Dynamically adjustable chemical treatment column

Abstract

A chemical treatment column includes a column base (104) and an assembly for maintaining plug flow in the column base. The column base (104) is adapted to house a media bed (110). The assembly includes a sleeve (140) removably coupled to the column base (104), a plate (116) coupled to the sleeve (140), and a piston (180) at least partially disposed within the sleeve (140). The assembly is dynamically movable relative to the column base (104) to adjust the position of the piston relative to the column base to compensate for changes in the volume occupied by the media bed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to a chemical treatment column, and more specifically to a chemical treatment column that can be dynamically adjusted to maintain plug flow through the column. Background Technology

[0002] Chemical processing columns (e.g., chromatographic columns and synthetic columns) are used in various industrial processes to produce and purify a variety of chemical products. Figure 1 illustrates an example of a known chemical processing column 50 used for the production and purification of various chemical products. The known chemical processing column 50 shown in Figure 1 comprises a base 54, a bed 56 composed of media 58 within the base 54, and a piston 62 having a flange 66 connected to the base 54 by a plurality of threaded rods 70 and held between a plurality of nuts 72. Ideally, the bed 56 should be as homogeneous as possible, and the media 58 should fill as much of the processing volume of the column as possible. However, in operation, the volume occupied by the bed 56 often fluctuates (e.g., increases or decreases) due to the settling, contraction, or expansion of the media 58. This change in the volume occupied by the bed 56 can be caused by hydraulic pressure, but can also be caused by changes in pH, solvent concentration, and / or salt concentration.

[0003] It should be understood that the expansion of medium 58 increases the volume occupied by bed 56, which may cause medium 58 to clog piston 62, thereby interfering with the proper operation of piston 62 and interrupting the plug flow through column 50. The expansion of medium 58 may also cause medium 58 to clog base 54, similarly interrupting the plug flow through column 50. However, to remove medium 58 from base 54 or adjust the position of piston 62 to ensure this does not occur, nut 72 must be manually adjusted on threaded rod 70, which is not only time-consuming and laborious without removal and reinsertion, but also increases the risk of misalignment between piston 62 and base 54. Conversely, the contraction of medium 58 reduces the volume occupied by bed 56. Although this does not clog piston 62, the volume reduction does interrupt the plug flow through column 50 because there is now too much space between bed 56 and piston 62. Again, to adjust the position of piston 62 to ensure this does not occur, one or more operators must manually adjust nut 72 on threaded rod 70, which, as mentioned above, is disadvantageous.

[0004] It should also be understood that the bed 56, composed of medium 58, must be refilled or replaced from time to time. However, piston 62 must first be completely removed from base 54 in order to eject or remove medium 58 from base 54. As discussed above, this requires manual adjustment of nut 72 and manual removal of threaded bolt 70, which is time-consuming and laborious. Furthermore, the weight and size of threaded bolt 70 and piston 62 pose a serious danger to the operator, as threaded bolt 70 and piston 62 are removed and eventually reattached to base 54. In addition, removing piston 62 from base 54 also allows hydraulic fluid that could be placed on one side of piston 62 to help achieve pressure balance to overflow. Attached Figure Description

[0005] The features of this disclosure that are considered novel are specifically set forth in the appended claims. This disclosure is best understood by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals identify the same elements in several figures, in which:

[0006] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a known chemical treatment column.

[0007] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of an example of a dynamically adjustable chemical treatment column constructed in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure, the chemical treatment column comprising a column base and an assembly in a first position relative to the column base;

[0008] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A close-up of a portion of a dynamically adjustable chemical treatment column, showing multiple pendulum components with sleeves removably attached to the column base;

[0009] Figure 4 Similar to Figure 2 However, it shows an assembly that moves relative to the column base to a second position to compensate for the change in volume occupied by the medium bed in the column base;

[0010] Figure 5 Similar to Figure 2 However, it shows an assembly that moves relative to the column base to a third position to compensate for the change in volume occupied by the medium bed in the column base; and

[0011] Figure 6 Similar to Figure 2 However, it shows an assembly that moves relative to the column base to a fourth position to allow the media bed to be removed. Detailed Implementation

[0012] This disclosure relates to a chemical treatment column designed to mitigate (if not resolve) the problems associated with the aforementioned chemical treatment column 50 and other known chemical treatment columns. The chemical treatment column is dynamically adjustable to compensate for changes in the volume occupied by the media bed disposed therein (e.g., increase, decrease) due to sedimentation, expansion, or contraction of the media. More specifically, the chemical treatment column disclosed herein has a base and a piston that is dynamically adjustable relative to the base and the media bed to compensate for such volume changes during operation of the chemical treatment column. Thus, for example, if the media expands during operation of the chemical treatment column, the piston can be moved (e.g., away from the bed) to prevent the bed, which now occupies a larger volume in the base, from clogging the piston. Advantageously, the piston is dynamically adjustable without requiring manual adjustment of any bolts, thereby saving time and labor and reducing the risk of misalignment. Furthermore, the piston can be removed from the base without manually removing any bolts, thereby facilitating quick and easy maintenance of the piston. Removing the piston in this manner also allows for easy removal and reloading or replacement of the media bed without manually removing and reinserting any bolts. Additionally, the media bed can be removed and refilled or replaced without losing any hydraulic fluid that could be placed in the chemical treatment column to help the piston achieve pressure balance or movement.

[0013] Figure 2 , 4 Figures 5 and 6 illustrate an example of a chemical processing column 100 constructed according to the teachings of this disclosure. The chemical processing column 100 is configured for use in a chemical synthesis process. Therefore, in this example, the chemical processing column 100 is a [missing information - likely a specific component or structure]. Figure 2 , 4 It is part of a chemical processing system for components not shown in sections 5 and 6. However, it should be understood that the chemical processing column 100 can be used alternatively for other processes, such as chromatography.

[0014] like Figure 2 , 4As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the chemical treatment column 100 typically comprises a column base 104 and an assembly 108 for maintaining plug flow in the column base 104. The column base 104 is adapted to accommodate a bed 110 composed of a medium 111, which in this example takes the form of beads. The assembly 108 includes a sleeve 112 removably coupled to the column base 104, a plate 116 coupled to the sleeve 112, and a piston 120 at least partially disposed within (i.e., surrounded by) the sleeve 112. As will be discussed in more detail below, the assembly 108 (and more specifically, the piston 120) can be dynamically adjusted (e.g., movable) relative to the column base 104 and the bed 110 to compensate for changes (e.g., increases, decreases) in the volume occupied by the bed 110 due to fluctuations (e.g., expansion, contraction) in the medium 111. Furthermore, the assembly 108 can be moved relative to the column base 104 as a single unit to facilitate quick and easy maintenance of the piston 120 and to allow the bed 110, which is made of the medium 111, to be removed and refilled or replaced without losing any hydraulic fluid used to help bring the piston 120 to pressure balance.

[0015] In this example, the column base 104 has a substantially cylindrical shape defined by an open top 124 with a flange 126, a bottom 128 opposite to the top 124, and a cylindrical sidewall 132 extending between the open top 124 and the bottom 128. Thus, the inner chamber 136 is partially defined by the top 124, the bottom 128, and the cylindrical sidewall 132. However, in other examples, the column base 104 may alternatively be formed (e.g., the column base 104 may have a square planar shape forming a rectangular prism).

[0016] Sleeve 112 is removably coupled to column base 104, allowing for quick and easy disengagement (and re-coupling) from (and reattachment to) column base 104. In this example, sleeve 112 is removably coupled to column base 104 via (i) a bottom end 148 of sleeve 112 and (ii) a plurality of pendulum members 138, the bottom end being configured to be at least partially removably disposed in a groove 139 formed in the top 124 of the opening. However, in other examples, sleeve 112 may be coupled to column base 104 in a different manner. In this example, sleeve 112 takes the form of an annular sleeve 140 and a flange 144 extending outward (radially outward) near the bottom end 148 of the annular sleeve 140. Figure 2As shown, when sleeve 112 is engaged with column base 104, flange 144 is adjacent to flange 126 of column base 104, and in this example, bottom end 148, which is narrower than annular sleeve 140 and flange 144, is at least partially disposed in groove 139 of column base 104. In this example, flange 144 is separated from flange 126 by pendulum member 138, and sealing element 150 (e.g., O-ring) is carried by sleeve 112 at or near bottom end 148. Thus, sealing element 150 is configured to be disposed between flange 126 of column base 104 and bottom end 148 of sleeve 112 to achieve a seal between column base 104 and sleeve 112. However, in other examples, flange 144 may directly engage flange 126 and / or sealing element 150 may be disposed elsewhere. In either case, the annular sleeve 140 and the flange 144 also partially define the inner chamber 136.

[0017] In this example, plate 116 is connected to sleeve 112 by a plurality of fasteners 152, such that sleeve 112 is carried by plate 116. However, in other examples, plate 116 may be connected to sleeve 112 in a different manner. For example, plate 116 may be integrally formed with sleeve 112. For instance, plate 116 may be removably placed against sleeve 112. Plate 116 has a top surface 156 and a bottom surface 160 opposite to the top surface 156. When plate 116 is connected to sleeve 112, bottom surface 160 of plate 116 is adjacent to top surface 164 of annular sleeve 140 opposite to bottom end 148. In this example, sealing element 168 (e.g., an annular washer) may be disposed between bottom surface 160 of plate 116 and top surface 164 of annular sleeve 140 to achieve a seal between sleeve 112 and plate 116. However, in other instances, the bottom surface 160 of plate 116 may directly engage the top end 164 of annular sleeve 140. In any case, when sleeve 112 is attached to column base 104, the top surface 156 of plate 116 faces outward, away from bottom 128, and is exposed to the atmosphere, while the bottom surface 160 of plate 116 faces bottom 128 and covers or encloses the inner chamber 136.

[0018] In this example, piston 120 includes piston rod 180 and piston head 184 coupled to piston rod 180 (e.g., integrally formed with piston rod). Piston rod 180 extends through a central opening 188 formed in plate 116, such that piston 120 is at least partially housed within sleeve 112 (i.e., surrounded by sleeve), and piston head 184 is housed within inner chamber 136. Depending on the position of piston 120 within inner chamber 136, piston head 184 may be housed within base 104, sleeve 112, or partially within both base 104 and sleeve 112. In either case, piston head 184 divides inner chamber 136 into a first inner sub-chamber 192 and a second inner sub-chamber 196 opposite to the first inner sub-chamber 192. The first inner sub-chamber 192, defined adjacent to a first side 200 of piston head 184, is adapted to contain hydraulic fluid and may therefore be alternatively referred to herein as a hydraulic fluid chamber. The second internal chamber 196 is defined as a second side 204 adjacent to the piston head 184 and opposite the first side 200. A bed 110 is disposed in the column base 104 (against the bottom 128) such that the medium 111 is disposed or contained within the second internal chamber 196 between the bottom 128 and the second side 204 of the piston head 168. The medium 111 may be porous or non-porous and may comprise polymeric materials or gels, including base structures made of cellulose, methacrylates, divinylbenzene, silica, zeolite, titanium, or of the type used in any other separation media. In any case, the first internal chamber 192 is fluidly isolated from the second internal chamber 196 because the piston head 184 carries one or more sealing elements 208 arranged to sealably engage, again depending on the position of the piston 120 within the internal chamber 136, the inner surface of the cylindrical sidewall 132 of the column base 104, the inner surface of the sleeve 112, or both.

[0019] The chemical processing column 100 further includes a column inlet 222 and a column outlet 226. In this example, the column inlet 222 is formed in and passes through a plate 116, such that the column inlet 222 can fluidly connect a hydraulic controller 236 containing a reservoir 238 of hydraulic fluid to a first internal sub-chamber 192 via a conduit 228. Hydraulic fluid can then be supplied to or removed from the first internal sub-chamber 192 via the column inlet 222 and the conduit 228. Meanwhile, in this example, the column outlet 226 is formed in the bottom 128 of the column base 104, such that the column outlet 226 can fluidly connect a second internal sub-chamber 196 to other components of the chemical processing system downstream of the chemical processing column 100 via a conduit 232. Furthermore, process fluid that has flowed through the chemical processing column 100 can flow out of the column base 104 and through the column outlet 226 and the conduit 232 to downstream components. However, in other instances, such as when the fluid is expected to flow in opposite directions, the column inlet 222 and column outlet 226 can be reversed, wherein the column inlet 222 is formed in the bottom 128 of the column base 104 and the column outlet 226 is formed in the plate 116.

[0020] The chemical processing column 100 further includes a piston inlet 250, a piston outlet 254, and a fluid passage 258 between the piston inlet 250 and the piston outlet 254. In this example, the piston inlet 250 is carried by a piston rod 180, such that the piston inlet 250 is located outside the chemical processing column 100 (and more specifically, outside the sleeve 112 and the column base 104). Furthermore, in this example, the piston outlet 254 is carried by a piston head 184 at or along a second side 204 of the piston head 184. Although not shown herein, the piston inlet 250 is fluidly connected to one or more supply sources (not shown) of process fluid, such that the process fluid flows through the piston rod 180 and through the piston inlet 250, the fluid passage 258, and the piston outlet 254 to the second side 204 of the piston head 184. However, in other instances, such as when fluid is expected to flow in opposite directions, the piston inlet 250 and piston outlet 254 may be reversed, wherein the piston inlet 250 is carried by the piston head 184 at or along the second side 204, and the piston outlet 254 is carried by the piston rod 180.

[0021] As discussed above, sleeve 112 is removably connected to column base 104 by a plurality of pendulum members 138, which are connected to both column base 104 and sleeve 112 at radially spaced positions around the circumference of chemical treatment column 100. Figure 3As best shown, each pendulum member 138 preferably takes the form of an I-shaped rod, the I-shaped rod having a proximal end 260 configured to be removably connected to the sleeve 112, a distal end 264 configured to be removably connected to the column base 104, and a rod 268 extending between and connecting the proximal end 260 and the distal end 264. The rod 268 of each pendulum member 138 is removably disposed within a corresponding groove of a plurality of grooves 272 formed in the flange 144 of the sleeve 112 and within a corresponding groove of a plurality of grooves 276 formed in the flange 126 of the column base 104, such that the rod 268 of each pendulum member 138 extends through the corresponding groove 272 and the corresponding groove 276. Furthermore, the proximal end 260 of each pendulum member 138 is positioned above the flange 144 of the sleeve 112 (at least when...). Figure 3 (when viewed from the center), and the distal end 264 of each pendulum member 138 is positioned below the flange 126 of the column base 104 (at least when viewed from the center). Figure 3 (Viewed from the center). And because the proximal end 260 of each pendulum member 138 is larger than the corresponding slot 272, and because the distal end 264 of each pendulum member 138 is larger than the corresponding slot 276, each pendulum member 138 is securely held in place. However, in other embodiments, each pendulum member 138 may alternatively be fixedly coupled to the sleeve 112 (and removably coupled to the column base 104) or fixedly coupled to the column base 104 and removably coupled to the column base 104.

[0022] With this configuration, the pendulum member 138 can be removably connected to the column base 104 without the need for bolts. More specifically, it should be understood that the pendulum member 138 can be... Figure 3 The locking position is shown in solid line in the middle. Figure 3 The sleeve 112 is removably coupled to the column base 104 by moving between its storage positions, indicated by dashed lines. When the pendulum member 138 is in its locked position, the rod 268 of the pendulum member 138 is disposed within and extends through the plurality of slots 272 (respectively) and the plurality of slots 276 (respectively), and, as discussed above, the shape and size of the proximal end 260 and the distal end 264 prevent the pendulum member 138 from translating in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 280 of the column 100. This, in turn, serves to lock the sleeve 112 in place relative to the column base 104. However, the pendulum member 138 moves away from the chemical treatment column 100 to its storage position by pulling the pendulum member 138 in a direction perpendicular (or substantially perpendicular) to the longitudinal axis 280 until the rod 268 of the pendulum member 138 is pulled out of the plurality of slots 272 and the plurality of slots 276, respectively, and spaced apart from the chemical treatment column 100. Furthermore, sleeve 112 (and more generally, assembly 108) can be removed from or disconnected from the column base 104.

[0023] The chemical treatment column 100 may also include or be connected to Figure 2 , 4 And several other components shown in Figure 5, namely the hydraulic controller 236, controller 300, and lifting device 304 briefly discussed above (which may typically be part of the chemical processing column 100 or a chemical processing system). The hydraulic controller 236 is fluidly connected to the column inlet 222 and typically includes a reservoir 238 for hydraulic fluid and a hydraulic pump 306 configured to control the delivery of hydraulic fluid from the reservoir 238 to the column 100 (and vice versa). The controller 300 is communicatively coupled (e.g., wirelessly coupled, coupled via one or more wired connections, or a combination thereof) to the chemical processing column 100 to control the operation of the chemical processing column 100 (and more generally, the chemical processing system) during the chemical synthesis process by transmitting signals (e.g., control signals, data) to and receiving signals (e.g., data) from components of the chemical processing system. More specifically, the controller 300 is operatively coupled to assembly 108 to dynamically control the position of assembly 108 (and more specifically, piston 120). For example, controller 300 is configured to dynamically adjust the position of piston 120 to compensate for actual (i.e., past) or predicted changes in the volume occupied by bed 110 due to expansion, contraction, or settling of medium 111. Controller 300 is also configured to allow hydraulic controller 236 to introduce or withdraw hydraulic fluid into or out of the first internal sub-chamber 192 as needed to move piston 120 (e.g., to force piston 120 to compress bed 110) or to bring piston 120 to pressure equilibrium, and to allow process fluids (e.g., one or more solvents, reagents, washing solutions, etc.) to flow into or out of chemical processing column 100 as needed during the synthesis process. In this example, lifting device 304 takes the form of a hoist coupled to assembly 108 to allow assembly 108 to move as a single unit relative to column base 104. In this example, the hoist is directly coupled to plate 116 and piston 120, and further indirectly coupled to sleeve 112 (which is carried by plate 116). However, in other instances, the hoist may be connected to assembly 108 (or a portion thereof) in different ways.

[0024] Furthermore, the chemical treatment column 100 may also include or be connected to Figure 2 , 4Several other components not shown in sections 5 and 6. The chemical treatment column 100 may include, for example, one or more valves (e.g., flow control valves, on / off valves), one or more pressure regulators, one or more additional pumps (e.g., one or more process fluid pumps configured to control the delivery of process fluid to the column 100), one or more heat exchangers, and / or other components to facilitate the proper operation of the chemical treatment column 100. The chemical treatment column 100 may include, for example, one or more characteristic sensors (e.g., pressure sensors, flow meters, conductivity sensors, pH sensors, UV sensors, temperature sensors, density sensors, optical sensors), said one or more characteristic sensors being operatively coupled to the chemical treatment column 100 and arranged to provide feedback to the controller 300 during operation of the chemical treatment column 100 (and more generally, the chemical treatment system) to ensure the proper operation of the chemical treatment column 100. In some instances, the chemical processing column 100 may also include or be connected to any of the components discussed in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 954,562, filed April 16, 2018, entitled “Chromatography and Synthesis Column Apparatus and Method of Assembly,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0025] The controller 300 can be positioned either adjacent to or away from the chemical treatment column 100. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the controller 300 includes a processor 308, a memory 312, a synthesis database 316, and computational logic 320. Although not described herein, these components are arranged in a known manner but can be arranged in any manner.

[0026] Processor 308 may be a general-purpose processor, digital signal processor, ASIC, field-programmable gate array, graphics processing unit, analog circuit, digital circuit, or any other known or later-developed processor. Processor 308 operates according to instructions stored in memory 312. Memory 312 may be volatile or non-volatile memory. Memory 312 may contain one or more of the following: read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or other types of memory. Memory 312 may contain optical, magnetic (hard disk drive), or any other form of data storage device.

[0027] Synthesis database 316 is stored on memory 312 and stores data about chemical processing column 100 (and more generally, chemical processing system) and the chemical synthesis process to be performed using chemical processing column 100. More specifically, synthesis database 316 typically stores data about: (i) the medium 111 used in chemical processing column 100; (ii) the process fluid to be used during the chemical synthesis process, including the type of process fluid used and the predetermined typical or expected expansion rate, contraction rate, and settling rate of medium 111 based on the type of process fluid used (e.g., conversion from toluene to acetonitrile will cause medium 111 to contract); (iii) the hydraulic fluid to be used during the chemical synthesis process; and (iv) timing information for the chemical synthesis process, including the predetermined typical or expected time for the process fluid and / or medium 111 to typically expand, contract, or settle (or be expected to do so) during the chemical synthesis process. In some instances, data stored in synthesis database 316 is generated from previous chemical synthesis processes performed using chemical processing column 100 or other chemical processing columns.

[0028] Logic 320 includes one or more routines and / or one or more subroutines embodied as computer-readable instructions stored on memory 312. Processor 308 may execute logic 320 to cause processor 308 to perform actions related to the operation (e.g., control, regulation) and / or maintenance of chemical processing column 100 (and generally, chemical processing system), as will be described in more detail below.

[0029] Finally, it should be understood that the aforementioned components of the chemical treatment column 100 can be made of one or more different materials. In one example, the column base 104 and assembly 108 can be made of one or more metallic materials (e.g., stainless steel), while conduits 228 and 232 (and any other conduits used to connect the components) can be made of single-use or disposable materials, such as plastic or polymeric materials or membrane materials, such as gamma-stabilized plastics (which can withstand gamma radiation).

[0030] Now will be used Figure 2 , 4The operation of the chemical processing column 100 will be discussed in sections 5 and 6. In normal operation, i.e., when the chemical processing column 100 is used to perform a chemical synthesis (or other) process, process fluids (e.g., one or more solvents, one or more reagents, washing solutions, etc.) enter the column 100 from one or more supply sources of process fluids (not shown) through piston inlet 250. Each process fluid then flows (through fluid passage 258) through piston 120 and (through piston outlet 254) into the second inner sub-chamber 196. The process fluid then flows through the second inner sub-chamber 196 before exiting the chemical processing column 100 through column outlet 226, and more specifically, through the voids formed between the media 111. It should be understood that the same process fluid and / or different process fluids can flow into, through, and out of the column 100 as needed for any number of chemical synthesis processes. It should also be understood that process fluids can flow through the column 100 in opposite directions.

[0031] As the process fluid flows through the chemical treatment column 100 in this manner, the process fluid applies a flow pressure to the second side 204 of the piston head 184. The bed 110 also applies a bed pressure to the second side 204 of the piston head 184. The flow pressure and bed pressure thus force the piston head 184 upwards (at least when...). Figure 2 , 4 (When viewed in 5), facing the plate 116 and away from the bottom 128 of the column base 104. On the other hand, the hydraulic fluid in the first inner chamber 192 applies hydraulic pressure to the first side 200 of the piston head 184, thereby attempting to force the piston head 184 downward (at least when in 5). Figure 2 , 4 (As viewed in 5), towards the bottom 128 of the column base 104. In other words, the hydraulic pressure counteracts the flow pressure and the bed pressure, and the piston 120 is pressure-balanced in the proper position during the chemical synthesis process when the hydraulic pressure is equal to or substantially equal to the flow pressure and the bed pressure. However, it should be understood that in some instances, the piston 120 does not require pressure balance.

[0032] As discussed above, during normal operation, the volume occupied by bed 110 frequently fluctuates due to the settling, contraction, or expansion of the medium 111 within bed 110. Controller 300 is configured to detect or predict these fluctuations in the volume occupied by bed 110 using data obtained from synthesis database 316 and / or from one or more sensors (e.g., pressure sensors) operatively coupled to the chemical processing column 100. For example, controller 300 is configured to predict an increase in the volume occupied by bed 110 based on the type of process fluid flowing through the chemical processing column 100 (which may have a typical or expected expansion rate, contraction rate, or settling rate associated with it in synthesis database 316) and / or based on the current point in time during the chemical synthesis process. For instance, controller 300 is configured to detect an increase in the volume occupied by bed 110 based on data obtained from one or more pressure sensors operatively coupled to the chemical processing column 100.

[0033] The controller 300 is configured to compensate for minor fluctuations in the volume occupied by the bed 110 by dynamically adjusting the position of the assembly 108 (e.g., piston 120), the amount of hydraulic fluid in the first internal chamber 192, one or more parameters, or combinations thereof. However, as also discussed above, at some point, the volume occupied by the bed 110 may, for example, expand to the point where the medium 111 blocks the piston 120, thereby interfering with the normal operation of the piston 120 and preventing the process fluid (through fluid passage 258) from flowing through the piston 120, i.e., preventing plug flow. Conversely, at some point, the volume occupied by the bed 110 may decrease to the point where there is too much space between the bed 110 and the piston 120, which also interferes with proper plug flow. Furthermore, at some point, it may be necessary to refill or replace the bed 110.

[0034] For example, when controller 300 determines that the volume occupied by bed 110 has increased or will increase (due to expansion) to the point that bed 110 approaches or contacts piston 120, controller 300 is configured to adjust assembly 108 to prevent bed 110 from blocking piston 120. More specifically, controller 300 causes assembly 108 to... Figure 2 The first normal operating position shown is moved to the second adjusted operating position (in Figure 4 An example of the second adjusted operating position is shown in the figure to compensate for the increased volume occupied by the bed 110 and to prevent the medium 111 from clogging the piston 120. Figure 2 It is shown that when the assembly 108 is in its first position, the sleeve 112 is engaged with the column base 104, and the piston 120 is fully positioned in the inner chamber 136 at a first distance D1 from the bottom 128 of the column base 104. Figure 4This illustration shows that when assembly 108 is in the second position, sleeve 112 remains connected to column base 104, and piston 120 is fully seated in inner chamber 136. However, piston 120 is positioned at a second distance D2 from the bottom 128 of column base 104, which is greater than the first distance D1 (to accommodate the increased volume occupied by bed 110). It should be understood that the second position of assembly 108 and consequently the second distance D2 can differ from... Figure 4 The second position shown depends on the extent to which the volume occupied by bed 110 increases or will increase. It should also be understood that assembly 108 can further... Figure 4 The second position shown can be dynamically moved to any number of different positions to compensate for additional expansion of the bed 110.

[0035] On the other hand, when the controller 300 determines that the volume occupied by the bed 110 has decreased or will decrease (due to contraction) such that the bed 110 is further away from the piston 120 than desired, the controller 300 is configured to adjust the assembly 108 to maintain proper plug flow through the column 100. More specifically, the controller 300 causes the assembly 108 to... Figure 2 The first normal operating position shown is moved to the third adjusted operating position (in Figure 5 An example of the third adjusted operating position is shown in the figure to compensate for the reduced volume occupied by bed 110. Figure 5 This illustration shows that when assembly 108 is in the third position, sleeve 112 remains connected to column base 104, and piston 120 is fully seated in inner chamber 136. However, piston 120 is positioned at a third distance D3 from the bottom 128 of column base 104, which is smaller than both the second distance D2 and the first distance D1 (to accommodate the reduced volume occupied by bed 110). It should be understood that the third position of assembly 108, and consequently the third distance D3, can differ from... Figure 5 The third position shown depends on the extent to which the volume occupied by bed 110 is reduced or to be reduced. It should also be understood that assembly 108 can further [details about the third position]. Figure 5 The third position shown can be dynamically moved to any number of different positions to compensate for additional contraction of bed 110.

[0036] Furthermore, when the controller 300 or the operator of the chemical treatment column 100 determines (e.g., based on the amount of process fluid that has flowed through the chemical treatment column 100) that the bed 110 composed of medium 111 needs to be removed and refilled or replaced and / or that maintenance of the piston 120 is required, the assembly 108 can be moved as a single unit relative to the column base 104. Advantageously, the assembly 108 can be moved in such a way that the bed 110 composed of medium 111 can be removed and refilled or replaced, and / or that maintenance of the piston 120 can be performed, without loss of any hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic fluid chamber 192 used to help move the piston 120 or achieve pressure equalization. First, in response to the determination that the bed 110 of medium 111 needs to be removed and refilled or replaced and / or that maintenance of the piston 120 is required, the sleeve 112 can be moved by moving the swing member 138 from its locked position (…). Figure 3 (shown as solid line in the middle) Move to its storage location ( Figure 3 (Shown in dashed lines) and disengaged from column base 104. Movement of the pendulum member 138 from its locked position to its stored position can be initiated by controller 300 or manually (e.g., by the operator of column 100). In either case, controller 300 can further cause lifting device 300 to move in the upward direction (at least when in...). Figure 2 , 4 (When viewed in 5 and 6) the assembly 108 is moved away from the column base 104 and away from the substrate bed 110, and finally away from the column base 104, the lifting plate 112 and the piston 120, thus moving the assembly 108 to... Figure 6 The fourth position is shown. As illustrated, in the third position, the sleeve 112, plate 116, and piston 120 are all removed from the base 104 and fully positioned outside the base, thereby exposing both the second side 204 of the piston head 184 and the inner chamber 136 (and consequently the bed 110). It should be understood that once the bed 110 is reloaded or replaced, the assembly 108 can be reattached to the base 104 in a similar manner.

[0037] Finally, and importantly, when assembly 108 is in Figure 2 The first position shown Figure 4 The second position shown Figure 5 The third position shown Figure 6 In the fourth position and any other positions shown, and during movement of assembly 108 between any of these positions, any hydraulic fluid contained in the first internal sub-chamber 192 (i.e., the hydraulic fluid chamber) is sealed therein. Therefore, piston 120 can be dynamically adjusted, and bed 110 can be removed and refilled or replaced without losing any hydraulic fluid that would otherwise be lost.

[0038] Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure, and such modifications, alterations, and combinations will be considered to be within the scope of the inventive concept.

Claims

1. A dynamically adjustable processing column, comprising: Column base, said column base being adapted to accommodate a media bed; as well as An assembly for maintaining plug flow in the column base, the assembly comprising: A sleeve, which is removably connected to the column base; Plate, the plate being connected to the sleeve; and A piston, which is at least partially housed within the sleeve. The assembly is dynamically adjustable relative to the column base to adjust the position of the piston relative to the media bed in the column base, thereby compensating for changes in the volume occupied by the media bed. The assembly is movable between a first position and a second position, in which the piston is positioned at a first distance from the bottom of the column base, and in the second position, the piston is positioned at a second distance from the bottom of the column base, the second position being different from the first position. The assembly is movable between a first position and a third position. In the first position, the sleeve is engaged with the column base and the piston is at least partially disposed within the column base. In the third position, the sleeve is disengaged from the column base and the piston is disposed outside the column base. The assembly further includes a hydraulic fluid chamber defined between the plate, the sleeve, and the piston, the hydraulic fluid chamber being adapted to contain hydraulic fluid when the assembly is in the third position.

2. The processing column according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve is removably connected to the column base via a plurality of swing members.

3. The processing column of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of pendulum members includes a proximal end coupled to the sleeve, a distal end removably coupled to the column base, and a rod extending between the proximal end and the distal end.

4. The processing column according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a controller operatively coupled to the plate to move the assembly, thereby dynamically adjusting the position of the piston relative to the medium bed in the column base.

5. A dynamically adjustable processing column, comprising: Column base, said column base being adapted to accommodate a media bed; as well as An assembly for maintaining plug flow in the column base, the assembly comprising: A sleeve, which is removably connected to the column base; Plate, the plate being connected to the sleeve; and A piston, which is at least partially housed within the sleeve. The assembly is dynamically adjustable relative to the column base between a first position and a second position to compensate for changes in the volume occupied by the media bed. In the first position, the piston is positioned at a first distance from the bottom of the column base, and in the second position, the piston is positioned at a second distance from the bottom of the column base, the second distance being different from the first distance. The assembly further includes a hydraulic fluid chamber defined between the plate, the sleeve, and the piston, the hydraulic fluid chamber being adapted to contain hydraulic fluid when the assembly is in both the first and second positions and when the assembly moves between the first and second positions. The assembly is movable between a first position and a third position. In the first position, the sleeve is engaged with the column base and the piston is at least partially disposed within the column base. In the third position, the sleeve is disengaged from the column base and the piston is disposed outside the column base. The hydraulic fluid chamber is adapted to contain hydraulic fluid when the assembly is in the third position. The piston includes a piston rod and a piston head, the piston head being coupled to the piston rod, the piston rod extending through a central opening formed in the plate, wherein the piston head is adjustable relative to the media bed to compensate for changes in the volume occupied by the media bed.

6. The processing column of claim 5, wherein the sleeve is removably connected to the column base via a plurality of swing members.

7. The processing column of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of pendulum members includes a proximal end coupled to the sleeve, a distal end removably coupled to the column base, and a rod extending between the proximal end and the distal end.

8. The processing column of claim 5, wherein when the assembly is in the first position, the sleeve is coupled to the column base and the piston head is at least partially disposed in the column base at a first distance from the bottom of the column base, and when the assembly is in the second position, the plate is coupled to the column base and the piston head is at least partially disposed in the column base at a second distance from the bottom of the column base, the assembly being movable relative to the column base to the third position, in which the sleeve is disengaged from the column base and the piston head is disposed outside the column base.

9. The processing column according to any one of claims 5 to 8, further comprising a controller operatively coupled to the plate to move the assembly between the first position and the second position.

10. An assembly for maintaining plug flow in a dynamically adjustable processing column, the assembly comprising: A sleeve, the sleeve being adapted to be removably attached to the base of the dynamically adjustable processing column; A plate, the plate being connected to the sleeve; A piston, which is at least partially housed within the sleeve. The assembly is dynamically adjustable between a first position and a second position to compensate for changes in the volume occupied by the media bed in the column base. When the assembly is in the first position, the piston is positioned at a first distance from the bottom of the pillar base, and when the assembly is in the second position, the piston is positioned at a second distance from the bottom of the pillar base, the second position being different from the first position. The assembly is movable between a first position and a third position. In the first position, the sleeve is engaged with the column base and the piston is at least partially disposed within the column base. In the third position, the sleeve is disengaged from the column base and the piston is disposed outside the column base. The assembly further includes a hydraulic fluid chamber defined between the plate, the sleeve, and the piston, the hydraulic fluid chamber being adapted to contain hydraulic fluid when the assembly is in the third position.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the hydraulic fluid chamber is adapted to contain hydraulic fluid in both the first position and the second position and when the assembly moves between the first position and the second position.

12. The assembly of claim 10 or 11, wherein the piston includes a piston rod and a piston head, the piston head being coupled to the piston rod, the piston rod extending through a central opening formed in the sleeve.

13. The assembly according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising a plurality of pendulum members adapted to removably connect the sleeve to the column base.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of pendulum members includes a proximal end adapted to be coupled to the sleeve, a distal end adapted to be removably coupled to the column base, and a rod extending between the proximal end and the distal end.

15. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the piston includes a piston inlet, a piston outlet, and a fluid passage located between the piston inlet and the piston outlet.

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