (i) pre-treating a crude stream A of methanol in a stabilizing column V0 at pressure P0, for separation of volatile components, and obtaining a stream of light gases L from the upper section of V0 and a liquid stream B0 comprising methanol from the lower section of V0, (ii) directing B0 towards concentration column V1, at pressure P1, (iii) condensing gaseous stream T1 recovered from the upper section of V1 in heat exchanger E2, and supplying energy to concentration column V2, (iv) sending part of the condensed methanol obtained in step (iii) to product C1, and adding the remaining part of the condensed methanol to the upper section of V1 and using as reflux flow, (v) recovering a liquid stream B1 comprising methanol from the lower section of V1 and passing on to V2, at pressure P2, (vi) splitting gaseous stream T2 recovered from the upper section of V2 in two separate streams, one stream being condensed in a heat exchanger E0, supplying energy to V0, and the other stream being condensed in a heat exchanger E3, supplying energy to concentration column V3, (vii) sending part of the condensed methanol obtained in step (vi) to product, C2, and adding the remaining part of the condensed methanol to the upper section of V2 and using as reflux flow, (viii) recovering a liquid stream B2 comprising methanol from V2 and passing on to V3, at pressure P3, (ix) condensing gaseous stream T3, recovered from the upper section of V3, part of the condensed methanol being sent to product, C3, and the remaining part being added to the upper section of V3 and used as reflux flow, (x) withdrawing one or more side streams H comprising higher alcohols and other minor biproducts from V3 and drawing a liquid stream B3 from V3, wherein: columns V1, V2 and V3 operate at decreasing pressures, such that P1>P2>P3 P0>0 barg and P1>0 barg each column V0, V1, V2 and V3 is correspondingly associated to a heat exchanger E0, E1, E2 and E3, which is a reboiler for the same column, heat exchangers E0 and E3 are condensers for column V2; heat exchanger E2 is condenser for column V1; P1<2 barg; and heat exchanger E1 is supplied by an external energy source.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature in the coldest part of V2 is higher than the temperature in the warmest part of V3 and V0 and the temperature in the coldest part of V1 is higher than the temperature in the warmest part of V2.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature in the coldest part of V2 is 4° C. higher than the temperature in the warmest part of V3 and V0 and the temperature in the coldest part of V1 is 4° C. higher than the temperature in the warmest part of V2.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the difference between P1 and P0 is greater than or equal to 7.7 bar.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein P1 is higher than 9.7 bar(g), P2 is comprised between 6.9 and 13 bar(g).

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein P1 is 17 bar(g), P2 is 9 bar(g) and P3 is 0.98 bar(g).

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the heat duty of E0 is at least 30% less than the duty of E1.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein B3 comprises the water removed from circulating streams and is recovered from the lower section of V3.

9. Apparatus for distillation of methanol, comprising a stabilizing column V0, at pressure P0, connected in series with at least 3 distillation columns V1, V2 and V3 at correspondingly decreasing pressure P1, P2 and P3 wherein each column is associated to a heat exchanger E0, E1, E2 and E3, said heat exchanger being a reboiler for that column, wherein, a) heat exchangers E0 and E3 are condensers of column V2; b) heat exchanger E2 is condenser of column V1; c) E1 has an incoming heat stream, external to said apparatus; d) P1<2 barg.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the external heat stream to E1 is steam or a synthesis gas containing sensible heat.

11. Plant for distillation of methanol according to claim 1 comprising at least one apparatus, wherein the amount of steam required for E1 is less than 1.3 kg/kg of product methanol, the apparatus comprising a stabilizing column V0, at pressure P0, connected in series with at least 3 distillation columns V1, V2 and V3 at correspondingly decreasing pressure P1, P2 and P3 wherein each column is associated to a heat exchanger E0, E1, E2 and E3, said heat exchanger being a reboiler for that column, characterized in that, a) heat exchangers E0 and E3 are condensers of column V2; b) heat exchanger E2 is condenser of column V1; c) E1 has an incoming heat stream, external to said apparatus; d) P1<2 barg.

12. A method comprising using an apparatus in a plant for distillation of methanol according to claim 1, the apparatus comprising a stabilizing column V0, at pressure P0, connected in series with at least 3 distillation columns V1, V2 and V3 at correspondingly decreasing pressure P1, P2 and P3 wherein each column is associated to a heat exchanger E0, E1, E2 and E3, said heat exchanger being a reboiler for that column, characterized in that, a) heat exchangers E0 and E3 are condensers of column V2; b) heat exchanger E2 is condenser of column V1; c) E1 has an incoming heat stream, external to said apparatus; d) P1<2 barg.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0053] FIG. 1 represents a preferred embodiment of the process for distillation of methanol according to the present invention, where three concentration columns V1, V2 and V3 with decreasing pressures P1>P2>P3 are connected to a stabilizing column V0 at pressure P0, wherein:

[0054] a. A: Feed of crude methanol [0055] b. V0: Stabilizing column at pressure P0 [0056] c. V1, V2, V3: Concentration columns at pressure P1>P2>P3 [0057] d. B0: Liquid stream comprising methanol, recovered from the lower part of stabilizing column V0, [0058] e. B1, B2, B3: Liquid streams comprising methanol, recovered from the lower part of concentrations columns V1, V2, V3, [0059] f. C1, C2, C3: Product liquid distilled methanol, [0060] g. E0, E1, E2, E3: Heat exchangers, [0061] h. T0: Gaseous stream recovered from the upper part of stabilizing column V0 [0062] i. T1, T2, T3: Gaseous streams recovered from the upper part of concentration columns V1, V2, V3 [0063] j. L: Light gaseous stream from V0, [0064] k. H: Side stream recovered from V3, [0065] l. S: Split of streams.

Definitions

[0066] “Atmospheric pressure” means 1.01325 bar, i.e., approximately 1 bar.

[0067] “Concentration column” or “distillation column” or “bottoming column”, Vn where n≠0 (such as V1, V2 or V3), means a column divided into a series of stages. These correspond to a cascade of equilibrium stages. Liquid flows down the column from stage to stage and is contacted by vapor flowing upward. Traditionally, most columns have been built from a set of distinct “trays” or “plates”, so these terms end up being essentially interchangeable with “stages”. Each tray in a distillation column is designed to promote contact between the vapor and liquid on the stage. Distillation can be conducted in a packed column (just as absorption can be done in a trayed column). Stages may be numbered from top down or bottom up. The stream recovered from the upper section of the column is called the overhead product, T, the “overhead”, the “top product”. Distillate product C may be liquid or vapor (or occasionally both) depending on the type of condenser used. The distillate flow rate is herein designated C and the product recovered from the lower section of the column may be called the bottom product and is herein given the symbol B. In some situations, one or more “sidedraw” products H may be removed from the column. The portion of the column above the feed tray is called the rectification section. In this section, the vapor is enriched by contact with the reflux. The portion of the column below the feed tray is called the stripping section. The liquid portion of the feed serves as the reflux for this section. The operating pressure of the column, Pn (such as P1, P2 and P3) is typically controlled by adjusting heat removal in the heat exchanger. The base of the column is typically used as a reservoir to hold liquid leaving the bottom tray. A heat exchanger, e.g. a reboiler, is used to boil this liquid. The vapor which results, the “boilup”, is returned to the bottom of the column.

[0068] A “Condenser” is required to provide the cooling duty to condense the stream collected from the upper section of the concentration column, which is a gas or vapor. The condensed vapor is partially refluxed back into the top of the column to increase the sharpness of the separation—the greater the reflux ratio the better is the separation. The condenser can be a total condenser or a partial condenser. In a total condenser, all the top vapor product is condensed to liquid, whereas in a partial condenser, only part of the vapor is condensed, and the liquid is refluxed back to the column, the un-condensed vapor is drawn for further processing. In this case, the partial condenser can be viewed as an additional VLE separation stage, whereas in a total condenser the top product of the column has the same composition as the reflux stream.

[0069] “Crude methanol”, A, means a solution comprising methanol, typically 65 to 95% methanol, water and other components. The crude methanol A contains low-boiling and high-boiling components (light and heavy ends). The light ends L include mainly dissolved gases (e.g., CO2), dimethyl ether, methyl formate, and acetone. The heavy ends H include higher alcohols, long-chain hydrocarbons, higher ketones, and esters of lower alcohols with formic, acetic, and propionic acids.

[0070] “Distillation” or “fractional distillation” or “fractionation” means a process for separating liquid mixtures into two or more vapor or liquid products with different compositions. Distillation is an equilibrium stage operation. In each stage, a vapor phase is contacted with a liquid phase and mass is from vapor to liquid and from liquid to vapor. The less volatile, “heavy” or “high boiling”, components concentrate in the liquid phase; the more volatile, “light”, components concentrate in the vapor. By using multiple stages in series with recycle, separation can be accomplished. The feed to a distillation column may be liquid, vapor, or a liquid-vapor mixture. It may enter at any point in the column. More than one stream may be fed to the system, and more than one product may be drawn. Vapor leaving the top of the column, such as T0, T1, T2 and T3, passes through a heat exchanger, where it is partially or totally condensed. The resulting liquid is temporarily held in the “accumulator” or reflux drum. A liquid stream is withdrawn from the drum and returned to the top tray of the column as reflux to promote separation.

[0071] “Equilibrium stage” or theoretical plate means, in many separation processes such as distillation, a hypothetical zone or stage in which two phases, such as the liquid and vapor phases of a substance, establish an equilibrium with each other. Such equilibrium stages may also be referred to as an ideal stage or a theoretical tray. The performance of many separation processes depends on having series of equilibrium stages and is enhanced by providing more such stages. In other words, having more equilibrium stages increases the efficiency of the separation process.

[0072] “Feed” or “column feed” to a distillation column may be liquid, vapor, or a liquid-vapor mixture. It may enter at any point in the column, although the optimal feed tray location should be determined and used. More than one stream may be fed to the system, and more than one product may be drawn. The thermal condition of the feed determines the column internal flows. If the feed is below its boiling point, heat is needed to raise it to where it can be vaporized. This heat must be obtained by condensing vapor rising through the column, so the liquid flow moving down the column increases by the entire amount of the feed plus the condensed material and the vapor flow upward is decreased.

[0073] “Gaseous stream, such as T0, T1, T2 or T3, recovered from the upper part of stabilizing column V0 and concentration columns, such as V1, V2 or V3, is the stream resulting from a distillation process, taken from the upper part of said columns. Such a stream is mainly made up of methanol, with progressively lower content of impurities until the gaseous stream, such as T3, recovered from the last concentration column, such as V3, has a very low content of impurities. The requirement is that the mixed product streams, C1+C2+C3, shall fulfil the required product specification (e.g. grade AA).

[0074] “Heat duty” or “Duty” means the amount of heat needed to transfer from a hot side to the cold side over a unit of time. The equation to calculate the heat duty is normally written in two ways: a) one that can be used for sensible heat transferred, which means that the fluid undergoes no phase change; b) the other can be used for latent heat transferred, which means that the fluid undergoes a phase change. i.e. condenses.

[0075] “Heat exchanger” means a system used to transfer heat between two or more fluids. Heat exchangers are used in both cooling and heating processes. The fluids may be separated by a solid wall to prevent mixing or they may be in direct contact. In particular, “heat exchanger” means a reboiler/condenser, e.g. E0, E1, E2 and E3, such as a tube bundle exchanger, for example with evaporation of the solution in the shell side and condensation of the distillate in the tube side (or vice-versa). It is also possible to use a plated heat exchanger with heat exchange plates housed inside a shell.

[0076] “Partial reboiler” means a reboiler where only part of the liquid in the column base is vaporized. The vapor produced is returned to the column, and the liquid stream is removed as product or feed to an additional column. The compositions of these three streams are different. Partial reboilers also provide an ideal separation stage. Sidestream reboilers can be used, which draw liquid off a tray, heat it, and then return the vapor liquid mixture to the same or similar trays.

[0077] “Heavy by-products” or “side streams”, H, means a stream comprising higher alcohols and other minor bi-products recovered from the last concentration column—typically taken out in between the feed tray and the bottom of the column. It is also known as “fusel oil” and comprises water, residual methanol (ca. 1% of the total) and most of the by-products of the synthesis reaction. Said fusel oil has a certain heat value and is usually used as a fuel or feed to a synthesis gas generation section. Side streams of fusel oil can also be extracted, if suitable, from the intermediate distillation stages.

[0078] “Intermediate products” mean vapor and liquid streams between columns and exiting columns in a multi column distillation apart from the feed stream A, the product streams C1, C2, C3, L, H and B3.

[0079] “Light by-products” or “Light gases” or “Light ends”, L, mean gaseous stream obtained from stabilizing column V0, preferably the upper section of V0 and includes mainly dissolved gases (e.g., CO2), dimethyl ether, methyl formate, and acetone.

[0080] “Liquid stream comprising methanol”, such as B0, B1, B2 or B3 means a stream recovered from the lower section of stabilizing column V0 and concentration columns, such as V1, V2 and V3. As the distillation progresses, this stream gradually comprises a lower amount of methanol and a higher amount of water, until the last stream, such as B3, recovered from the last concentration column, such as V3, comprises mainly water and only residual amounts of methanol, preferably less than 50 ppm.

[0081] “Lower stream” or “bottom stream” means a stream obtained or recovered from the lower section of a column, such as V0, V1, V2 and V3.

[0082] “Pressure”, P, means gauge pressure and is measured in bar(g). Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to atmospheric pressure and it is positive for pressures above atmospheric pressure, and negative for pressures below it. The difference between bar and bar(g) is the difference in the reference considered. Measurement of pressure is always taken against a reference and corresponds to the value obtained in a pressure measuring instrument. If the reference in the pressure measurement is vacuum we obtain absolute pressure and measure it in bar only. If the reference is atmospheric pressure then pressure is cited in bar(g).

[0083] “Product”, such as C1, C2 or C3, is liquid distilled methanol recovered from concentration columns such as V1, V2 and V3.

[0084] “Reboiler” means a heat exchanger typically used to provide heat to the bottom of industrial distillation columns. Reboilers boil the liquid from the bottom of a distillation column to generate vapors which are returned to the column, such as V0, V1, V2 and V3, to drive the distillation separation. The heat supplied to the column by the reboiler at the bottom of the column is removed by the condenser at the top of the column. Most reboilers are of the shell and tube heat exchanger type and normally steam is used as the heat source in such reboilers. However, other heat transfer fluids like hot synthesis gas, oil or Dowtherm™ may be used. Fuel-fired furnaces may also be used as reboilers in some cases.

[0085] “Split of streams”, S, means separation of at least one original stream (liquid or gaseous) in two separate streams or sub-streams (liquid or gaseous). Within the context of the present invention, S indicates the location where gaseous stream T2 recovered from the upper section of V2 is divided in two deriving streams or sub-streams, one stream or sub-stream being condensed in a heat exchanger E0, supplying energy to V0, and the other stream or sub-stream being condensed in a heat exchanger E3, supplying energy to concentration column V3.

[0086] “Stabilizing column” or Topping column or pre-run column or, V.sub.0, is for separating the more volatile components from the heavier components, both contained in the crude product, such as crude methanol.

[0087] “Volatile components” or “volatile substances” means components or substances which vaporize readily at low temperatures. Volatility can also describe the tendency of a vapor to condense into a liquid or solid: less volatile substances will more readily condense from a vapor than highly volatile ones. Vapor pressure is a measurement of how readily a condensed phase forms a vapor at a given temperature. A substance enclosed in a sealed vessel initially at vacuum (no air inside) will quickly fill any empty space with vapor. After the system reaches equilibrium and no more vapor is formed, this vapor pressure can be measured. Increasing the temperature increases the amount of vapor that is formed and thus the vapor pressure. In a mixture, each substance contributes to the overall vapor pressure of the mixture, with more volatile compounds making a larger contribution. Boiling point is the temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid is equal to the surrounding pressure, causing the liquid to rapidly evaporate, or boil. It is closely related to vapor pressure, but is dependent on pressure. The normal boiling point is the boiling point at atmospheric pressure, but it can also be reported at higher and lower pressures.

[0088] “Upper stream” or “Top stream” means a stream obtained or recovered from the upper section of a column, such as V0, V1, V2 and V3.

Preferred Embodiments

[0089] (1) Process for distillation of methanol, comprising:

[0090] (i) pre-treatment of a crude stream A of methanol in a stabilizing column V0 at pressure P0, for separation of volatile components, obtaining a stream of light gases L from the upper section of V0 and a liquid stream B0 comprising methanol from the lower section of V0,

[0091] (ii) B0 is then directed towards concentration column V1, at pressure P1,

[0092] (iii) gaseous stream T1 recovered from the upper section of V1 is condensed in heat exchanger E2, supplying energy to concentration column V2,

[0093] (iv) part of the condensed methanol obtained in step (iii) is sent to product C1, and the remaining part of the condensed methanol is added to the upper section of V1 and used as reflux flow,

[0094] (v) a liquid stream B1 comprising methanol is recovered from the lower section of V1 and passed on to V2, at pressure P2,

[0095] (vi) gaseous stream T2 recovered from the upper section of V2 is split (S) in two separate streams, one stream being condensed in a heat exchanger E0, supplying energy to V0, and the other stream being condensed in a heat exchanger E3, supplying energy to concentration column V3,

[0096] (vii) part of the condensed methanol obtained in step (vi) is sent to product, C2, and the remaining part of the condensed methanol is added to the upper section of V2 and used as reflux flow,

[0097] (viii) a liquid stream B2 comprising methanol is recovered from V2 and passed on to V3, at pressure P3,

[0098] (ix) gaseous stream T3, recovered from the upper section of V3, is condensed, part of the condensed methanol being sent to product, C3, and the remaining part being added to the upper section of V3 and used as reflux flow,

[0099] (x) one or more side streams H comprising higher alcohols and other minor bi-products is withdrawn from V3 and a liquid stream B3, is drawn from V3,

[0100] wherein: [0101] Columns V1, V2 and V3 operate at decreasing pressures, such that P1>P2>P3 [0102] P0>0 barg and P1>0 barg [0103] each column V0, V1, V2 and V3 is correspondingly associated to a heat exchanger E0, E1, E2 and E3, as a reboiler for the same column, [0104] heat exchangers E0 and E3 are condensers for column V2; [0105] heat exchanger E2 is condenser for column V1.

[0106] and wherein: [0107] P1<2 barg; and [0108] Heat exchanger E1 is supplied by an external energy source.

[0109] (2) Process according to embodiment 1, wherein the temperature in the coldest part of V2 is higher than the temperature in the warmest part of V3 and V0 and the temperature in the coldest part of V1 is higher than the temperature in the warmest part of V2.

[0110] (3) Process according to the previous embodiments, wherein the temperature in the coldest part of V2 is preferably 4° C. higher than the temperature in the warmest part of V3 and V0 and the temperature in the coldest part of V1 is preferably 4° C. higher than the temperature in the warmest part of V2.

[0111] (4) Process according to the previous embodiments wherein the difference between P1 and P0 is greater than or equal to 7.7 bar.

[0112] (5) Process according to the previous embodiments, wherein P1 is higher than 9.7 bar(g), P2 is comprised between 6.9 and 13 bar(g).

[0113] (6) Process according to the previous embodiments, wherein P1 is preferably 17 bar(g), P2 is preferably 9 bar(g) and P3 is preferably 0.98 bar(g).

[0114] (7) Process according to the previous embodiments, wherein the heat duty of E0 is at least 30% less than the duty of E1.

[0115] (8) Process according to the previous embodiments, wherein B3 comprises the water removed from circulating streams and is recovered from the lower section of V3.

[0116] (9) Process according to the previous embodiments, wherein the crude product to be distilled is ethanol or other suitable product.

[0117] (10) Apparatus for distillation of methanol, comprising a stabilizing column V0, at pressure P0, connected in series with at least 3 distillation columns V1, V2 and V3 at correspondingly decreasing pressure P1, P2 and P3 wherein each column is associated to a heat exchanger E0, E1, E2 and E3, said heat exchanger being a reboiler for that column, wherein:

[0118] a) heat exchangers E0 and E3 are condensers of column V2;

[0119] b) heat exchanger E2 is condenser of column V1;

[0120] c) E1 has an incoming heat stream, external to said apparatus;

[0121] d) P1<2 barg.

[0122] (11) Apparatus according to embodiment 10, wherein the external heat stream to E1 is steam or a synthesis gas containing sensible heat.

[0123] (12) Apparatus according to embodiments 10 and 11, wherein the crude product to be distilled is ethanol or other suitable product.

[0124] (13) Plant for distillation of methanol according to embodiments 1 to 9, comprising at least one apparatus according to embodiments 10-11, wherein the amount of steam required for E1 is less than 1.3 kg/kg of product methanol.

[0125] (14) Use of apparatus according to embodiments 10-11 in a plant according to embodiment 13, for distillation of methanol according to embodiments 1-9.

[0126] (15) Use of the process, apparatus and plant according to embodiments 1-13 comprising N concentration columns V1, V2, V3 and up to Vn, with decreasing pressures P1>P2>P3 and down to Pn, connected to a stabilizing column V0 at pressure P0, wherein:

[0127] A: Feed of crude methanol;

[0128] B0 to Bn: Liquid streams comprising methanol, recovered from the lower section of columns V0 to Vn;

[0129] C1 to Cn: Product, such as liquid distilled methanol;

[0130] E0 to En: Energy streams, in particular heat exchangers;

[0131] T0 to Tn: Gaseous streams recovered from the upper section of columns V0 to Vn;

[0132] L: Light gaseous stream from Stabilizer;

[0133] H: Heavy side stream recovered from the final concentration column Vn;

[0134] S: Split of stream Tn-1 in two separate sub-streams, one sub-stream being condensed in heat exchanger E0, supplying energy to V0, and the other sub-stream being condensed in heat ex-changer En, supplying energy to concentration column Vn,

[0135] V0: Stabilizing column;

[0136] V1 to Vn: Concentration columns,

[0137] Wherein [0138] Columns V1, V2 and up to Vn operate at decreasing pressures, such that P1>P2 and down to Pn, [0139] P0>0 barg and P1>0 barg [0140] each column V0, V1, V2 and up to Vn is correspondingly associated to a heat exchanger E0, E1, E2 and up to En, which a reboiler for the same column, [0141] heat exchangers E0 and En are condensers for column Vn−1; [0142] heat exchanger E2 is condenser for column V1.

[0143] and wherein:

[0144] P1<2 barg; and [0145] Heat exchanger E1 is supplied by an external energy source.