Fatty acid preparation equipment

Abstract

The utility model discloses fatty acid preparation equipment which comprises a distillation assembly and a vertical condensation assembly, the distillation assembly comprises a distillation kettle, a distillation tower with preset filler is mounted at the upper end of the distillation kettle, and the distillation tower is communicated with the distillation kettle; the vertical condensation assembly is communicated with the filler and comprises a plurality of shell and tube condensers arranged in the longitudinal direction, each shell and tube condenser comprises a shell, the condensation temperatures of the multiple shell and tube condensers are gradually decreased from bottom to top, the shell and tube condenser at the topmost end is a final-stage condenser, and a condensation pipe of the final-stage condenser is connected with a vacuum pump; according to the vertical condensation assembly, high-temperature steam with fatty acid gradually enters all the condensers to be subjected to sectional condensation, sufficient condensation time is provided for the high-temperature steam, condensed liquid fatty acid downwards flows out of the condensation pipe under the action of gravity, and the cooled liquid fatty acid is prevented from being attached to the inner wall of the condensation pipe; the cleaning and maintenance frequency of the vacuum pump and the fatty acid production cost are reduced, and the fatty acid preparation efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the chemical industry, and in particular to a fatty acid production device. Background Technology

[0002] Mixed fatty acids refer to fatty acids composed of multiple fatty acid monomers. They are widely used in the food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. These include hexadecanoic saturated fatty acids with a freezing point of 63°C, octadecanoic saturated fatty acids with a freezing point of 72°C, and low-carbon fatty acids with freezing points between 20°C and 63°C. The raw materials for producing mixed fatty acids are mainly derived from natural oils. For example, after refining palm oil, one can obtain edible oil with a freezing point of 24°C and a mixture of fatty acids containing impurities. Therefore, it is necessary to separate the mixed fatty acids through fractional distillation.

[0003] like Figure 10 As shown, an existing fatty acid production device includes a distillation kettle containing a fatty acid mixture. A distillation column is installed above the distillation kettle, and packing material is pre-placed inside the distillation column. The packing material is connected to the condenser tube of a horizontal condenser, and the condenser tube is connected to an external collector through a vertical collection tube. A vacuum pump is installed at the end of the condenser tube of the horizontal condenser through a connecting pipe. The vacuum pump can remove air and create a vacuum environment, and at the same time, it can draw high-temperature vapor into the horizontal condenser. After the fatty acid mixture in the distillation kettle is heated, the vapor containing the mixed fatty acids will be drawn into the horizontal condenser by the vacuum pump for condensation, so that the liquid fatty acid composed of various fatty acid end monomers enters the collector along the collection tube.

[0004] However, this method of production is prone to equipment failure when producing fatty acids. Specifically, after the high-temperature vapor with gaseous fatty end enters the condenser tube for condensation, the gaseous fatty acids are difficult to condense completely into liquid quickly. Furthermore, since the condenser tube in the horizontal condenser is a transverse channel, most of the liquid fatty acids flow into the collector after condensation, but some condensed liquid fatty acids still adhere to the inner wall of the condenser tube. This part of the adhered liquid fatty acids and the incompletely condensed high-temperature vapor are easily sucked into the vacuum pump, causing frequent blockages in the vacuum tube and vacuum pump, resulting in equipment failure and a significant decrease in fatty acid production efficiency. Once the vacuum pump and vacuum tube are blocked, the entire equipment needs to be shut down for cleaning, which takes a long time, further affecting the efficiency and cost of fatty acid production. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a fatty acid production device. By setting a vertical condensation assembly above the distillation vessel, high-temperature vapor containing fatty acids gradually enters each condenser for segmented condensation, providing sufficient condensation time for the high-temperature vapor. At the same time, the vertical condensation structure allows the condensed liquid fatty acids to flow downwards out of the condenser tube under gravity, preventing the cooled liquid fatty acids from adhering to the inner wall of the condenser tube, reducing the probability of being sucked in by the vacuum pump, lowering the frequency of vacuum pump cleaning and maintenance, reducing fatty acid production costs, and improving fatty acid production efficiency.

[0006] The technical solution of this utility model is implemented as follows:

[0007] A fatty acid production apparatus, comprising:

[0008] The distillation assembly includes a distillation vessel, with a pre-packed distillation column installed at the top of the distillation vessel, and the distillation column and the distillation vessel are connected to each other; so that the high-temperature mixed vapor containing the mixed fatty acids generated by heating the fatty acid mixture rises and passes through the packing.

[0009] A vertical condenser assembly, connected to the packing, includes multiple shell-and-tube condensers arranged longitudinally. Each shell-and-tube condenser includes a shell containing one or more vertically extending condenser tubes. A cooling channel is formed between the condenser tubes and the shell, allowing coolant flow. The condenser tubes in every two adjacent shell-and-tube condensers are interconnected and correspond one-to-one. From bottom to top, the condensation temperature of the multiple shell-and-tube condensers decreases progressively. The topmost shell-and-tube condenser is the final stage condenser, and its condenser tubes are connected to a vacuum pump. When the vacuum pump is working, it can draw high-temperature mixed vapor through the packing and gradually move it from bottom to top through the multiple shell-and-tube condensers, causing the fatty acids at the corresponding freezing points to condense into liquid and flow downwards through the corresponding condenser tubes under gravity.

[0010] A collection device for collecting liquid fatty acids flowing out of the condenser.

[0011] Preferably, each shell-and-tube condenser is equipped with an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe that communicate with the cooling channel. In every two adjacent shell-and-tube condensers, the outlet pipe of the upper shell-and-tube condenser is connected to the inlet pipe of the lower shell-and-tube condenser. Coolant is introduced into the inlet pipe of the final stage condenser. After heat exchange with the high-temperature mixed vapor in the corresponding condenser tube, the coolant temperature rises and flows downward into the cooling channel of the next shell-and-tube condenser. This cycle continues until the coolant flows out from the outlet pipe of the lowest shell-and-tube condenser, ensuring that the condensation temperature of the multiple shell-and-tube condensers decreases step by step from bottom to top. By connecting the cooling channels of each shell-and-tube condenser to each other, the coolant flows from top to bottom through each shell-and-tube condenser, creating different condensation temperatures in each shell-and-tube condenser, which facilitates the condensation of fatty acid monomers with different freezing points into liquid.

[0012] Preferably, the cooling channels of the shell-and-tube condenser have multiple baffles. The baffles reduce the downward flow velocity of the coolant, allowing the coolant to fully exchange heat with the high-temperature mixed vapor in the corresponding shell-and-tube condenser before flowing downward into the next cooling channel. This prevents the coolant from flowing too quickly into the cooling channels of the next shell-and-tube condenser, ensuring the efficiency of fatty acid production.

[0013] Preferably, at least one shell-and-tube condenser is equipped with a heating tube that communicates with the cooling channel. High-temperature heating steam can be introduced into the heating tube, causing the liquid fatty acids condensed on the condenser tube to flow downwards out of the condenser tube of the corresponding shell-and-tube condenser; this avoids some liquid fatty acids sticking to the inner wall of the condenser tube, and further improves the production efficiency.

[0014] Preferably, the collecting device includes a collecting tray located between the vertical condenser assembly and the packing for collecting liquid fatty acids. The collecting tray is connected to an external collector a. The collecting tray has multiple through holes spaced apart vertically. A gas guide pipe corresponding to the position of the through holes is installed at the upper end of the collecting tray, allowing high-temperature mixed vapor to pass upward. A collecting zone is formed between the multiple gas guide pipes. Liquid fatty acids in each shell-and-tube condenser reach the collecting zone under the action of gravity and then enter collector a. This allows multiple fatty acid monomers to condense into liquid and flow into the collector, preventing liquid fatty acids from flowing back to the distillation kettle.

[0015] Preferably, a liquid-blocking assembly is installed between every two adjacent condenser tubes to prevent liquid from entering. The liquid-blocking assembly includes an annular clamp and multiple vertically arranged, closely spaced corrugated wire meshes within the clamp. Between two adjacent wire meshes are corrugated grooves extending in a wavy pattern, forming a group of grooves that allow high-temperature mixed vapor to pass upwards. The wire meshes have multiple openings that prevent the mixed liquid carried by the high-temperature mixed vapor from entering the condenser tubes below the corresponding condenser tubes. This prevents the mixed vapor from carrying away some of the entrained liquid fatty acids into the condenser tubes of the upper shell-and-tube condenser after rising, and avoids the condensation of fatty acid monomers with higher condensation temperatures in the condenser tubes of the previous shell-and-tube condenser with lower condensation temperatures, ensuring the smooth progress of the fatty acid production process.

[0016] Preferably, multiple wave-shaped wire meshes constitute a wave-shaped wire mesh group, and multiple wave-shaped wire mesh groups arranged vertically are provided inside the annular clamp; each pair of vertically adjacent wave-shaped groove groups are staggered to form multiple barriers to the mixed liquid carried by the rising high-temperature mixed steam; so as to block part of the liquid fatty acids in the mixed steam as much as possible.

[0017] Preferably, a condensing temperature regulating component is installed on the vertical condensing assembly. The condensing temperature regulating component includes a controller and a temperature detection element. The temperature detection element is installed at the outlet pipe of the final stage condenser. The final stage condenser supplies coolant to the inlet pipe through a liquid delivery device. The controller is electrically connected to the temperature detection element and the liquid delivery device. The temperature detection element detects the cooling temperature and feeds back a detection signal to the controller. Based on the detection signal, the controller determines whether to control the liquid delivery device to increase the coolant delivery rate, so that the condensing temperature in each shell-and-tube condenser is kept stable.

[0018] Preferably, a condensing temperature regulating component is installed on the vertical condensing assembly. The condensing temperature regulating component includes a controller and a temperature detection element. Except for the final stage condenser, the temperature detection element is installed at the outlet pipe position of each shell-and-tube condenser. Each shell-and-tube condenser is also equipped with a replenishment pipe connected to the corresponding cooling channel. The replenishment pipe is connected to a replenishment device for replenishing coolant into the corresponding cooling channel. The controller is electrically connected to the temperature detection element and the replenishment device. The temperature detection element at the corresponding position detects the cooling temperature and feeds back a detection signal to the controller. Based on the detection signal, the controller determines whether to control the corresponding replenishment device to replenish coolant into the corresponding cooling channel, thereby stabilizing the condensing temperature in each shell-and-tube condenser.

[0019] Preferably, the collection device includes multiple collection trays for collecting liquid fatty acids, each collection tray located below a corresponding shell-and-tube condenser; each collection tray is connected to an external collector a; multiple through holes are spaced apart on the collection trays, and a gas guide pipe corresponding to the position of the through holes is installed at the upper end of the collection tray, allowing high-temperature mixed vapor to pass upward; a collection area is formed between the multiple gas guide pipes, and the liquid fatty acids in each shell-and-tube condenser flow downward under the action of gravity from the corresponding condenser pipe to the corresponding collection area, and then flow into the corresponding collector a; this allows different monomeric fatty acids to flow into the corresponding collectors, and at the same time, the purity of each monomeric fatty acid is higher while collecting the liquid fatty acids.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this utility model, which adopts the above technical solution, are as follows:

[0021] This invention relates to a fatty acid production device that uses a vertical condenser assembly above the distillation column. This allows the high-temperature mixed vapor containing fatty acids rising from the distillation vessel to sequentially enter the condenser tubes of multiple shell-and-tube condensers with progressively decreasing condensation temperatures. This segmented condensation of the gaseous fatty acids in the high-temperature mixed vapor extends the condensation time. After condensation, the liquid fatty acids flow downwards through the condenser pipes under gravity and enter a collection device, preventing condensation on the pipe walls. This reduces the probability of being sucked into the vacuum pump, lowers the frequency of vacuum pump cleaning and maintenance, reduces fatty acid production costs, and improves fatty acid production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a structural layout diagram of a fatty acid production device.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a vertical condenser assembly.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid collection tray.

[0025] Figure 4 This is an enlarged view of the bottom of the cone-shaped part on the liquid collection plate;

[0026] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of corrugated wire mesh;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing multiple waveform wire meshes within a collar;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid separator assembly;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the alignment and interleaving of the waveform slot groups;

[0030] Figure 9 This is a structural installation diagram of the collection device in Example 2;

[0031] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of an existing fatty acid production device in the background art;

[0032] The attached figures are labeled as follows: 1-Distillation vessel, 2-Distillation column, 3-Packaging, 4-Vertical condenser assembly, 41-Shell-tube condenser, 42-Condenser tube, 421-Connecting rigid pipe, 43-Cooling channel, 44-Baffle, 45-Inlet pipe, 451-Storage tank, 46-Outlet pipe, 47-Heating tube, 48-Replenishment pipe, 481-Replenishment device, 49-Temperature sensing element, 5-Vacuum pump, 51-Connecting pipe, 6-Liquid separator assembly, 61-Wave Wire mesh, 611-Unit perforated plate, 62-Annular clamp, 621-Flange ring, 622-Positioning hole, 63-Wave groove, 7-Disc body, 7a-Blocking part, 71-Through hole, 72-Liquid collection area, 73-Gas guide pipe, 74-Support part, 75-Through groove, 76-Conical liquid guide surface, 761-Bottom surface, 77-Inverted conical gas guide surface, 771-Top surface, 78-Rhombus plate, 79-Flow guide groove, 78a-Collector, 79a-Collection pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this utility model, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0034] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0035] This utility model has multiple embodiments, and the specific implementation methods are as follows:

[0036] Example 1: As Figure 1-8 As shown, this embodiment provides a fatty acid production device, including:

[0037] The distillation assembly includes a distillation vessel 1, and a distillation column 2 pre-filled with packing 3 installed at the upper end of the distillation vessel 1. The distillation column 2 is connected to the distillation vessel 1. The high-temperature mixed vapor containing mixed fatty acids generated by heating the fatty acid mixture rises and passes through the packing 3. The packing 3 consists of multiple corrugated plates tightly arranged and clamped by a ring. The ring is fixedly installed inside the distillation column 2. The packing 3 can make the flow of the rising high-temperature mixed vapor more uniform.

[0038] The vertical condenser assembly 4 is connected to the packing 3. The vertical condenser assembly 4 includes multiple shell-and-tube condensers 41 arranged longitudinally. Each shell-and-tube condenser 41 includes a shell, within which one or more vertically extending condenser tubes 42 are located. Cooling channels 43, allowing coolant flow, are formed between the condenser tubes 42 and the shell, and are isolated from the condenser tubes 42. The condenser tubes 42 in every two adjacent shell-and-tube condensers 41 are interconnected and correspond one-to-one. Specifically, in this embodiment, interconnection means that the upper and lower shells are fixedly connected and the condenser tubes 42 correspond one-to-one, with space remaining between the upper and lower condenser tubes 42. From bottom to top, the condensation temperature of the multiple shell-and-tube condensers 41 decreases progressively, with the topmost shell-and-tube condenser 41 being the final stage. The condenser, specifically the condenser tube 42 of the final stage condenser, is connected to a vacuum pump 5. The vacuum pump 5 is connected to the condenser tube 42 of the final stage shell-and-tube condenser via a connecting pipe 51, providing a vacuum environment for the fatty acid production process to improve production efficiency. When the vacuum pump 5 is working, it can draw high-temperature mixed vapor through the packing 3 and gradually move it from bottom to top through multiple shell-and-tube condensers 41, causing the fatty acids at the corresponding condensation points to condense into liquid and then flow downwards out of the corresponding condenser tube 42 under gravity. This segmented condensation structure allows the gaseous fatty acids sufficient condensation time, and the condensed liquid fatty acids flow out of the condenser tube 43 quickly after condensation, preventing the liquid fatty acids from condensing inside the tube wall of the condenser tube 43, reducing the probability of blockage of the vacuum pump 5 or the connecting pipe 51, and improving production efficiency.

[0039] A collection device for collecting liquid fatty acids flowing out of condenser 42.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vertical condenser assembly 4 has three shell-and-tube condensers 41, forming three condensation zones with different condensation temperatures. To ensure that the condensed liquid fatty acids overcome atmospheric pressure and flow stably downwards, the longitudinal length of the condenser tubes 42 in the lowermost and middle shell-and-tube condensers 41 is 1500 mm, and the longitudinal length of the condenser tubes 42 in the uppermost shell-and-tube condenser 41 ranges from 1000 mm to 1500 mm. For example, in a practical application, the high-temperature mixed steam may contain octadecanoic saturated fatty acids with a condensation point of 72°C, hexadecanoic saturated fatty acids with a condensation point of 63°C, and low-carbon fatty acids with condensation points below 63°C. As the steam passes through the three shell-and-tube condensers 41 from bottom to top, the octadecanoic saturated fatty acids condense into liquid in the bottommost shell-and-tube condenser 41, the hexadecanoic saturated fatty acids condense into liquid in the middle shell-and-tube condenser 41, and the low-carbon fatty acids condense into liquid in the topmost shell-and-tube condenser 41. Since the condenser tubes 42 are interconnected and of sufficient length, these liquid fatty acids can all overcome the supporting force of atmospheric pressure and flow downwards under the action of gravity. In actual production, this method can greatly reduce the clogging frequency of the vacuum pump 5. The vacuum pump 5 and connecting pipe 51, which originally needed to be cleaned every 2-3 days, now only need to be cleaned once every 15 days or more, reducing the downtime frequency during fatty acid production and improving production efficiency.

[0041] Furthermore, each shell-and-tube condenser 41 is equipped with an inlet pipe 45 and an outlet pipe 46 that communicate with the cooling channel 43. In this embodiment, to achieve different condensation temperatures in the multiple shell-and-tube condensers 41 for condensing fatty acid monomers with different freezing points, in addition to supplying coolant of different temperatures to the cooling channels 43 of the shell-and-tube condensers 41 at different locations, this embodiment also provides a more ingenious structural design. Specifically, in every two adjacent shell-and-tube condensers 41, the outlet pipe 46 of the upper shell-and-tube condenser 41 is connected to the inlet pipe 45 of the lower shell-and-tube condenser 41. Specifically, the outlet pipe 46 of the upper shell-and-tube condenser 41 and the inlet pipe 45 of the lower shell-and-tube condenser 41 are sealed together by a connecting rigid pipe 421. The inlet pipe 45 of the final-stage shell-and-tube condenser is connected to a conveying device, which includes a storage tank 451 connected to the inlet pipe 45. To facilitate coolant delivery, a pressurizing component such as a gear pump (not shown) can be installed between the storage tank 451 and the inlet pipe 45. Coolant is introduced into the inlet pipe 45 of the final stage condenser. After heat exchange with the high-temperature mixed vapor in the corresponding condenser tube 42, the coolant temperature rises and flows downward into the cooling channel 43 of the next shell-and-tube condenser 41, circulating repeatedly until the coolant flows out from the outlet pipe 46 of the bottom shell-and-tube condenser 41, ensuring that the condensation temperature of the multiple shell-and-tube condensers 41 decreases step by step from bottom to top. By connecting the cooling channels of each shell-and-tube condenser to each other, the coolant flows from top to bottom through each shell-and-tube condenser, making each shell-and-tube condenser form different condensation temperatures, so as to condense fatty acid monomers with different condensation points into liquid. This design saves coolant costs and makes multiple condensation units form different condensation temperatures, which is ingenious and achieves two goals at once.

[0042] Furthermore, if the coolant directly flows through the cooling channels 43 of each shell-and-tube condenser 41 sequentially, insufficient heat exchange may occur due to excessive flow rate, causing the condensation temperatures of each shell-and-tube condenser 41 to tend to be the same, making it difficult to form condensation zones with different condensation temperatures. Therefore, the cooling channels 43 of the shell-and-tube condenser 41 have multiple baffles 44. In this embodiment, at least four layers of baffles 44 are arranged longitudinally at intervals in the cooling channels 43. The baffles 44 can be welded and fixed to the outer wall of the condenser tube 42 or to the inner wall of the shell. The baffles 44 reduce the downward flow speed of the coolant, allowing the coolant to undergo sufficient heat exchange with the high-temperature mixed vapor in the corresponding shell-and-tube condenser 41 before flowing downward into the next cooling channel 43. This prevents the coolant from flowing too quickly into the cooling channels 43 of the next shell-and-tube condenser 41, ensuring the efficiency of fatty acid production.

[0043] Furthermore, after condensation, most of the liquid fatty acids will flow downwards out of the condenser tube 43, but some liquid fatty acids may still remain on the inner wall of the condenser tube 43. Therefore, in this embodiment, at least one shell-and-tube condenser 41 is equipped with a heating tube that communicates with the cooling channel 43. High-temperature heating steam can be introduced into the heating tube, so that the liquid fatty acids condensed on the condenser tube 42 melt after being heated and flow downwards out of the corresponding shell-and-tube condenser 41's condenser tube 42. In order to melt fatty acid monomers with different freezing points, the temperature of the high-temperature steam introduced in this embodiment is 80°C-90°C, which is much higher than the freezing point of each fatty acid monomer. This avoids some liquid fatty acids remaining on the inner wall of the condenser tube and further improves the production efficiency.

[0044] Furthermore, such as Figure 3-4 As shown, the collection device in this embodiment includes a collection tray 7 located between the vertical condenser assembly 4 and the packing 3 for collecting liquid fatty acids. The collection tray 7 is connected to an external collector 78a. Specifically, an overlapping ring (not shown) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the distillation column 2, and the collection tray 7 overlaps and is fixed to the upper end of the overlapping ring. A collection pipe 79a is connected to the collection tray 7, and the collection pipe 79a is connected to an external collector 78a. To allow the liquid fatty acids to overcome atmospheric pressure and flow downwards into the collector 78a, the longitudinal length of the collection pipe 79a is not less than 13m. To facilitate the collection of liquid... Liquid fatty acids can also be drawn from the collection tube 79a and the collector 78a by a gear pump. The collection plate 7 is provided with multiple through holes 71 that run vertically through it. A gas guide pipe 73 corresponding to the position of the through hole 71 is installed at the upper end of the collection plate 7. The gas guide pipe 73 allows high-temperature mixed vapor to pass upward. A collection area 72 is formed between the multiple gas guide pipes 73. Liquid fatty acids in each shell-and-tube condenser 41 reach the collection area 72 under the action of gravity, and then enter the collector 78a. This allows the various fatty acid monomers to be condensed into liquid and then flow into the collector, preventing the liquid fatty acids from flowing back to the distillation kettle 1.

[0045] Furthermore, after the liquid fatty acids fall, a small portion of the liquid fat easily falls back into the distillation vessel through the opening of the conduit. Additionally, to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the collection tray, there is a gap between the inner wall of the distillation column 2 and the collection tray 7. There is also a height difference between the lower end of the condenser tube 42 of the lowest shell-and-tube condenser 41 and the collection tray 7. The liquid fatty acids have a high gravitational potential energy when falling, resulting in a large impact force on the collection tray 7. This easily causes the liquid fatty acids to scatter in all directions and splash onto the inner wall of the distillation column before flowing downwards into the gap between the inner wall and the collection tray. To avoid this phenomenon, in this embodiment, the positions of the gas guide pipe 73 of the collection tray 7 and the upper condenser tube 42 correspond one-to-one, and the upper opening of the gas guide pipe 73 is provided with multiple circumferentially spaced... The support 74 has a channel 77 between each two adjacent support 74 that allows gas to pass upward. The upper end of the support 74 is connected to a cone-shaped body for receiving liquid fatty acids. The cone-shaped body is provided with a cone-shaped liquid guiding surface 76. Multiple ribs 78 are evenly distributed along the circumference of the cone-shaped liquid guiding surface 76. Each rib 78 extends obliquely along the longitudinal direction. A guide channel 79 is formed between each two adjacent ribs 78. The multiple ribs 78 can buffer the falling liquid fatty acids and divide the falling liquid fatty acids into multiple streams that flow downward along the guide channel 79 into the liquid collection area 72. This not only slows down the falling speed of the liquid fatty acids but also prevents the liquid fatty acids from hanging on the cone-shaped liquid guiding surface 761, so that the falling liquid fatty acids can flow smoothly into the liquid collection area 72.

[0046] Furthermore, when the high-temperature mixed steam rises to the upper opening of the gas guide pipe 73, the cone-shaped body easily obstructs the steam. Therefore, in this embodiment, the lower end of the cone-shaped body has a bottom surface 761, and an inverted cone-shaped body is connected to the bottom surface 761. The inverted cone-shaped body has an inverted cone-shaped gas guide surface 77. The cross-sectional area of ​​the inverted cone-shaped gas guide surface 77 gradually increases from bottom to top. Therefore, the inverted cone-shaped gas guide surface 77 causes the rising gas to diffuse outward and exit through the channel 77, so that the high-temperature mixed steam can quickly rise and pass through the liquid collection plate 7.

[0047] Furthermore, to prevent the liquid fatty acids falling into the collection pan 7 from flowing back into the distillation vessel 1 along the inverted conical air guide surface 77, the top of the inverted conical body has a top surface 771 that is connected to the bottom surface 761 of the conical body. The top surface 771 is surrounded by the bottom surface 761, thereby preventing the falling liquid fatty acids from contacting the inverted conical air guide surface 77 and allowing the liquid fatty acids to fall smoothly into the collection pan 1.

[0048] Furthermore, the cone-shaped and inverted cone-shaped bodies can be either conical or pyramidal structures. And to ensure the lightweight and low-cost operation of the liquid collection tray 7, the cone-shaped and inverted cone-shaped bodies are closed hollow structures.

[0049] Furthermore, to ensure the receiving effect of the liquid collection tray 7, the liquid collection tray 7 includes a base and a retaining part 7a integrally formed at the bottom edge. The retaining part 7a extends upward beyond the upper end of the liquid collection tray 7 to prevent the liquid fatty acids falling into the liquid collection area 72 from overflowing. The upper opening of the air guide pipe 73 extends upward beyond the retaining part 7a to prevent the liquid fatty acids in the liquid collection area 72 from flowing back into the air guide pipe 73.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the support portion 74 is a rod-shaped structure that occupies less space and facilitates the upward flow of gas. In addition, the number of support portions 74 should be within a reasonable range. If there are too many support portions 74, the width of the through groove 75 will become smaller, resulting in poor gas flow. If there are too few support portions 74, it will be difficult to provide stable support for the cone. Therefore, in this embodiment, the number of support portions 74 is in the range of 2-6, which takes into account both the structural stability of the cone and the smooth flow of gas.

[0051] Furthermore, when the falling liquid fatty acids come into contact with the prism plate 78, most of the liquid fatty acids will be broken down and enter the guide channel 79. However, a small portion of the liquid fatty acids will still be stuck on the prism plate 78. To avoid this phenomenon, in this embodiment, the prism plate 78 is triangular or trapezoidal, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the prism plate 78 gradually decreases from top to bottom. This makes the contact area between the small portion of liquid fatty acids and the prism plate 78 smaller and smaller as the liquid fatty acids flow downward under the action of gravity, and gradually enter the guide channel 79, thereby improving the collection efficiency of the liquid collection tray 7.

[0052] Furthermore, after the high-temperature mixed vapor passes through the condenser tube 42 of the lowest shell-and-tube condenser 41, the fatty acid monomers at the corresponding condensation point condense into a liquid state. However, the rising vapor easily carries a small amount of liquid droplets into the upper shell-and-tube condenser 41, where the condensation temperature is lower. At the lower condensation temperature, these droplets easily condense on the tube wall of the condenser tube 42, causing blockage. To isolate the droplets and ensure the smooth progress of the condensation process, such as... Figure 5-8 As shown, a 500mm high installation space is left between every two adjacent vertical condenser tubes 42. A liquid-blocking assembly 6 is installed within this space to prevent liquid from entering. The liquid-blocking assembly 6 includes an annular clamp and multiple vertically arranged, closely spaced corrugated wire meshes 61 within the annular clamp. Between two adjacent corrugated wire meshes 61, there are corrugated grooves 63 extending in a wavy shape. These multiple grooves 63 form a group of corrugated grooves that allow high-temperature mixed vapor to pass upwards. The corrugated wire meshes 61 have multiple mesh openings, which can block the mixed liquid carried by the high-temperature mixed vapor below the corresponding condenser tube 42. This prevents the mixed vapor from carrying some entrained liquid fatty acids into the condenser tubes of the upper shell-and-tube condenser after rising, and avoids the condensation of fatty acid monomers with higher condensation temperatures in the condenser tubes of the previous shell-and-tube condenser with lower condensation temperatures, ensuring the smooth progress of the fatty acid production process.

[0053] Furthermore, multiple wave-shaped wire meshes 61 constitute a wave-shaped wire mesh group, and multiple wave-shaped wire mesh groups arranged vertically are provided inside the annular clamp. To ensure the liquid-blocking effect, two layers of wave-shaped wire mesh groups are provided inside the annular clamp in this embodiment. If two adjacent wave-shaped groove groups are aligned with each other, the multiple wave-shaped wire meshes 61 can only form a single barrier for the liquid droplets in the high-temperature steam. Therefore, to provide a barriering effect, in this embodiment, every two adjacent wave-shaped groove groups are staggered to form multiple barriers for the mixed liquid carried by the rising high-temperature mixed steam, so as to block part of the liquid fatty acids in the mixed steam as much as possible.

[0054] Furthermore, to facilitate the installation of multiple corrugated wire meshes 61, the annular clamp includes multiple interlocking annular sub-clamps 62. Each annular sub-clamp 62 has a corresponding liquid-separating component 6 installed inside. Each annular sub-clamp 62 can rotate along the vertical axis and stop at a corresponding position to adjust the staggered angle of the two corrugated groove groups in two adjacent liquid-separating components 6. Specifically, one end of the annular sub-clamp 62 is provided with a flange ring 621. Multiple positioning holes 622 are evenly distributed circumferentially on the flange ring 621. The flange rings 621 of every two adjacent annular sub-clamps 62 are interlocked. After the corresponding annular sub-clamp 62 rotates to the predetermined position, the positioning holes 622 of the two adjacent flange rings 621 correspond one-to-one and are locked with screws. To facilitate installation, an overlapping ring plate is installed on the inner wall of the distillation column 2. The locked flange ring 621 can also be placed on the overlapping ring plate on the inner wall of the distillation column 2 for fixation.

[0055] Furthermore, the corrugated liquid barrier 61 is a corrugated wire mesh formed by multiple interlaced stainless steel wires, with the wire diameter ranging from 1.2mm to 1.8mm, to form fine liquid-blocking holes. The corrugated liquid barrier 61 includes multiple equally spaced bent sections, with a vertical unit perforated plate 611 formed between every two adjacent bent sections. The included angle between every two unit perforated plates 611 is 60°. To save installation space, the vertical height of the unit perforated plate 611 ranges from 45mm to 60mm. To ensure that high-temperature steam can pass through while effectively blocking liquid droplets, in this embodiment, the mesh count of the liquid-blocking holes on the corrugated liquid barrier 61 ranges from 110 to 125, where mesh count refers to the number of liquid-blocking holes per square centimeter.

[0056] Furthermore, if the temperature of the corresponding condenser is still too high and does not meet the requirements after the coolant in the last-stage shell-and-tube condenser flows downward into the next shell-and-tube condenser, it is necessary to increase the coolant flow rate. Specifically, the temperature sensing element 49 is installed at the outlet pipe 46 of the last-stage condenser. A condensing temperature regulating component is installed on the vertical condensing assembly 4. The condensing temperature regulating component includes a controller and a temperature sensing element 49. The temperature sensing element 49 is usually a thermometer electrically connected to the controller. The last-stage shell-and-tube condenser supplies coolant to the inlet pipe 45 through a conveying device. The conveying device includes a liquid storage tank 451 and a power transmission component. The power transmission component can be a motor (not shown) electrically connected to the controller. The motor is usually connected to a gear pump (not shown). (See diagram) The transmission connects and delivers coolant to the cooling channel 43 of the final shell-and-tube condenser; the controller is electrically connected to the temperature detection element 49 and the coolant delivery device; the temperature detection element 49 detects the cooling temperature and sends a detection signal back to the controller, which then determines whether to control the coolant delivery device to increase the coolant delivery rate based on the detection signal; for example, when the temperature detection element 49 detects that the condensation temperature in the corresponding shell-and-tube condenser 41 meets the standard, the temperature detection element 49 will not send a signal to the controller, allowing the coolant to enter the cooling channel of the final shell-and-tube condenser at a normal rate; when the temperature detection element 49 detects that the condensation temperature in the corresponding shell-and-tube condenser 41 does not meet the standard, it will send a signal to the delivery device to increase the coolant delivery rate, so that the condensation temperature in each shell-and-tube condenser is stable.

[0057] Furthermore, in addition to increasing the coolant flow rate to the final-stage shell-and-tube condenser, this embodiment can also control the condensing temperature through another design. Specifically, a condensing temperature regulating component is installed on the vertical condensing assembly 4. The condensing temperature regulating component includes a controller and a temperature sensing element 49. Except for the final-stage condenser, the temperature sensing element 49 is installed at the outlet pipe 46 position of each of the remaining shell-and-tube condensers 41. Each of the remaining shell-and-tube condensers 41 is also equipped with a replenishment pipe 48 connected to the corresponding cooling channel 43. A replenishment device 481 for replenishing coolant into the corresponding cooling channel 43 is connected to the replenishment pipe 48. The replenishment device 481 has a structure similar to the conveying device. The controller, temperature sensing element 49, and replenishment device 481 are also connected to the replenishment device. Device 481 is electrically connected; the temperature detection element 49 at the corresponding position detects the cooling temperature and feeds back the detection signal to the controller. The controller determines whether to control the corresponding liquid replenishment device 481 to replenish the corresponding cooling channel 43 based on the detection signal. For example, when the temperature detection element 49 detects that the condensing temperature in the corresponding shell-and-tube condenser 41 meets the standard, the temperature detection element 49 will not send a signal to the controller, and the liquid replenishment device will not work at this time. When the temperature detection element 49 detects that the condensing temperature in the corresponding shell-and-tube condenser 41 does not meet the standard, it will send a signal to the delivery device to make the liquid replenishment device work and pass the coolant into the corresponding shell-and-tube condenser 41, so that the condensing temperature in each shell-and-tube condenser 41 is in a stable state.

[0058] Example 2: This example differs from the previous examples in that the specific structure of the collection device is different. This collection device is suitable for collecting fatty acid monomers with high purity. Specifically, for example... Figure 9 As shown, the collection device includes multiple collection trays 7 for collecting liquid fatty acids, each collection tray 7 being located below a corresponding shell-and-tube condenser; each collection tray 7 is connected to an external collector 78a; multiple through holes 71 are spaced apart on the collection tray 7, and a gas guide pipe 73 corresponding to the position of the through hole 71 is installed at the upper end of the collection tray 7, allowing high-temperature mixed vapor to pass upward; a collection area 72 is formed between the multiple gas guide pipes 73, and the liquid fatty acids in each shell-and-tube condenser 41 flow downward through the corresponding condenser pipe 42 under the action of gravity and reach the corresponding collection area 72, and then flow into the corresponding collector 78a; this allows different monomeric fatty acids to flow into the corresponding collectors, and while collecting the liquid fatty acids, it also increases the purity of each monomeric fatty acid.

[0059] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above illustratively. This description is not restrictive, and the figures shown are only one embodiment of the present invention; the actual structure is not limited thereto. Therefore, if those skilled in the art are inspired by this description and design similar structures and embodiments without departing from the inventive spirit of the present invention, such designs should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fatty acid production apparatus characterized by comprising: The application relates to a distillation assembly and a vertical condensing assembly. The vertical condensing assembly (4) is communicated with the filler (3) and comprises a plurality of shell-and-tube condensers (41) arranged in the vertical direction, wherein the shell-and-tube condenser (41) comprises a shell, a single or multiple vertically-extended condensing pipe (42) is arranged in the shell, a cooling channel (43) allowing the flow of cooling liquid is formed between the condensing pipe (42) and the shell, the condensing pipes (42) in every two upper and lower adjacent shell-and-tube condensers (41) are communicated with each other and one-to-one corresponding; from the bottom to the top, the condensing temperature of the plurality of shell-and-tube condensers (41) gradually decreases, the topmost shell-and-tube condenser (41) is a final-stage condenser, and the condensing pipe (42) of the final-stage condenser is connected with a vacuum pump (5); when the vacuum pump (5) works, the high-temperature mixed steam after passing through the filler (3) can be drawn from the bottom to the top through the plurality of shell-and-tube condensers (41) gradually, so that the fatty acid at the corresponding condensing point is condensed into a liquid state and then flows out of the corresponding condensing pipe (42) under the action of gravity. The cooling channel (43) of the shell-and-tube condenser (41) is provided with a plurality of baffles (44), the baffles (44) reduce the downward flow speed of the cooling liquid, so that the cooling liquid and the high-temperature mixed steam in the corresponding shell-and-tube condenser (41) are fully heat-exchanged and then flow into the next cooling channel (43). At least one shell-and-tube condenser (41) is provided with a heating pipe communicated with the cooling channel (43), high-temperature heating steam can be introduced into the heating pipe, so that the liquid fatty acid condensed on the condensing pipe (42) flows out of the condensing pipe (42) of the corresponding shell-and-tube condenser (41).

2. A fatty acid production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by: The application further relates to a collection device for collecting the liquid fatty acid flowing out of the condensing pipe (42).

3. A fatty acid production apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by: ​ 4. The fatty acid production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by: ​ 5. The fatty acid production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by: The collecting device comprises a liquid collecting tray (7) between the vertical condensing assembly (4) and the filler (3) for collecting liquid fatty acid, the liquid collecting tray (7) is connected with an external collector (78a); a plurality of through holes (71) are arranged on the liquid collecting tray (7) in intervals, a gas guide pipe (73) corresponding to the through holes (71) is arranged on the upper end of the liquid collecting tray (7), the gas guide pipe (73) allows the high-temperature mixed vapor to pass upward; the liquid collecting area (72) is formed between the plurality of gas guide pipes (73), the liquid fatty acid in each shell-and-tube condenser (41) reaches the liquid collecting area (72) under the action of gravity, and then enters the collector (78a).

6. The fatty acid production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by: A liquid separation assembly (6) for separating liquid is arranged between every two adjacent condensing pipes (42) in the up-and-down direction, the liquid separation assembly (6) comprises an annular hoop and a plurality of vertical and closely arranged wave-shaped wire meshes (61) arranged in the annular hoop, the two adjacent wave-shaped wire meshes (61) have wave-shaped grooves (63) extending in a wave shape therebetween, and the plurality of wave-shaped grooves (63) form a wave-shaped groove group allowing the high-temperature mixed vapor to pass upward; the wave-shaped wire mesh (61) has a plurality of mesh holes, and the plurality of mesh holes can separate the mixed liquid carried by the high-temperature mixed vapor below the corresponding condensing pipe (42).

7. A fatty acid production apparatus according to claim 6, characterized by: The plurality of wave-shaped wire meshes (61) form a wave-shaped wire mesh group, and a plurality of the wave-shaped wire mesh groups are arranged in the annular hoop in the up-and-down direction; the wave-shaped groove groups adjacent to each other in the up-and-down direction are staggered with each other to form multiple separations for the mixed liquid carried by the rising high-temperature mixed vapor.

8. The fatty acid production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by: The condensing temperature adjusting assembly is arranged on the vertical condensing assembly (4), the condensing temperature adjusting assembly comprises a controller and a temperature detection element (49), and the temperature detection element (49) is arranged at the position of the liquid outlet pipe (46) of the last-stage condenser; the last-stage condenser delivers the cooling liquid to the liquid inlet pipe (45) through a liquid delivery device, the controller is electrically connected with the temperature detection element (49) and the liquid delivery device; the temperature detection element (49) detects the cooling temperature and feeds back a detection signal to the controller, and the controller judges whether to control the liquid delivery device to increase the delivery amount of the cooling liquid according to the detection signal.

9. The fatty acid production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by: The condensing temperature adjusting assembly is arranged on the vertical condensing assembly (4), the condensing temperature adjusting assembly comprises a controller and a temperature detection element (49), and the temperature detection element (49) is arranged at the position of the liquid outlet pipe (46) of each shell-and-tube condenser (41) except the last-stage condenser, and a liquid supplement pipe (48) is arranged on each shell-and-tube condenser (41) and communicates with the corresponding cooling channel (43), a liquid supplement device (481) for supplementing the cooling liquid into the corresponding cooling channel (43) is connected to the liquid supplement pipe (48), and the controller is electrically connected with the temperature detection element (49) and the liquid supplement device (481); the temperature detection element (49) at the corresponding position detects the cooling temperature and feeds back a detection signal to the controller, and the controller judges whether to control the corresponding liquid supplement device (481) to supplement the cooling liquid into the corresponding cooling channel (43) according to the detection signal.

10. The fatty acid production apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by: The collecting device comprises a plurality of liquid collecting trays (7) for collecting liquid fatty acids, each of the liquid collecting trays (7) is located below a corresponding shell-and-tube condenser; each of the liquid collecting trays (7) is connected with an external collector (78a); a plurality of through holes (71) penetrating from top to bottom are arranged on the liquid collecting tray (7) in intervals; a gas guide pipe (73) corresponding to the position of the through hole (71) is mounted on the upper end of the liquid collecting tray (7), the gas guide pipe (73) allows high-temperature mixed steam to pass upwardly; a liquid collecting area (72) is formed between the plurality of gas guide pipes (73), the liquid fatty acid in each of the shell-and-tube condensers (41) flows downwardly out of the corresponding condensing pipe (42) under the action of gravity and then reaches the corresponding liquid collecting area (72), and then flows into the corresponding collector (78a).

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