Apparatus and method for using vacuum pump waste heat for a TSA adsorption column

Abstract

The application discloses a device and method for recovering vacuum pump waste heat for a TSA adsorption tower, relates to the technical field of waste heat recovery and energy saving, and discloses the following technical scheme: a vacuum pump waste heat collection module is wrapped and installed on the outer wall of a vacuum unit of a helium extraction device, a heat exchange medium outlet of the vacuum pump waste heat collection module is in communication with a TSA adsorption tower reheat heat exchange module; the TSA adsorption tower reheat heat exchange module is wrapped and arranged on the outer wall of a tower body of the TSA adsorption tower, and the overall temperature of the TSA adsorption tower after low-temperature adsorption is raised by using waste heat carried by a circulating medium; a heat exchange medium outlet of the TSA adsorption tower reheat heat exchange module is connected back to a heat exchange medium inlet of the vacuum pump waste heat collection module, thereby forming a closed-loop energy recovery loop; and the TSA desorption process is realized to have low energy consumption, high uniformity and high stability, thereby having outstanding practical significance for reducing production cost and carbon emission.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of waste heat recovery and energy conservation, and specifically relates to a device and method for utilizing vacuum pump waste heat for TSA adsorption towers. Background Art

[0002] In the processes of helium extraction from natural gas and helium extraction from LNG-BOG, TSA temperature swing adsorption technology is the core and key process for high-purity helium purification, impurity removal, and adsorbent regeneration. The TSA process is divided into two core cycles: low-temperature adsorption and temperature rise desorption regeneration. In the adsorption stage, the entire tower body is in a low-temperature environment to ensure efficient impurity adsorption; after the adsorption is saturated, rapid and uniform temperature rise is required to realize the desorption and regeneration of the adsorbent, so as to prepare for the adsorption of the next cycle.

[0003] At present, the TSA regeneration processes of all helium extraction devices in the industry all rely on electric heating or steam heating, and the energy consumption of electric tracing and heaters accounts for more than 30% of the total energy consumption of the entire helium extraction device, which is the largest energy consumption short board of the device.

[0004] Meanwhile, the vacuum unit supporting the helium extraction device needs to perform vacuum pumping operations uninterruptedly for 24 hours. The friction of the high-speed rotor of the vacuum pump and the work done by gas compression will continuously generate a large amount of waste heat. In the traditional process, industrial cooling water is directly discharged for forced cooling, and the huge amount of waste heat generated by the pump body is directly discharged into the circulating water pool and completely wasted, while consuming a large amount of water resources and cooling energy consumption; in addition, the vacuum pump operates at high temperature for a long time, which is very prone to problems such as seal aging, vacuum degree attenuation, high failure rate, and frequent shutdown for maintenance, seriously affecting the continuous and stable production of the helium extraction device.

[0005] In the prior art, there is no technical solution that couples and utilizes the waste heat of the vacuum pump and the TSA low-temperature reheating process, and the industry generally has the technical gap that the heat generated by the equipment is wasted in vain, the process heat consumption is high with expensive power consumption, and the energy supply and demand are severely mismatched.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to develop and design a device and method for utilizing vacuum pump waste heat for TSA adsorption towers, and solving the above existing problems is an urgent technical problem to be solved by those skilled in the art at present. Contents of the Invention

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a device and method for utilizing vacuum pump waste heat for TSA adsorption towers, which solves the industry pain points of traditional helium extraction devices such as high TSA regeneration energy consumption, large vacuum pump cooling energy consumption, unavailable waste heat, and poor equipment stability, and realizes internal closed-loop recovery of system energy and two-way energy saving.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solutions: A device for utilizing vacuum pump waste heat for a TSA adsorption tower includes a vacuum pump waste heat collection module, a TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module, and an intelligent temperature and pressure control and regulation module; The vacuum pump waste heat collection module is encased and installed on the outer wall of the vacuum unit of the helium extraction device. It is used to collect mechanical waste heat and gas compression waste heat generated by the continuous operation of the vacuum pump. The heat exchange medium outlet of the vacuum pump waste heat collection module is connected to the TSA adsorption tower reheat heat exchange module. The TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module is enclosed and disposed on the outer wall of the TSA adsorption tower, and uses the residual heat carried by the circulating medium to reheat the TSA adsorption tower as a whole after low-temperature adsorption. The heat exchange medium outlet of the TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module is recirculated back to the heat exchange medium inlet of the vacuum pump waste heat collection module, forming a closed-loop energy recovery circuit. The intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation module is used to adjust the flow rate of the heat exchange medium according to the heat exchange temperature.

[0009] Preferably, the waste heat collection module of the vacuum pump is a water-cooled jacket, which is fitted to the high-heat-generating areas of the shell and / or bearing cavity and / or sealing cavity of the helium extraction device vacuum unit, and the reheat heat exchange module of the TSA adsorption tower is a heat exchange jacket.

[0010] Preferably, the intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation module includes a pump body temperature sensor disposed at the medium outlet of the water-cooled jacket, a tower body temperature sensor disposed at the medium outlet of the heat exchange jacket, a variable frequency circulating water pump disposed between the heat exchange jacket and the water-cooled jacket, an electric proportional regulating valve disposed at the inlet and outlet of the variable frequency circulating water pump, and a controller communicatively connected to the pump body temperature sensor, the tower body temperature sensor, the variable frequency circulating water pump and the electric proportional regulating valve.

[0011] Preferably, both the water-cooling jacket and the heat exchange jacket are provided with spiral guide plates, which extend in a spiral shape along the circumference and axial direction of the water-cooling jacket and the heat exchange jacket, dividing the inner cavity of the jacket into spiral flow channels.

[0012] Preferably, several turbulence spikes are evenly distributed inside the water-cooled jacket and the heat exchange jacket, and the turbulence spikes are arranged perpendicular to the outer wall surface of the TSA adsorption tower and the outer wall surface of the vacuum unit of the helium extraction device.

[0013] Preferably, a regenerative heat exchanger is provided between the medium outlet of the water-cooled jacket and the medium inlet of the heat exchange jacket, and the regenerative heat exchanger is filled with phase change heat storage material.

[0014] Preferably, both the water-cooled jacket and the heat exchange jacket have an insulation layer on their outer walls.

[0015] Preferably, the heat exchange medium is softened water.

[0016] This invention also discloses a method for using waste heat from a vacuum pump in a TSA adsorption tower, comprising the following steps: The vacuum unit of the helium extraction device operates continuously, with waste heat collected by the waste heat collection module of the vacuum pump and the circulating medium absorbing heat to raise the temperature. The heated circulating medium is transported to the TSA adsorption tower reheat heat exchange module; The waste heat carried by the circulating medium is used to reheat the TSA adsorption tower at a low temperature, thereby completing the process of adsorbent heating, impurity desorption, and adsorbent regeneration. After releasing heat, the low-temperature circulating medium flows back to the vacuum pump waste heat collection module to absorb waste heat again and continue to circulate. The water flow rate is adjusted in real time by the intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation module to maintain the constant temperature operation of the vacuum unit of the helium extraction device and the stable TSA adsorption and regeneration temperature.

[0017] Preferably, the TSA adsorption tower is in a low-temperature state during the adsorption stage, and the system stores waste heat. During the regeneration stage, the waste heat is released centrally for heating, thus achieving peak-shifting energy utilization.

[0018] The present invention achieves the following technical effects compared to the prior art: A closed-loop waste heat recovery system was constructed through the coordinated operation of a vacuum pump waste heat collection module, a TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module, and an intelligent pressure regulation module. First, the waste heat collection module, encased in the outer wall of the vacuum unit, simultaneously captures mechanical friction heat and gas compression heat, overcoming the limitations of traditional single-path gas or water heat exchange and significantly improving the collection rate of low-grade waste heat. Second, the collected heat is directly transferred to the reheating heat exchange module encased in the outer wall of the TSA adsorption tower via a circulating medium, replacing traditional internal coils or external hot air heating with overall external wall heating. This not only eliminates the problems of space occupation within the tower and uneven airflow distribution, but also... Furthermore, the large-area, uniform wall heat transfer significantly improves the tower's heating rate and temperature field uniformity, thereby enhancing the desorption effect and shortening the regeneration cycle. Based on this, the intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation module dynamically adjusts the medium flow rate according to the real-time heat exchange temperature, avoiding energy waste caused by excessive thermal shock in the initial stage of desorption and excess heat in the final stage. It also effectively mitigates heating instability caused by fluctuations in vacuum pump load, ensuring a stable and precise heat supply to the adsorption tower throughout the entire desorption cycle. This achieves low-energy consumption, high uniformity, and high-stability operation of the TSA desorption process, which has significant practical implications for reducing production costs and carbon emissions. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Appendix Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the device for using waste heat from a vacuum pump to a TSA adsorption tower, as disclosed in this invention. Appendix Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the vacuum unit and water-cooled jacket structure of the helium extraction device in the apparatus for using waste heat from the vacuum pump to a TSA adsorption tower disclosed in this invention. The components include: 1. Vacuum unit for helium extraction; 2. Water-cooled jacket; 3. Pump body temperature sensor; 4. Variable frequency circulating water pump; 5. TSA adsorption tower; 6. Heat exchange jacket; 7. Tower body temperature sensor; 8. Electric proportional regulating valve; 9. Piping; and 10. Controller. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] The purpose of this invention is to provide a device and method for using waste heat from a vacuum pump in a TSA adsorption tower, which solves the industry pain points of high energy consumption for TSA regeneration, large energy consumption for vacuum pump cooling, inability to utilize waste heat, and poor equipment stability in traditional helium extraction devices, and achieves closed-loop energy recovery and bidirectional energy saving within the system.

[0023] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0024] refer to Figures 1-2The device for using vacuum pump waste heat in a TSA adsorption tower disclosed in this embodiment of the invention includes at least a vacuum pump waste heat collection module, a TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module, and an intelligent pressure stabilization module. These modules are connected via pipeline 9. The vacuum pump waste heat collection module is mounted on the outer wall of the vacuum unit 1 of the helium extraction device and is used to collect mechanical waste heat and gas compression waste heat generated during continuous operation of the vacuum pump. The heat exchange medium outlet of the vacuum pump waste heat collection module is connected to the TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module. The TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module is encased on the outer wall of the TSA adsorption tower 5. It utilizes the waste heat carried by the circulating medium to reheat the entire TSA adsorption tower 5 after low-temperature adsorption. The heat exchange medium outlet of the TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module is recirculated to the heat exchange medium inlet of the vacuum pump waste heat collection module, forming a closed-loop energy recovery circuit. The intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation module adjusts the flow rate of the heat exchange medium according to the heat exchange temperature. Through the coordinated operation of the vacuum pump waste heat collection module, the TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module, and the intelligent pressure regulation module, a closed-loop waste heat recovery system is constructed. The recycling system first utilizes a waste heat collection module encased in the outer wall of the vacuum unit 1 of the helium extraction device to simultaneously capture mechanical friction heat and gas compression heat, overcoming the limitations of traditional single gas or water heat exchange and significantly improving the collection rate of low-grade waste heat. Secondly, the collected heat is directly transferred via a circulating medium to a reheating heat exchange module encased in the outer wall of the TSA adsorption tower 5, replacing traditional internal coils or external hot air heating with overall external wall heating. This not only eliminates the problems of space occupation and uneven airflow distribution within the tower but also significantly improves the tower's heat transfer efficiency through large-area, uniform wall heat transfer. The increased heating rate and temperature field uniformity enhance the desorption effect and shorten the regeneration cycle. Furthermore, the intelligent temperature and pressure control module dynamically adjusts the medium flow rate based on the real-time heat exchange temperature. This avoids excessive thermal shock in the initial stage of desorption and energy waste caused by excess heat in the final stage, while effectively mitigating heating instability caused by vacuum pump load fluctuations. This ensures a stable and precise heat supply to the adsorption tower throughout the entire desorption cycle. This achieves low-energy consumption, high uniformity, and high-stability operation of the TSA desorption process, which has significant practical implications for reducing production costs and carbon emissions.

[0025] refer to Figure 1In one implementation, the waste heat collection module of the vacuum pump is a water-cooled jacket 2, which is fitted into the high-heat areas of the shell, bearing cavity, and sealing cavity of the helium extraction device vacuum unit 1. The reheating heat exchange module of the TSA adsorption tower is a heat exchange jacket 6. By setting the waste heat collection module of the vacuum pump as a water-cooled jacket 2 fitted into the high-heat areas such as the shell, bearing cavity, and sealing cavity of the helium extraction device vacuum unit 1, it is possible to specifically capture multi-source waste heat such as mechanical friction, gas compression, and shaft seal leakage, significantly expanding the collection range and heat flux, effectively avoiding the adverse effects of local overheating on the service life and sealing performance of the vacuum unit, and substantially improving the temperature rise rate of the circulating medium and the outlet temperature. The reheating heat exchange module of the TSA adsorption tower adopts a heat exchange jacket 6 covering the outer wall of the tower, using a large-area wall uniform heating method. Replacing traditional internal coil or central tube heating structures, this design eliminates the need for occupied effective space within the tower and the risk of adsorbent wear. It also significantly improves the radial temperature distribution uniformity between the tower wall and the adsorbent, resulting in a substantial increase in overall heating rate and desorption efficiency. Through the coordinated control of a closed-loop energy recovery circuit and an intelligent temperature and pressure regulation module, the waste heat generated by the continuous operation of the vacuum unit is stably and precisely recycled back to the adsorption tower desorption process. This avoids energy waste caused by excessive thermal shock in the early stages of desorption and excess heat in the later stages, while ensuring a stable and precise heat supply to the adsorption tower throughout the entire desorption cycle. This significantly reduces external steam or electric heating energy consumption while extending the service life of the vacuum unit and the adsorbent, making it particularly suitable for industrial applications such as helium extraction where equipment reliability, thermal efficiency, and system stability are extremely important.

[0026] It should be noted that when the water-cooled jacket 2 is fitted to the bearing cavity, a closed annular cavity is reserved between the bearing housing and the inner bushing as the water-cooled jacket 2. The water-cooled jacket 2 is provided with a water inlet and a water outlet. For large or complex vacuum units, a modular design can be adopted, in which the water-cooled jacket 2 is divided into several independent parts, which are fitted to different areas. These modules are connected and fixed together by bolts or other means to form a complete combined cavity with cooling function, which not only ensures the fit but also facilitates installation and maintenance.

[0027] In one implementation, the intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation module includes a pump body temperature sensor 3 installed at the medium outlet of the water-cooled jacket 2, a tower body temperature sensor 7 installed at the medium outlet of the heat exchange jacket 6, a variable frequency circulating water pump 4 installed between the heat exchange jacket 6 and the water-cooled jacket 2, and electric proportional regulating valves 8 installed at the inlet and outlet of the variable frequency circulating water pump 4, as well as a controller 10 communicatively connected to the pump body temperature sensor 3, the tower body temperature sensor 7, the variable frequency circulating water pump 4, and the electric proportional regulating valves 8. The controller monitors the temperatures of the waste heat collection end and the analytical heating end in real time through the pump body temperature sensor 3 and the tower body temperature sensor 7, and combines the dynamic regulation of the medium flow rate by the variable frequency circulating water pump 4 with the electric proportional regulation at its inlet and outlet. Valve 8 precisely controls the pressure difference and flow rate, forming a multi-variable collaborative closed-loop regulation mechanism. The variable frequency circulating water pump 4 adjusts the medium flow rate in real time according to the temperature difference signal, which can quickly raise the temperature in the early stage of desorption and avoid excess heat in the later stage. The electric proportional regulating valve 8 effectively offsets the impact of heat source fluctuations and pipeline resistance changes on the heating stability through the linkage between the front and rear sides of the pump, ensuring that the medium in the water-cooled jacket 2 and heat exchange jacket 6 is always in a state of efficient heat exchange, while avoiding the impact of sudden flow changes on the equipment. It realizes the dynamic thermal balance between waste heat collection and desorption heating, significantly improves the adaptive capability under different operating conditions, ensures the uniform and stable temperature of the TSA adsorption tower 5 throughout the entire desorption cycle, and controls the energy consumption of the circulating pump to the lowest level, so as to optimize the overall energy efficiency.

[0028] As a preferred embodiment, both the water-cooled jacket 2 and the heat exchange jacket 6 are equipped with spiral guide plates. These spiral guide plates extend spirally along the circumference and axial direction of both jackets, dividing the inner cavity into spiral flow channels. By incorporating these spiral guide plates in both jackets, the circulating medium is forced to flow along a spiral path as it passes through them. This effectively eliminates the defects of traditional annular cavities where the medium tends to follow short-circuit paths and has dead zones, ensuring sufficient contact between the medium and the high-heat-generating areas of the vacuum unit and the adsorption tower wall. This significantly extends the effective heat exchange path and residence time, resulting in more complete heat collection and release. Furthermore, the centrifugal force generated by the spiral flow continuously disrupts the flow of the medium. In the laminar boundary layer at the wall, the turbulent heat transfer effect is enhanced, significantly improving the capture efficiency of multi-source waste heat such as bearing cavity and sealing cavity by water-cooled jacket 2, as well as the heating rate of the adsorption tower wall by heat exchange jacket 6. At the same time, in the closed-loop energy recovery loop, the double-jacketed spiral flow channel structure and the intelligent temperature control and pressure stabilization module work together. The inherent flow resistance characteristics of the spiral flow channel make the medium flow velocity more stable under the regulation of variable frequency circulating water pump 4 and electric proportional regulating valve 8, avoiding pressure fluctuations caused by sudden flow changes, and ensuring a significant improvement in the uniformity of the temperature field on the adsorption tower wall. In addition, the spiral guide plate also has a self-cleaning function. The medium has a scouring effect on the wall during spiral flow, reducing scaling and deposits, maintaining the high heat transfer coefficient of the jacket under long-term operation, and comprehensively improving the energy efficiency, stability and service life of the entire waste heat recovery system.

[0029] As one implementation method, several flow-disrupting pins are evenly distributed within the water-cooled jacket 2 and the heat exchange jacket 6. These pins are positioned perpendicular to the outer wall of the TSA adsorption tower 5 and the outer wall of the vacuum unit 1 of the helium extraction device. By evenly distributing several flow-disrupting pins perpendicular to the outer wall of the equipment within the water-cooled jacket 2 and the heat exchange jacket 6, a dual-enhanced heat transfer structure of flow guidance and turbulence is formed in conjunction with the spiral guide plate. On the one hand, the flow-disrupting pins actively disrupt the laminar boundary layer formed by the circulating medium at the wall in the spiral flow channel, inducing local turbulence and eddies, significantly improving the convective heat transfer coefficient between the wall and the medium. Simultaneously, the flow-disrupting pins themselves... As a miniature extended heat exchange surface, the effective heat transfer area is increased, which further enhances the waste heat capture capacity of the high-heat-generating areas of the bearing cavity and sealing cavity of the helium extraction unit vacuum unit 1 by the water-cooled jacket 2, as well as the heating rate of the wall of the TSA adsorption tower 5 by the heat exchange jacket 6. On the other hand, the staggered arrangement of the turbulence pins and the spiral guide plates allows the medium to be subjected to the spiral guiding force and the repeated shearing disturbance of the turbulence pins in the jacket at the same time, realizing three-dimensional flow disturbance, fundamentally eliminating the flow dead zone and temperature stratification, and ensuring uniform heat collection in all areas of the water-cooled jacket 2 and consistent wall temperature in all areas of the heat exchange jacket 6.

[0030] As one implementation method, a regenerative heat exchanger is installed between the medium outlet of the water-cooled jacket 2 and the medium inlet of the heat exchange jacket 6. The regenerative heat exchanger is filled with phase change heat storage material. By installing a regenerative heat exchanger filled with phase change heat storage material between the medium outlet of the water-cooled jacket 2 of the vacuum pump waste heat collection module and the medium inlet of the heat exchange jacket 6 of the TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module, the timing mismatch between the intermittent heat fluctuations generated by the continuous operation of the vacuum unit and the periodic desorption heat demand of the TSA adsorption tower 5 is effectively solved. When the waste heat recovered by the water-cooled jacket 2 is greater than the heat required for desorption by the adsorption tower, the phase change heat storage material undergoes a phase change to store the excess heat in the form of latent heat, avoiding heat loss and waste. When the vacuum unit load decreases, the exhaust temperature drops, or peak heating is required during the desorption stage, the phase change heat storage material releases the stored latent heat in the reverse direction to replenish the circulating medium, ensuring that the temperature of the medium entering the heat exchange jacket 6 is always stable within the optimal temperature range required for desorption.

[0031] As one implementation method, softened water is used as the heat exchange medium, fully utilizing its physical properties of high specific heat capacity, good fluidity, non-toxicity, and low cost. This allows the medium per unit volume to carry more heat, significantly improving heat transfer efficiency at the same flow rate. Simultaneously, the softened water undergoes hardness removal treatment, completely preventing calcium and magnesium ions from forming scale and depositing on the surfaces of the water-cooled jacket 2, heat exchange jacket 6, and enhanced heat exchange structures such as spiral guide plates and baffles during high-temperature circulation. This effectively protects the heat exchange area and flow channel geometry of the jacket's inner wall, ensuring that the spiral guide plates and baffles maintain their designed baffle enhancement effect over a long period, thus ensuring the water-cooled jacket 2 effectively protects the bearing cavity and seals. The waste heat capture efficiency of the high-heat-generating area of ​​the cavity and the heating rate of the heat exchange jacket 6 to the wall of the TSA adsorption tower 5 are not reduced due to scaling. In addition, the softened water and the phase change heat storage material have good compatibility and do not undergo chemical reactions or corrosion in the heat storage heat exchanger, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the closed-loop energy recovery circuit. Finally, the softened water medium works in concert with the variable frequency circulating water pump 4 and the electric proportional regulating valve 8 in the intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation module. Its low viscosity and stable thermophysical parameters make the flow regulation response more sensitive and the differential pressure control more precise, further improving the adaptive capability and comprehensive energy efficiency of the entire system under varying operating conditions.

[0032] This invention also discloses a method for using waste heat from a vacuum pump in a TSA adsorption tower, comprising the following steps: Step S1: Waste Heat Harvesting Stage The vacuum unit 1 of the helium extraction device generates mechanical friction heat and gas compression heat during continuous operation. The softened water circulating medium, located in the water-cooled jacket 2 in the high-heat areas of the vacuum unit shell, bearing cavity, and sealed cavity, flows along the spiral flow channel under the guidance of the spiral guide plate. At the same time, it is subjected to the shearing disturbance of the turbulence pins, which breaks the laminar boundary layer. Efficient forced convection heat transfer is achieved between the circulating medium and the wall of the high-heat area, which fully captures the waste heat of each high-heat area and raises the temperature of the medium. The heated softened water flows out from the medium outlet of the water-cooled jacket 2, carrying the residual heat into the regenerative heat exchanger. Step S2: Heat Storage and Peak Shaving Stage Softened water carrying residual heat enters a regenerative heat exchanger filled with phase change heat storage material. When the residual heat recovered by the water-cooled jacket 2 is greater than the heat required for desorption by the TSA adsorption tower 5, the phase change heat storage material absorbs the excess heat, undergoes a phase change, and stores it in the form of latent heat. When the load of the vacuum unit decreases or peak heating is required during the desorption phase, the phase change heat storage material releases the stored latent heat to supplement the heat of the softened water, so that the temperature of the softened water at the outlet of the regenerative heat exchanger is stabilized within the optimal temperature range required for desorption. Step S3: Adsorption Tower Reheat Desorption Stage After being conditioned by a regenerative heat exchanger, the high-temperature softened water enters the heat exchange jacket 6, which covers the outer wall of the TSA adsorption tower 5, driven by the variable frequency circulating water pump 4. The high-temperature softened water flows along the spiral flow channel formed by the spiral guide plate in the heat exchange jacket 6, and is enhanced by the shearing and disturbance of the turbulence nails. The heat is evenly transferred through the tower wall to the adsorbent after low-temperature adsorption in the tower, so that the adsorbent as a whole is heated to the desorption temperature. The adsorbed components are desorbed from the surface of the adsorbent, realizing the desorption and regeneration of the TSA adsorption tower 5. Step S4: Intelligent Temperature Control and Voltage Regulation Stage A pump body temperature sensor 3, located at the medium outlet of the water-cooled jacket 2, monitors the temperature at the waste heat collection end in real time. A tower body temperature sensor 7, located at the medium outlet of the heat exchange jacket 6, monitors the temperature at the analytical heating end in real time. The controller 10 dynamically adjusts the speed of the variable frequency circulating water pump 4 and the opening of the electric proportional regulating valves 8 located at the inlet and outlet of the variable frequency circulating water pump 4 based on the temperature difference signals fed back by the two sensors. When the temperature difference is greater than the set value, the medium flow rate is increased to enhance heat exchange and accelerate the temperature rise. When the temperature difference is less than the set value, the medium flow rate is reduced to avoid excess heat. Through the multi-variable collaborative control of the variable frequency circulating water pump 4 and the double-sided electric proportional regulating valves 8, the temperature, flow rate, and pressure difference of the medium in the closed-loop energy recovery loop are kept stable. Step S5: Medium Reflux Circulation Stage After releasing heat, the cooled softened water flows out from the medium outlet of heat exchange jacket 6 and returns to the medium inlet of water-cooled jacket 2 through the return pipeline. It is then reheated and participates in the circulation again, forming a closed-loop energy recovery circuit for the softened water medium. During the circulation process, the softened water continuously flushes the surface of the spiral guide plate and the turbulence nails, as well as the jacket wall, removing deposits and maintaining a high heat transfer coefficient under long-term operation.

[0033] In step S3, when there are multiple TSA adsorption towers 5, high-temperature softened water is alternately supplied to the heat exchange jacket 6 of the adsorption tower in the desorption process by switching valve groups, so as to realize the alternating desorption operation of multiple towers and the continuous utilization of heat.

[0034] In step S4, the intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation stage also includes the following: when the pump body temperature sensor 3 detects that the outlet medium temperature of the water-cooled jacket 2 is lower than the set lower limit, the controller 10 increases the speed of the variable frequency circulating water pump 4 and closes the opening of the electric proportional regulating valve 8 in front of the pump, so as to prolong the residence time of the medium in the water-cooled jacket 2 to fully absorb heat; when the tower body temperature sensor 7 detects that the outlet medium temperature of the heat exchange jacket 6 reaches or exceeds the target temperature for desorption, the controller 10 decreases the speed of the variable frequency circulating water pump 4 and adjusts the electric proportional regulating valves 8 on both sides to reduce the medium flow rate or switch the medium flow direction to the adsorption tower in the adsorption stage for preheating, so as to achieve reasonable heat distribution.

[0035] In step S4, the controller 10 uses a PID control algorithm to coordinate the speed of the variable frequency circulating water pump 4 and the opening of the electric proportional regulating valve 8. The real-time temperature difference between the pump body temperature sensor 3 and the tower body temperature sensor 7 is used as the main control parameter, and the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the closed-loop energy recovery loop is used as the auxiliary constraint parameter to ensure the rapid response and stable operation of the system under varying operating conditions.

[0036] It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A device for using waste heat from a vacuum pump in a TSA adsorption tower, characterized in that, It includes a vacuum pump waste heat collection module, a TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module, and an intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation module; The vacuum pump waste heat collection module is covered and installed on the outer wall of the vacuum unit (1) of the helium extraction device. It is used to collect mechanical waste heat and gas compression waste heat generated by the continuous operation of the vacuum pump. The heat exchange medium outlet of the vacuum pump waste heat collection module is connected to the TSA adsorption tower reheat heat exchange module. The TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module is wrapped around the outer wall of the TSA adsorption tower (5) and uses the residual heat carried by the circulating medium to reheat the TSA adsorption tower (5) after low-temperature adsorption. The heat exchange medium outlet of the TSA adsorption tower reheating heat exchange module is recirculated back to the heat exchange medium inlet of the vacuum pump waste heat collection module, forming a closed-loop energy recovery circuit. The intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation module is used to adjust the flow rate of the heat exchange medium according to the heat exchange temperature.

2. The apparatus for using waste heat from a vacuum pump to a TSA adsorption tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The waste heat collection module of the vacuum pump is a water-cooled jacket (2). The water-cooled jacket (2) is set in close contact with the high heat generation area of ​​the shell and / or bearing cavity and / or sealing cavity of the vacuum unit (1) of the helium extraction device. The reheat heat exchange module of the TSA adsorption tower is a heat exchange jacket (6).

3. The apparatus for using waste heat from the vacuum pump to a TSA adsorption tower according to claim 2, characterized in that, The intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation module includes a pump body temperature sensor (3) installed at the medium outlet of the water-cooled jacket (2), a tower body temperature sensor (7) installed at the medium outlet of the heat exchange jacket (6), a variable frequency circulating water pump (4) installed between the heat exchange jacket (6) and the water-cooled jacket (2), an electric proportional regulating valve (8) installed at the inlet and outlet of the variable frequency circulating water pump (4), and a controller (10) that is communicatively connected to the pump body temperature sensor (3), the tower body temperature sensor (7), the variable frequency circulating water pump (4) and the electric proportional regulating valve (8).

4. The apparatus for using waste heat from a vacuum pump to a TSA adsorption tower according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the water-cooled jacket (2) and the heat exchange jacket (6) are provided with spiral guide plates. The spiral guide plates extend in a spiral shape along the circumference and axial direction of the water-cooled jacket (2) and the heat exchange jacket (6), dividing the inner cavity of the jacket into spiral flow channels.

5. The apparatus for using waste heat from the vacuum pump to a TSA adsorption tower according to claim 4, characterized in that, The water-cooled jacket (2) and the heat exchange jacket (6) are uniformly distributed with turbulence-disrupting nails, which are set perpendicular to the outer wall of the TSA adsorption tower (5) and the outer wall of the vacuum unit (1) of the helium extraction device.

6. The apparatus for using waste heat from a vacuum pump to a TSA adsorption tower according to claim 2, characterized in that, A regenerative heat exchanger is provided between the medium outlet of the water-cooled jacket (2) and the medium inlet of the heat exchange jacket (6), and the regenerative heat exchanger is filled with phase change heat storage material.

7. The apparatus for using waste heat from a vacuum pump to a TSA adsorption tower according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the water-cooled jacket (2) and the heat exchange jacket (6) have an insulation layer on their outer walls.

8. The apparatus for using waste heat from a vacuum pump to a TSA adsorption tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat exchange medium is softened water.

9. A method for using waste heat from a vacuum pump in a TSA adsorption tower, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The vacuum unit (1) of the helium extraction device operates continuously, and the waste heat is collected by the waste heat collection module of the vacuum pump, and the circulating medium absorbs heat to raise the temperature; The heated circulating medium is transported to the TSA adsorption tower reheat heat exchange module; The residual heat carried by the circulating medium is used to reheat the TSA adsorption tower (5) at low temperature, thereby completing the process of adsorbent heating, impurity desorption, and adsorbent regeneration. After releasing heat, the low-temperature circulating medium flows back to the vacuum pump waste heat collection module to absorb waste heat again and continue to circulate. The water flow rate is adjusted in real time by the intelligent temperature control and pressure regulation module to maintain the constant temperature operation of the vacuum unit (1) of the helium extraction device and the stable TSA adsorption and regeneration temperature.

10. The method for using waste heat from a vacuum pump to a TSA adsorption tower according to claim 9, characterized in that, During the adsorption stage of the TSA adsorption tower (5), the tower body is in a low temperature state and the system stores waste heat. During the regeneration stage of the TSA adsorption tower (5), the waste heat is released in a concentrated manner to provide heating, thereby realizing peak energy utilization.

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