US-12616950-B2 - Apparatuses and processes for distillation and distillation column assembly

US12616950B2US 12616950 B2US12616950 B2US 12616950B2US-12616950-B2

Abstract

An apparatus and process for distillation column fabrication can include forming multiple distillation column packing units that are positionable in a column to define a single packing section so that multiple columns of packing can be positioned in parallel with each other within a single distillation pressure vessel. Each of these multiple columns can have a pre-selected cross-sectional shape, such as a hexagonal shape, and each packing unit can have the same cross-sectional shape (e.g. hexagonal). Each column can include a riser, or distributor, attached to its upper or top portion. A plurality of outer jigsaw seal elements can be arranged between the outer portion of the columns and the inner wall of the pressure vessel. Each packing unit can include a plurality of layered corrugated sheets that are provided in a pre-selected arrangement to facilitate gas and liquid separation via the packing.

Inventors

Clive Chalk
Patrick Alan Houghton
Jonathan Wilson
Carl Thord Sacks
George Amir Meski

Assignees

AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20231023

Claims (15)

1 . A process for fabrication and/or use of an apparatus for distillation, the process comprising: providing a plurality of packing units, each of the packing units having a plurality of corrugated sheets of material encircled by at least one banding element; providing a plurality of column assembly sheets, each of the column assembly sheets being corrugated to have a plurality of flat walls and a plurality of angled walls, each of the flat walls extending from a first end to a second end, each of the flat walls having a first side and a second side opposite the first side between the first end and the second end, the plurality of flat walls comprising a first flat wall and the plurality of angled walls including a first angled wall extending from the first side of the first flat wall and a second angled wall extending from the second side of the first flat wall; positioning the packing units in channels of a first column assembly sheet of the plurality of column assembly sheets and attaching a second column assembly sheet to the first column assembly sheet to enclose the packing units and form columns for forming a multicolumn assembly.
2 . The process of claim 1 , comprising: attaching a riser assembly to an end portion of each of the columns.
3 . The process of claim 2 , comprising: positioning the multicolumn assembly within a chamber of a pressure vessel.
4 . The process of claim 3 , comprising: positioning jigsaw seal elements within the chamber between at least one wall of the pressure vessel and the multicolumn assembly to define an annular seal between the pressure vessel and the multicolumn assembly.
5 . The process of claim 4 , comprising: connecting the multicolumn assembly to hangers positioned in the chamber.
6 . The process of claim 3 , comprising: connecting the multicolumn assembly to hangers positioned in the chamber.
7 . The process of claim 3 , comprising: passing a feed through the pressure vessel for distillation of the feed such that different portions of the feed passes through different columns in parallel to output an upper stream and a lower stream.
8 . The process of claim 3 , comprising: positioning a plurality of hangers in the chamber to support the multicolumn assembly within the chamber.
9 . The process of claim 8 , wherein each of the hangers comprises: an elongated member positioned in the chamber; a plurality of spaced apart fastener elements extending from the elongated member; a plurality of clamping members, each clamping member attached to a distal end of a respective one of the fastener elements.
10 . The process of claim 9 , wherein each of the clamping members has a slot to receive walls of adjacent columns and at least one engagement element positionable in the clamping member to engage the walls within the slot.
11 . The process of claim 10 comprising: positioning a plurality of riser assemblies so that each of the riser assemblies is positioned in an upper end portion of a respective one of the columns of the multicolumn assembly, walls of bottom portions of adjacent riser assemblies being positioned within the slot for engagement with the at least one engagement element within the slot.
12 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the providing of the packing units comprises: connecting a first portion of a first banding element to a first portion of a cradle while the cradle is in an open position; connecting a second portion of the first banding element to a second portion of the cradle while the cradle is in the open position; positioning sheets of corrugated material on the first portion of the first banding element and positioning sheets of corrugated material on the second portion of the second banding element while the cradle is open; closing the cradle so that terminal end portions of the first portion of the first banding element connect with terminal end portions of the second portion of the first banding element to form the first banding element to encircle the sheets of corrugated material to form a first packing unit of the plurality of packing units.
13 . The process of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the terminal end portions of the first portion of the first banding element has a slot and at least one of the terminal end portions of the second portion of the first banding element has a projection positionable within the slot when the cradle is closed.
14 . The process of claim 12 , wherein the first banding element comprises at least one seal element and a plurality of protuberances.
15 . The process of claim 1 comprising: positioning a plurality of riser assemblies so that each of the riser assemblies is positioned in an upper end portion of a respective one of the columns of the multicolumn assembly.

Description

FIELD The present innovation relates to processes and systems for distillation column operation and fabrication and methods of making and using the same. BACKGROUND A form of distillation is an ongoing separation in which a mixture is continuously fed into the process and separated fractions are removed as output streams. The distillation process may produce at least two output fractions, which can include a volatile distillate fraction, which has boiled and been separately captured as a vapor and a residuum fraction, which is the least volatile residue that has not been separately captured as a vapor. In some arrangements, the residuum fraction is sometimes referred to as the bottom fraction and a more volatile distillate fraction can be referred to as a top fraction. Examples of distillation columns and packing used for distillation columns can be appreciated from U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,025,339, 6,250,106, 5,984,282, 5,700,403, 3,402, 105, and 2,804,292, U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2013/0233016, 2003/0116871 and 2002/0121711, European Patent Application Publication Nos. EP 3 424 590 A1 and EP 0 858 830 A1, and United Kingdom Patent Application Publication No. GB 931,591A. SUMMARY We determined that conventional approaches to joining many small diameter distillation columns together to replace a single large diameter distillation column normally result in high manufacturing cost that makes multi-column packing arrangements for distillation impractical and unfeasible for implementation. Often, such approaches resulted in assemblies that had substantial increased weight and reduced processing area that increased the cost of fabrication and made processing less efficient, for example. We have developed embodiments of a process and apparatus for distillation that can permit a single elongated pressure vessel having a relatively large diameter to be utilized to house a plurality of columns therein that can operate in parallel to provide improved distillation functionality while also permitting such an assembly to be fabricated in a more efficient manner that can avoid substantial overweight issues so that implementation can be feasible and utilizable in an industrial environment. In addition to reduced manufacturing costs and improved manufacturing flexibility that can permit fabrication and use, embodiments can provide improved distillation performance as well. Embodiments of a system or distillation column assembly and embodiments of a process for distillation column assembly are also provided, which can facilitate the fabrication of embodiments of our distillation column and use of embodiments of our process for distillation. Embodiments of our system and process for distillation column assembly can permit fabrication to occur more quickly while also providing improved operational flexibility to facilitate fabrication of different sized columns for different design objectives. Embodiments can include automated processing to further facilitate efficient fabrication that can also occur more quickly and efficiently. In a first aspect, an apparatus for distillation includes a pressure vessel having a chamber. The apparatus also includes a first multicolumn assembly positioned within the chamber. The first multicolumn assembly can include a plurality of interconnected columns. Each of the columns can have a plurality of packing units positioned within a channel of the column in linear alignment with each other. Each of the packing units can have a plurality of corrugated sheets of material encircled by at least one banding element such that the at least one banding element is positioned between the corrugated sheets of material and walls of the column that define the channel in which the packing unit is positioned. In a second aspect, the columns can have a hexagonal cross-sectional shape and the packing units can have a corresponding hexagonal cross-sectional shape. The columns of the first multicolumn assembly can also define a honeycomb patterned structure of the multicolumn assembly. In other embodiments, the columns may have another type of shape (e.g. other polygonal shape, octagonal shape, etc.) In a third aspect, the corrugated sheets of material can be corrugated sheets of metal or can be corrugated sheets of metal that have perforations defined therein and/or texture defined thereon. In a fourth aspect, each banding element can include at least one seal element and a plurality of protuberances. In a fifth aspect, one or more banding elements can include a first portion having a first terminal end and a second terminal end and a second portion having a first terminal end and a second terminal end. A connection mechanism of the first terminal end of the first portion can be connected to a connection mechanism of the first terminal end of the second portion. A connection mechanism of the second terminal end of the first portion can be connected to a connection mechanism of the second terminal end of