A reactive distillation column suitable for sucrose hexaesters

Abstract

This invention provides a reactive distillation column suitable for sucrose hexadecimalization, comprising a feed reaction unit and a gas phase outlet unit and a liquid phase outlet unit installed at the top and bottom of the feed reaction unit. The gas phase outlet unit has a gas phase outlet N1 at its top, a material inlet N5 and a gas phase inlet N4 on its side, and a liquid phase outlet N2 and a liquid phase circulation port N3 on its liquid phase outlet unit. The outer diameter of the cylindrical section within the feed reaction unit is larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical section within the gas phase outlet unit. The bottom of the liquid phase outlet unit is mounted on the ground via a skirt support. This invention employs a combination of two small-diameter cylindrical sections at the top and three large-diameter cylindrical sections at the bottom, combined with a trough-type distributor to achieve a liquid phase gradient distribution. The skirt support and circulation port create forced mixing flow, significantly improving gas-liquid mass transfer efficiency. It is particularly suitable for esterification systems like sucrose hexadecimalization, which require strict control of reaction residence time and temperature gradients, providing an equipment foundation for continuous production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of liquid-liquid reaction, and in particular to the field of sucrose hexaester distillation technology, specifically a reactive distillation column suitable for sucrose hexaester. Background Technology

[0002] Sucrose hexaester, as an important food additive and surfactant, often faces problems such as low reaction conversion rate and numerous by-products in its industrial production. Traditional tandem processes of reaction and distillation separation suffer from drawbacks such as complex equipment, high energy consumption, and insufficient mass transfer efficiency. In existing technologies, conventional distillation columns mostly employ a single-cylinder structure, and uneven liquid phase distribution leads to insufficient packing wetting, especially causing channeling phenomena, particularly in high-viscosity systems such as sucrose hexaester. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a reactive distillation column suitable for sucrose hexaesters, so as to solve the difficulties of the prior art.

[0004] To achieve the above and other related objectives, this utility model provides a reactive distillation column suitable for sucrose hexaester, including a feed reaction unit and a gas phase outlet unit and a liquid phase outlet unit installed at the top and bottom of the feed reaction unit. The top of the gas phase outlet unit is provided with a gas phase outlet N1, the side of the feed reaction unit is provided with a material inlet N5 and a gas phase inlet N4, and the liquid phase outlet unit is provided with a liquid phase outlet N2 and a liquid phase circulation port N3.

[0005] The outer diameter of the cylindrical section in the feed reaction unit is larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical section in the gas phase outlet unit.

[0006] The bottom of the liquid phase outlet unit is mounted on the ground via a skirt 1.

[0007] According to the preferred embodiment, the skirt 1 is axially mounted on the ground using anchor bolts.

[0008] According to the preferred scheme, a pressure gauge N7, a level gauge port N9, a thermometer port N6, and a reflux port N8 are also installed at the corresponding positions on the reactive distillation column.

[0009] According to the preferred embodiment, the feeding reaction unit includes, from top to bottom, a first cylindrical section 14 and a second cylindrical section 4 connected in sequence;

[0010] The first cylindrical section 14 has a material inlet N5 at its top, and multiple equally spaced trough distributors 8 and first packing material 6 are arranged inside.

[0011] According to the preferred scheme, packing rings 7 and packing supports 5 are respectively installed at both ends of the No. 1 packing 6.

[0012] According to the preferred scheme, the gas phase inlet N4 is located below the first packing 6, and a nitrogen inlet N11 is also provided on the other side at the same height.

[0013] According to the preferred embodiment, the gas phase outlet unit includes:

[0014] The connecting unit is mounted on the first cylindrical section 14 via a flange;

[0015] The third cylindrical section 21 is installed on the end of the connecting unit away from the first cylindrical section 14, and the outer diameter of the third cylindrical section 21 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first cylindrical section 14.

[0016] The upper elliptical head 23 is installed on the top of the third cylindrical section 21 via the fourth cylindrical section 22, and the upper elliptical head 23 is provided with a gas phase outlet N1.

[0017] According to the preferred scheme, a second trough-type distributor 20 and a second packing 18 are also installed in the gas phase outlet unit.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, the connection unit includes:

[0019] Section 5, 15, is mounted above section 3, 21 via a flange, and both have the same outer diameter.

[0020] The elliptical end cap 16 is installed above the No. 5 cylindrical section 15 through a reduced diameter structure. Its bottom outer diameter is the same as that of the No. 5 cylindrical section 15, and its top outer diameter is the same as that of the No. 3 cylindrical section 21.

[0021] According to the preferred embodiment, the liquid phase outlet unit includes a lower elliptical head 3, a liquid phase outlet N2, and a liquid phase circulation port N3. The liquid phase outlet N2 and the liquid phase circulation port N3 are installed at the bottom of the lower elliptical head 3 through pipes, and their outlet directions are opposite.

[0022] According to the preferred embodiment, the lower elliptical end cap 3 is also provided with a thermal insulation support ring 2 in the circumferential direction, and the thermal insulation support ring 2 is installed on the skirt 1.

[0023] This invention employs a combination of two small-diameter cylindrical sections at the top and three large-diameter cylindrical sections at the bottom, along with a trough-type distributor to achieve liquid phase gradient distribution. Combined with skirt support and circulation port, it forms forced mixing flow, significantly improving gas-liquid mass transfer efficiency. It is particularly suitable for esterification systems such as sucrose hexaester, which require strict control of reaction residence time and temperature gradient, providing an equipment foundation for continuous production.

[0024] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so as to facilitate an understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of this utility model.

[0026] Label Explanation

[0027] 1. Skirt support; 2. Insulation support ring; 3. Lower elliptical head; 4. No. 2 cylinder section; 5. Packing support; 6. No. 1 packing;

[0028] 7. Packing ring; 8. Groove distributor; 14. No. 1 cylinder section; 15. No. 5 cylinder section; 16. Middle elliptical head; 18. No. 2 packing; 20. No. 2 groove distributor; 21. No. 3 cylinder section; 23. Upper elliptical head. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same components. It should be noted that the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0030] Compared to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, feasible embodiments within the scope of protection of this utility model may have fewer components, have other components not shown in the drawings, different components, components arranged differently, or components with different connections, etc. Furthermore, two or more components shown in the drawings may be implemented in a single component, or a single component shown in the drawings may be implemented as multiple separate components.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this patent application specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, “an” or “a” and similar terms do not necessarily indicate a quantity limitation. Terms such as “comprising” or “including” mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the element or object listed following the word and its equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as “connected” or “linked” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right” are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; these relative positional relationships may change accordingly when the absolute position of the described object changes.

[0032] This invention proposes a reactive distillation column suitable for sucrose hexaesters in liquid-liquid purification processes. This invention does not limit the type of material, but the structure of this reactive distillation column is particularly suitable for sucrose hexaesters.

[0033] In general, the reactive distillation column for sucrose hexaester proposed in this invention mainly includes a feed reaction unit, a gas phase outlet unit, and a liquid phase outlet unit. See also... Figure 1 It shows the arrangement of the feed reaction unit, the gas phase outlet unit, and the liquid phase outlet unit.

[0034] To improve purification efficiency in a single distillation column and address the issues of low reaction conversion rate and numerous byproducts often encountered in the industrial production of sucrose hexadecimalt, an important food additive and surfactant, traditional tandem reaction and distillation processes suffer from drawbacks such as complex equipment, high energy consumption, and insufficient mass transfer efficiency. In existing technologies, conventional distillation columns often employ a single-cylinder structure, leading to uneven liquid phase distribution and insufficient packing wetting, particularly causing channeling in high-viscosity systems like sucrose hexadecimalt. Therefore, the technical solution provided in this embodiment employs a combination of two small-diameter sections at the top and three large-diameter sections at the bottom, coupled with a trough-type distributor to achieve a gradient liquid phase distribution. Combined with skirt support and a circulation port, forced mixing flow is formed, significantly enhancing gas-liquid mass transfer efficiency. This is particularly suitable for esterification systems like sucrose hexadecimalt, which require strict control of reaction residence time and temperature gradients, providing an equipment foundation for continuous production.

[0035] Specifically, the feeding reaction unit includes a first cylindrical section 14 and a second cylindrical section 4 connected in series from top to bottom to form a stepped reaction space, which prolongs the gas-liquid contact time and improves the conversion rate of the esterification reaction. A material inlet N5 is opened above the first cylindrical section 14, and multiple equally spaced trough distributors 8 and first packing 6 are arranged inside. The trough distributors 8 work together to ensure uniform distribution of the liquid phase, avoid excessive local concentration that affects the reaction efficiency 25, and can also adapt to the flow characteristics of materials with different viscosities, reducing channeling phenomenon. In addition, packing pressure rings 7 and packing supports 5 are installed at both ends of the first packing 6, respectively. The packing pressure rings 7 prevent the packing layer from loosening, and the packing supports 5 disperse the liquid phase load and prevent the packing from collapsing and causing short circuits 23. The packing and distributors are arranged alternately to form a multi-stage reaction unit, and the height of the reaction section can be flexibly adjusted to adapt to different process requirements.

[0036] Based on this, the gas phase inlet N4 is located below the first packing material 6. The gas phase inlet N4 is located below the first packing material 6. The trough-type distributor 8 above the packing layer can be used to achieve uniform rise of gas phase material, reduce the risk of gas phase short circuit, and form countercurrent contact with the liquid phase to enhance mass transfer efficiency. On the other side at the same height as the gas phase inlet N4, a nitrogen port N1 is also provided. The introduction of nitrogen can purge the packing layer to remove residual reactants or by-products and avoid clogging of the packing pores. At the same time, an inert gas barrier is formed to reduce the oxidative interference of oxygen on the sucrose hexaester synthesis process.

[0037] Next, a gas phase outlet N1 is provided at the top of the feed reaction unit via a gas phase outlet unit. A connecting unit is installed at the top of the first cylindrical section 14 via a flange. The connecting unit includes a fifth cylindrical section 15 and a central elliptical head 16. The fifth cylindrical section 15 is installed above the third cylindrical section 21 via a flange, and both have the same outer diameter. The central elliptical head 16 is installed above the fifth cylindrical section 15 via a reduced-diameter structure. Its bottom outer diameter is the same as that of the fifth cylindrical section 15, and its top outer diameter is the same as that of the third cylindrical section 21. The third cylindrical section 21 is installed at the end of the connecting unit away from the first cylindrical section 14, and its outer diameter is smaller than that of the first cylindrical section 14. The outer diameter of the cylindrical section 14, wherein the fifth cylindrical section 15 and the third cylindrical section 21 are connected by flanges. The fifth cylindrical section 15 and the third cylindrical section 21 are connected by flanges with the same outer diameter, which can avoid turbulence loss caused by sudden changes in flow velocity and maintain a smooth pressure transition during the gas phase rise process. The difference in diameter between the third cylindrical section 21 and the first cylindrical section 14 forms a gradually narrowing flow channel, which accelerates the gas phase rise speed and reduces eddy loss caused by gas stagnation. Through the combination of the third cylindrical section 21-the fifth cylindrical section 15-the middle elliptical head 16 with matching outer diameters, a smooth connection can be achieved, avoiding secondary eddy currents caused by traditional variable diameter structures, and allowing for quick disassembly and replacement of the head or cylindrical section components.

[0038] Furthermore, an upper elliptical head 23 is installed on the top of the third cylindrical section 21 via the fourth cylindrical section 22. A gas phase outlet N1 is provided on the upper elliptical head 23. The smooth curved surface of the elliptical head avoids the airflow separation phenomenon caused by the right angle structure, reduces the turbulence intensity near the gas phase outlet N1, and reduces energy loss.

[0039] As mentioned above, a liquid phase outlet unit is provided at the bottom of the feed reaction unit. The bottom of the liquid phase outlet unit is mounted on the ground through a skirt 1. The axial direction of the skirt 1 is mounted on the ground through anchor bolts. Compared with independent legs, the skirt structure improves lateral stability and reduces the impact of vibration on the reaction unit.

[0040] It should be specifically noted that the liquid phase outlet unit includes a lower elliptical head 3, a liquid phase outlet N2, and a liquid phase circulation port N3. The liquid phase outlet N2 and the liquid phase circulation port N3 are installed at the bottom of the lower elliptical head 3 through pipes, and their outlet directions are opposite. Compared with independent legs, the skirt structure improves lateral stability and reduces the impact of vibration on the reaction unit. Furthermore, a thermal insulation support ring 2 is also provided circumferentially on the lower elliptical head 3. The thermal insulation support ring 2 is installed on the skirt 1. The thermal insulation support ring serves as both a support structure for the thermal insulation layer and a radial constraint on the lower elliptical head 3, reducing the thermal stress on the material caused by the temperature gradient.

[0041] During use, the circulation port is connected to an external pump unit through a pipeline, supporting a forced circulation mode to maintain flow throughput when the material viscosity is too high, thus improving the processing capacity compared to pure gravity flow conditions.

[0042] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in this utility model should still be covered by the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A reactive distillation column suitable for sucrose hexaesters, characterized in that, include: The feed reaction unit includes a gas phase outlet unit and a liquid phase outlet unit installed at the top and bottom of the feed reaction unit. The top of the gas phase outlet unit is provided with a gas phase outlet N1. The side of the feed reaction unit is provided with a material inlet N5 and a gas phase inlet N4. The liquid phase outlet unit is provided with a liquid phase outlet N2 and a liquid phase circulation port N3. The outer diameter of the cylindrical section in the feed reaction unit is larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical section in the gas phase outlet unit. The bottom of the liquid phase outlet unit is mounted on the ground via a skirt (1).

2. The reactive distillation column for sucrose hexaesters according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding reaction unit includes, from top to bottom, a first cylindrical section (14) and a second cylindrical section (4) connected in sequence; The No. 1 cylinder section (14) has a material inlet N5 on its upper part, and multiple equally spaced trough distributors (8) and No. 1 packing (6) are arranged inside.

3. The reactive distillation column for sucrose hexaesters according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gas inlet N4 is located below the first packing (6), and a nitrogen inlet N11 is also located on the other side at the same height.

4. The reactive distillation column for sucrose hexaesters according to claim 3, characterized in that, The gas phase outlet unit includes: A connecting unit is installed on the first cylinder section (14) via a flange; The third cylindrical section (21) is installed on the end of the connecting unit away from the first cylindrical section (14), and the outer diameter of the third cylindrical section (21) is smaller than the outer diameter of the first cylindrical section (14). The upper elliptical head (23) is installed on the top of the third cylindrical section (21) through the fourth cylindrical section (22), and the upper elliptical head (23) is provided with a gas phase outlet N1.

5. The reactive distillation column for sucrose hexaesters according to claim 4, characterized in that, The connection unit includes: Fifth cylindrical section (15), which is mounted above the third cylindrical section (21) via a flange, and the two have the same outer diameter; The middle elliptical head (16) is installed above the No. 5 cylindrical section (15) by means of a reduced diameter structure. The bottom outer diameter is the same as that of the No. 5 cylindrical section (15), and the top outer diameter is the same as that of the No. 3 cylindrical section (21).

6. The reactive distillation column for sucrose hexaesters according to claim 5, characterized in that, The liquid phase outlet unit includes a lower elliptical head (3), a liquid phase outlet N2, and a liquid phase circulation port N3. The liquid phase outlet N2 and the liquid phase circulation port N3 are installed at the bottom of the lower elliptical head (3) through pipes, and their outlet directions are opposite.

7. The reactive distillation column for sucrose hexaesters according to claim 6, characterized in that, The lower elliptical end cap (3) is also provided with a thermal insulation support ring (2) in the circumferential direction, and the thermal insulation support ring (2) is installed on the skirt seat (1).

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