Search

JP-7855508-B2 - Plants and processes for the efficient production of structured cross-channel packing elements

JP7855508B2JP 7855508 B2JP7855508 B2JP 7855508B2JP-7855508-B2

Inventors

  • アオスナー、イリヤ
  • ウェールリ、マルク
  • ケーラー、フロリアン
  • トルグラー、イブ

Assignees

  • ズルツァー マネジメント アクチエンゲゼルシャフト

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20200928
Priority Date
20191014

Claims (13)

  1. A plant (10) for producing structured cross-channel packing elements (28) for a column (26) for mass transfer and/or heat exchange between a heavy fluid phase and a light fluid phase, wherein the structured cross-channel packing elements (28) have at least two adjacent layers (50, 50') made of expanded metal sheets each having an opening (58), the openings (58) being surrounded by a separation element (60) and separated from each other by the separation element (60), and the expanded metal sheets undergoing periodic deformation Having portions (42, 42', 44), at least two of the at least two layers (50, 50') are arranged parallel to and in contact with each other in the longitudinal direction (V) of the packing element (28), and as a result, an open space (46) is provided between the at least two layers (50, 50') extending from one end of the at least two layers (50, 50') to the opposite end, and as a result, at least one of the heavy phase and the light fluid phase can flow through there, and the plant: a) A stretching machine (14) having at least one knife for cutting a metal sheet and forming a slit in the metal sheet, the stretching machine (14) for stretching the metal sheet to form an expanded metal sheet having the opening (58), b) Optionally, a calibration machine (16) for rolling the expanded metal sheet produced in the stretching machine (14) to a desired thickness, c) Sheet storage unit (18), d) A forming machine (20) for forming the expanded metal sheet produced in the stretching machine and optionally rolled in the optional calibration machine (16) to make an expanded metal sheet having periodic deformation portions (42, 42', 44), e) A stacking machine (22) comprising one or more rotary cutting wheels for cutting the expanded metal sheet having the periodic deformation portions (42, 42', 44) to a desired size, and a stacking unit for stacking the cut expanded metal sheets to form a structured cross-channel packing element (28), The sheet storage unit (18) is embodied to directly receive the expanded metal sheet produced in the stretching machine and optionally rolled in the optional calibration machine (16), and to directly release the expanded metal sheet to the forming machine (20). Plant (10).
  2. The plant (10) according to claim 1, wherein the stretching machine (14) is operable to operate in a stroke-type manner at a first stroke frequency, and the forming machine (16) is operable to operate in a stroke-type manner at a second stroke frequency, and the first stroke frequency is higher than the second stroke frequency.
  3. The plant (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sheet storage unit (18) has at least two orientation changing means (24, 24', 24'', 24'''', 25, 25').
  4. The plant (10) according to claim 3, wherein the sheet storage unit (18) has at least two, preferably at least four, more preferably at least six, and most preferably at least eight non-movable curved orientation changing plates (25, 25') as orientation changing means (24, 24', 24'', 24'''', 25, 25').
  5. The plant (10) according to claim 3, wherein the sheet storage unit (18) has at least two, preferably at least four, more preferably at least six, and most preferably at least eight curved orientation plates (25, 25') as orientation changing means (24, 24', 24'', 24'''', 25, 25'), and at least one, and preferably all, of the orientation plates (25, 25') are movable to allow a change in the distance between at least two of the orientation changing means (25, 25').
  6. The plant (10) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the sheet storage unit (18) has at least two, preferably at least four, more preferably at least six, and most preferably at least eight orientation rollers (24, 24', 24'', 24'') as orientation changing means (24, 24', 24'', 24''), and at least one, and preferably all, of the orientation rollers (24, 24', 24'', 24'') are movable to allow a change in the distance between at least two orientation changing means (24, 24', 24'', 24'', 25, 25'').
  7. The plant (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the forming machine (20) comprises one or more first forming units for pleating the expanded metal sheet, a device for continuously advancing the expanded metal sheet to the one or more first forming units, and at least one device for removing the pleated expanded metal sheet.
  8. A process for producing a structured cross-channel packing element (28) for a column (26) for mass transfer and/or heat exchange between a heavy fluid phase and a light fluid phase, wherein the structured cross-channel packing element (28) has at least two adjacent layers (50, 50') made of expanded metal sheets, each having an opening (58), the openings (58) being surrounded by a separation element (60) and separated from each other by the separation element (60), and the expanded metal sheets having a periodic deformation portion (42 The packing element (28) has layers 42', 44), and at least two of the at least two layers (50, 50') are arranged parallel to and in contact with each other in the longitudinal direction (V) of the packing element (28), and as a result, an open space (46) is provided between the at least two layers (50, 50') extending from one end of the at least two layers (50, 50') to the opposite end, and as a result, at least one of the heavy phase and the light fluid phase can flow through there, and the process is as follows: a) Cutting a metal sheet to form a slit in the metal sheet, stretching the metal sheet to make an expanded metal sheet having the opening (58), b) A step of optionally rolling the expanded metal sheet produced in step (a) to obtain a desired thickness, c) A step of directly sending the expanded metal sheet produced in step a) or optionally produced in step (b) to a sheet storage unit (18), d) A step of directly transferring the expanded metal sheet from the sheet storage unit (18) to the forming machine (20), e) forming the expanded metal sheet in the forming machine (20) to make an expanded metal sheet having periodic deformation portions (42, 42', 44); and f) cutting the expanded metal sheet having periodic deformation portions (42, 42', 44) formed in step (e) to a desired size, and stacking the cut expanded metal sheets to form a structured cross-channel packing element (28). including, process.
  9. The process according to claim 8, wherein the process is carried out within a plant according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
  10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein in step (a), the metal sheet is stretched by a stretching coefficient greater than 1.0 to 1.5, preferably between 1.1 and 1.5, and more preferably between 1.2 and 1.35.
  11. The process according to claim 9 or 10, wherein step (b) is carried out, and the expanded metal sheet is rolled in step ( b) to a grid thickness of 1.0 mm to 1.4 mm, preferably 1.1 mm to 1.3 mm, and more preferably 1.15 mm to 1.25 mm.
  12. The process according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the sheet storage unit (18) comprises at least two rollers (24, 24', 24'', 24'''), and during the stroke of the stretching machine (14), the rollers (24, 24', 24'', 24''') of the sheet storage unit (18) are moved to increase the distance between the rollers (24, 24', 24'', 24'''), while during the stroke of the forming machine ( 20 ), the rollers of the sheet storage unit (18) are moved to decrease the distance between the rollers (24, 24', 24'', 24''').
  13. The process according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the expanded metal sheet is formed in step (e) to become an expanded metal sheet having a corrugated shape with a plurality of alternating peaks (42, 42') and valleys (44) as periodic deformation portions (42, 42', 44), and the angle (α) of each of the peaks (42, 42') and each of the valleys (44) with respect to the longitudinal direction (V) is from 10° to 60°, more preferably from 20° to 50°, and more preferably from 25° to 47°.

Description

This invention relates to a plant and process for efficiently producing structured cross-channel packing elements for columns for mass transfer and/or heat exchange between heavy and light fluid phases. Structured packing elements are used in mass transfer columns, such as in fractional distillation columns, distillation columns, absorption columns, extraction columns, or flue gas scrubbers. Structured packing elements function to improve mass transfer and/or heat transfer between at least two fluid phases of different densities, and are typically operated in counterflow. In distillation and absorption applications, the light phase is a gas or vapor and the heavy phase is a condensate or liquid, whereas in extraction processes, both phases are liquids with different densities. Structured packing elements have multiple different layers, each of which provides surface area for the heavier phase. The heavier phase flows slowly downward along the surface of the layers and diffuses. In addition, there are empty spaces between the different layers of the structured packing element, which are filled with the light phase (e.g., vapor or gas in distillation), providing a path for the ascending light phase, during which the light phase is moved by a pressure gradient. The pressure gradient is necessary to overcome flow resistance. In a common example of counterflow mass transfer, the mean flow direction of the light phase is from the bottom to the top of the structured packing element, and therefore opposite to the mean flow direction of the heavy phase. By allowing one heavy phase to diffuse on the surface of the structured packing element, an interface is created between at least two phases, resulting in efficient heat transfer and mass transfer between the phases being established at the interface. Applications using two or more heavy phases may also exist. One example is extractive distillation. A mass transfer column typically has multiple beds of structured packing elements. A disperser is usually positioned at the top of each bed to uniformly distribute the heavy phase across the cross-section of the bed, leaving sufficient space for the light phase to ascend. Furthermore, a grid-like holding device and collection device are often positioned below each bed. The grid structure holds the bed in place, and the collection device collects the heavy phase as it slowly flows downwards from the bed, leaving sufficient space within the collection device for the light phase to ascend. A common type of structured packing element is the so-called cross-channel corrugated sheet packing, which is assembled from, for example, multiple corrugated sheets that are parallel to and in contact with each other. Typically, the corrugated metal sheets are fastened to each other by multiple rods that penetrate the corrugated sheets perpendicular to the longitudinal section of the corrugated sheet, and the rods are fastened to the first and last corrugated sheets by washers and nuts, or by bending the rods. Each corrugated sheet has multiple periodic deformation sections, such as alternating crests and troughs, and adjacent corrugated sheets are oriented so that the corrugations of these adjacent corrugated sheets intersect in a cross shape with the corrugations of corrugated sheets extending diagonally to the vertical or longitudinal direction, thereby forming a continuously traversing inclined channel. These channels have a positive effect on the flow of the gas and liquid phases within the packing and promote mass transfer between the phases. In other words, the gas and liquid phases are brought into contact within the channels of the structured packing element, and therefore mass transfer and even heat transfer between the phases are promoted. More specifically, the ascending gas comes into contact with the liquid present on the sheet surface and forms a channel as it flows downward through the mass transfer column. During this contact, components abundant in the gas are transferred into the liquid and vice versa. This means that efficient mass transfer is taking place. These packings are disclosed, for example, in DE 1253673, CA 1270751, and U.S. Patent No. 6,206,349 (B1). The amount of mass transfer per unit time is proportional to the area of the interface between the gas and the liquid, and the interface area increases as the portion of the surface of the packing element's layer that is wetted by the liquid increases. Cross-channel corrugated sheet packing made of wire mesh is known to have good wetting properties thanks to the good diffusion of the biphase on the surface of the corrugated sheet due to the capillary force of the wire mesh, and therefore (thanks to this good wetting property) high mass transfer efficiency. However, the mesh of metal wire is an expensive material. An alternative proposal to promote the diffusion of the biphase on the surface of the layer (instead of using wire mesh or very precise corrugated expa