Sulfur vapor generating device and liquid sulfur heat exchange type heating system

Abstract

A sulfur vapor generating device and a liquid sulfur heat exchange heating system, belonging to the field of electric heater technology, include a pressure-resistant tank for generating sulfur vapor and a separation device for gas-liquid separation of the sulfur vapor. The pressure-resistant tank contains liquid sulfur and a heater for heating the liquid sulfur. The sulfur vapor generated by heating the liquid sulfur enters the separation device for gas-liquid separation to obtain high-temperature, dry sulfur vapor. This high-temperature, dry sulfur vapor serves as a heat transfer medium to heat the liquid being heated. This invention achieves complete separation of sulfur droplets from sulfur vapor by using specially arranged separators within the separation device, solving the problem of sulfur vapor carrying sulfur droplets that affects heat transfer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of electric heater technology, specifically a sulfur vapor generating device and a liquid sulfur heat exchange heating system. Background Technology

[0002] Petrochemical heating furnaces are key equipment used for heating media in petrochemical production. They mainly generate heat by burning fossil fuels and transfer heat through radiation, convection and conduction to achieve efficient heating. However, the combustion of fossil fuels causes carbon emissions. Replacing fossil fuel combustion with new energy clean electric heating is one of the important ways for the petrochemical industry to reduce carbon emissions.

[0003] Currently, conventional electric heaters are used to directly heat the working fluid (such as feedstock oil, hydrogenated oil, heavy oil, etc.), which can easily lead to overheating of the heating rod surface, resulting in decomposition of the working fluid and coking.

[0004] To address this issue, existing technologies employ elemental sulfur as an intermediate heat transfer medium. The core of this approach is to use electric heating to sublimate liquid sulfur into gaseous sulfur (sulfur vapor), which is then used to heat the working medium. This avoids the problems caused by direct heating with an electric heating rod. For example, the applicant filed a utility model patent in 2023 with application number 2023110556836.

[0005] When using sulfur as an intermediate heating medium, it was found that elemental sulfur has high viscosity in the range of 160~300℃, which is not conducive to flow and heat transfer. Even when using liquid sulfur above 300℃, its viscosity is thousands of times that of water. This causes saturated sulfur vapor to carry a large number of sulfur droplets during its upward accumulation. These sulfur droplets adhere to the tube wall of the heat exchanger, forming thermal resistance and seriously affecting the heat transfer between sulfur vapor and the heated medium in the heat exchange tube. Utility Model Content

[0006] To address the problem of sulfur droplets carried by sulfur vapor adhering to the heat exchanger tube wall and affecting heat transfer when using sulfur as a heating medium, this invention provides a sulfur vapor generating device and a liquid sulfur heat exchange heating system. The system allows saturated sulfur vapor to pass through a specially arranged separator within the separation device, achieving complete separation of sulfur droplets from sulfur vapor and solving the problem of sulfur vapor carrying sulfur droplets adhering and affecting heat transfer.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: a sulfur vapor generating device, including a pressure tank for generating sulfur vapor and a separation device for gas-liquid separation of sulfur vapor, wherein the pressure tank contains liquid sulfur and a heater for heating the liquid sulfur, and the sulfur vapor formed by heating the liquid sulfur by the heater enters the separation device for gas-liquid separation to obtain high-temperature, dry sulfur vapor.

[0008] As an optimized solution for the aforementioned sulfur vapor generating device, the separation device includes, in sequence along the flow direction of the sulfur vapor, a cyclone separator group, a cyclone plate separator, a baffle plate demister, and a wire mesh demister. The sulfur vapor inlets of several cyclone separators constituting the cyclone separator group extend out of the separation device and enter the pressure tank. This allows the sulfur vapor generated by heating liquid sulfur to enter the cyclone separator group through the sulfur vapor inlet and flow upwards. After passing through the cyclone plate separator, the baffle plate demister, and the wire mesh demister in sequence, high-temperature, dry sulfur vapor is obtained.

[0009] As another optimized solution for the aforementioned sulfur vapor generator, the cyclone separator group consists of at least four cyclone separators arranged in a ring, and the sulfur vapor in these cyclone separators rotates in the same direction, opposite to the rotation direction of the cyclone plate separator, thereby forming a countercurrent zone between the two.

[0010] As another optimized solution for the above-mentioned sulfur vapor generator, the cyclone separator is provided with an arc-shaped guide groove on the outlet side of the cyclone plate. The free end of the arc-shaped guide groove extends to the central channel of the cyclone separator, and the central channel is connected to the top of a liquid-evaporating pipe. The bottom of the liquid-evaporating pipe passes through the cyclone separator group and extends to the lower part of the separation device.

[0011] As another optimized solution for the above-mentioned sulfur vapor generator, a liquid collection area is formed at the bottom of the separation device, and a liquid sulfur discharge port communicating with the liquid sulfur area at the bottom of the pressure tank is opened on the liquid collection area.

[0012] As another optimized solution for the aforementioned sulfur vapor generator, a one-way valve plate is provided inside the liquid sulfur outlet to allow liquid sulfur to flow downwards and prevent sulfur vapor from flowing upwards.

[0013] As another optimized embodiment of the aforementioned sulfur vapor generator, the one-way valve plate includes a sealing part and a valve plate that can be flipped up or down, and the free end of the valve plate can be flipped up to contact the sealing part to block the upward movement of sulfur vapor; a support member is provided below the valve plate, and after the valve plate contacts the support member under the action of gravity, a channel for liquid sulfur to pass downward is formed between its free end and the sealing part.

[0014] As another optimized embodiment of the aforementioned sulfur vapor generator, the bottom of the separation device extends into the pressure tank after passing through the top of the pressure tank, and the top of the pressure tank forms an upward inclined plate to guide the sulfur vapor into the separation device.

[0015] A liquid sulfur heat exchange heating system includes a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the heated liquid and sulfur vapor. The heating medium inlet of the heat exchanger is connected to the sulfur vapor outlet of the sulfur vapor generator via a pipeline, and the heating medium outlet of the heat exchanger is connected to the liquid sulfur inlet of the sulfur vapor generator via a liquid sulfur pump.

[0016] As an optimized solution for the above-mentioned liquid sulfur heat exchange heating system, the liquid sulfur inlet extends into the lower part of the separation device and returns to the liquid sulfur zone at the bottom of the pressure tank through the liquid sulfur outlet opened on the liquid collection zone formed at the bottom of the separation device.

[0017] Because sulfur vapor carries liquid sulfur far more readily than water vapor carries liquid droplets, and is therefore much more difficult to separate from liquid sulfur, traditional single-stage separation techniques are ineffective at separating sulfur droplets carried by saturated sulfur vapor. Based on this, this invention modifies the sulfur vapor's path and designs a combination of four different gas-liquid separators, enabling the sulfur vapor to achieve a dryness of over 97%. The separation principle is as follows: The first stage uses cyclone separators. When saturated sulfur vapor is first generated, it carries the largest amount of liquid droplets. Therefore, at least four sets of cyclone separators arranged in a ring are used. Figure 3 The image shows 6 groups) for initial separation of droplets. The saturated sulfur vapor generated by electric heating enters the cyclone separator horizontally through the gas phase inlet. Under the action of centrifugal force, large droplets are collected and discharged from the bottom, while the saturated sulfur vapor carries some small droplets and is discharged obliquely upward from the upper horizontal position of the cyclone separator. The saturated sulfur vapor discharged from the cyclone separator is in a swirling state. The two streams of air from two adjacent cyclone separators collide during their ascent. During the collision, some of the small droplets carried by the air flow merge into large droplets, which separate from the gas under the action of gravity and centrifugal force. At the same time, the gas discharged from these cyclone separators gradually transforms from multiple small swirling streams into one large swirling stream during its ascent. The second stage uses a cyclone separator. The cyclone separator is set to have the cyclone direction opposite to that of the first-stage cyclone separator. The saturated sulfur vapor flow direction is forcibly changed by the cyclone separator. During this process, the airflow collides violently with the cyclone plate, and some small droplets merge into large droplets during the collision and break away from the airflow. An arc-shaped guide groove is provided on the outlet side of the cyclone separator to intercept some small droplets, which then flow into the central channel of the cyclone separator and are discharged from the liquid-repellent tube. The third stage employs a baffle plate separator. After removal by the first two stages of separators, the liquid content of the saturated sulfur vapor has been greatly reduced. At this point, the saturated sulfur vapor carrying a lower liquid volume and smaller droplets enters the baffle plate separator for further separation, which can further reduce the amount of liquid sulfur entrained in the sulfur vapor. At the same time, the baffle plate separator can uniformly distribute the airflow, thus rectifying the steam flow field after the swirling collisions of the first two stages. The fourth stage uses a wire mesh demister. After the sulfur vapor has been deliquerated and rectified by the third stage separator, it enters the wire mesh demister, which can remove the extremely fine droplets it carries, ultimately making the sulfur vapor appear in a dry saturated state.

[0018] Because liquid sulfur has a high viscosity, arbitrarily changing the order of the four-stage gas-liquid separators will lead to a decrease in separation efficiency and may even cause the separators to become clogged.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention enables the complete separation of sulfur droplets from sulfur vapor by passing through a specially arranged separator structure within the separation device. This solves the problem of sulfur vapor carrying sulfur droplets and causing them to adhere, thus affecting heat transfer. Then, the high-temperature dried sulfur vapor enters the heat exchanger to exchange heat with the heated liquid, thus solving the problem that sulfur droplets would adhere to the tube wall of the heat exchanger, forming thermal resistance and seriously affecting the heat transfer between the sulfur vapor and the heated working medium in the heat exchange tube. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the pressure tank and the gas-liquid separator; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the layout of a cyclone separator; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a cyclone separator. Figure 5 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a cyclone separator; Figure 6 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the AA section; Figure 7 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the BB section; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the one-way valve plate. Reference numerals: 1. Pressure tank; 101. Liquid sulfur zone; 102. Liquid sulfur inlet; 103. Inclined plate; 104. Heater; 2. Separation device; 201. Liquid sulfur outlet; 202. Liquid collection zone; 203. Counterflow zone; 204. Sulfur vapor outlet; 3. Heat exchanger; 301. Heated fluid inlet; 302. Heated fluid outlet; 303. Heat exchange box; 304. Liquid collection section; 305. Liquid sulfur pump; 4. Cyclone separator; 401. Sulfur vapor inlet; 5. Cyclone plate separator; 501. Liquid drain pipe; 502. Central channel; 503. Cyclone plate; 504. Gas phase channel; 505. Arc-shaped guide groove; 6. Baffle plate demister; 7. Wire mesh demister; 8. One-way valve plate; 801. Valve plate; 802. Sealing section; 803. Support component. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. Parts not described in the following embodiments of the present invention are all considered to be prior art known or should be known by those skilled in the art, such as the structure, model and control of heat exchangers, heaters, liquid sulfur pumps, cyclone separators, cyclone plate separators, baffle plate demisters and wire mesh demisters, etc.

[0022] Example 1

[0023] A sulfur vapor generator includes a pressure tank 1 for generating sulfur vapor and a separation device 2 for gas-liquid separation of the sulfur vapor, such as... Figure 1 and 2 As shown, the pressure tank 1 is generally cylindrical in shape, with an arc-shaped bottom forming a liquid sulfur zone 101. Elemental sulfur, after being heated to form liquid sulfur, resides within this zone. Its top is an arc or cone shape, higher in the middle and lower at the edges. The bottom of the separation device 2 extends into the pressure tank 1 after passing through its top. The top of the pressure tank 1 forms an upward-facing inclined plate 103 to guide sulfur vapor into the separation device 2. The outer shell of the separation device 2 is a closed cylindrical structure, with a liquid collection zone 202 formed at its bottom, and a [missing information - likely a design feature] at its lowest point. An opening is provided, which is a liquid sulfur outlet 201 connected to the liquid sulfur zone 101; the separation device 2 is generally concentric with the pressure tank 1 and located in the upper middle part of the pressure tank 1. The pressure tank 1 contains liquid sulfur and a heater 104 for heating the liquid sulfur. The heater 104 is generally an existing electric heater. The sulfur vapor formed by heating the liquid sulfur by the heater 104 enters the separation device 2 for gas-liquid separation to obtain high-temperature, dry sulfur vapor. This high-temperature, dry sulfur vapor is used as a heat transfer medium to heat the liquid being heated.

[0024] The above are the basic embodiments of this utility model. Further improvements, optimizations, and limitations can be made based on the above to obtain the following embodiments: Example 2

[0025] This embodiment is an improvement on embodiment 1. Its main structure is the same as that of embodiment 1, but the improvement lies in: [The following is a more detailed description of the improvement.] Figure 1 and 2 As shown, the interior of the separation device 2, along the flow direction of sulfur vapor, i.e. from bottom to top, includes a four-stage separation structure consisting of a cyclone separator group 4, a cyclone plate separator 5, a baffle plate demister 6, and a wire mesh demister 7. The sulfur vapor inlets 401 of several cyclone separators constituting the cyclone separator group 4 extend out of the separation device 2 and enter the pressure tank 1, so that the sulfur vapor generated by heating the liquid sulfur enters the cyclone separator group 4 through the sulfur vapor inlets 401 and flows upward. After passing through the cyclone plate separator 5, the baffle plate demister 6, and the wire mesh demister 7 in sequence, high-temperature, dry sulfur vapor is obtained.

[0026] Example 3

[0027] This embodiment is an improvement on embodiment 2. Its main structure is the same as that of embodiment 2, but the improvement lies in: [The following is a more detailed description of the improvement.] Figure 3 As shown, the cyclone separator group 4 consists of at least four cyclone separators arranged in a ring, as follows: Figure 3 As shown, it consists of 6 cyclone separators, and the sulfur vapors in these cyclone separators rotate in the same direction, which is opposite to the rotation direction of the cyclone plate separator 5, thus forming a countercurrent zone 203 between the two.

[0028] The cyclone separator 5 can be an existing cyclone separator 5, but it is preferred to use one such as... Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 The cyclone separator 5 shown has an arc-shaped guide groove 505 on the outlet side of each cyclone plate 503. The free end of the arc-shaped guide groove 505 extends to the central channel 502 in the center of the cyclone separator 5. The central channel 502 is connected to the top of a liquid-repellent tube 501. The bottom of the liquid-repellent tube 501 passes through the center of the cyclone separator group 4 and extends to the lower part of the gas-liquid separation cylinder 2.

[0029] The wire mesh demister 7 seals the top of the separation device 2 and fixes the edges to the inner wall of the separation device 2. It has a raised arc shape with a high middle and low edges.

[0030] Example 4

[0031] This embodiment is an improved version based on embodiment 1. Its main structure is the same as that of embodiment 1, but the improvement lies in: [The following is a more detailed description of the improvement.] Figure 1 and 2As shown, the liquid sulfur outlet 201 is equipped with a one-way valve plate 8 that allows liquid sulfur to flow downwards and prevents sulfur vapor from flowing upwards. Figure 8 As shown, the one-way valve plate 8 includes a sealing part 802 and a valve plate 801 that can be flipped up or down. The free end of the valve plate 801 can be flipped up to contact the sealing part 802 and block the upward movement of sulfur vapor. A support member 803 is provided below the valve plate 801. After the valve plate 801 contacts the support member 803 under the action of gravity, a channel for liquid sulfur to pass downward is formed between its free end and the sealing part 802.

[0032] A support member 803 is provided below the valve plate 801. The support member 803 can keep the valve plate 801 at a certain angle to the vertical. After the valve plate 801 comes into contact with the support member 803 under the action of gravity, a channel for liquid sulfur to pass downward is formed between its free end and the closed part 802. The valve plate 801 is made of a thin, high-temperature resistant, corrosion resistant material that does not react with sulfur. In this way, during the process of sulfur vapor rising, it will lift the valve plate 801 and flip it upward to keep it in contact with the closed part 802, blocking the upward movement of sulfur vapor. When the weight of the liquid sulfur accumulated above the valve plate 801 is greater than the lifting effect of the sulfur vapor on the valve plate 801, the valve plate 801 flips downward to open, allowing the liquid sulfur to flow downward back to the liquid sulfur zone 101. In this embodiment, the support member 803 can be a rigid member or an elastic member, such as a spring, which keeps the valve plate 801 in its initial position, i.e., in contact with the closing part 802.

[0033] Example 5

[0034] A liquid sulfur heat exchange heating system, such as Figure 1 As shown, it includes a heat exchanger 3 for exchanging heat between the heated liquid and sulfur vapor. The heating medium inlet of the heat exchanger 3 is connected to the sulfur vapor outlet 204 of any one of the sulfur vapor generating devices in Examples 1-4 via a pipeline. The heating medium outlet of the heat exchanger 3 is connected to the liquid sulfur inlet 102 of the sulfur vapor generating device via a liquid sulfur pump 305. The liquid sulfur inlet 102 is a short pipe, the end of which extends into the lower part of the separation device 2, and returns to the liquid sulfur area 101 at the bottom of the pressure tank 1 through the liquid sulfur outlet 201 opened on the liquid collection area 202 formed at the bottom of the separation device 2, thereby completing the circulation of liquid sulfur. The heat exchanger 3 has a sealed heat exchange box 303 with a pipeline for the heated liquid inside. The pipeline has a heated fluid inlet 301 and a heated fluid outlet 302 at both ends. After sulfur vapor enters the heat exchange box 303, it comes into contact with the heated liquid pipeline for heat exchange. After heat exchange, the sulfur vapor cools down and becomes liquid sulfur, which accumulates in the liquid collection section 304 at the bottom of the heat exchange box 303. Then, it is pumped away by the liquid sulfur pump 305 and sent to the liquid sulfur inlet 102 of the sulfur vapor generator.

[0035] In addition, a pressure sensor can be installed inside the pressure tank 1 to detect the internal pressure, and the pressure sensor transmits the detected pressure data to a controller. The controller controls the working state of the heater 104 based on the pressure data and the pre-set control program to achieve the heating of liquid sulfur.

Claims

1. A sulfur vapor generator, characterized in that: The device includes a pressure tank (1) for generating sulfur vapor and a separation device (2) for separating the sulfur vapor into gas and liquid. The pressure tank (1) contains liquid sulfur and a heater (104) for heating the liquid sulfur. The sulfur vapor generated by heating the liquid sulfur by the heater (104) enters the separation device (2) for gas-liquid separation to obtain high-temperature, dry sulfur vapor.

2. The sulfur vapor generator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The separation device (2) includes, in sequence, a cyclone separator group (4), a cyclone plate separator (5), a baffle plate demister (6), and a wire mesh demister (7) along the flow direction of the sulfur vapor. The sulfur vapor inlets (401) of several cyclone separators constituting the cyclone separator group (4) extend out of the separation device (2) and enter the pressure tank (1), so that the sulfur vapor generated by heating the liquid sulfur enters the cyclone separator group (4) through the sulfur vapor inlet (401) and flows upward. After passing through the cyclone plate separator (5), the baffle plate demister (6), and the wire mesh demister (7) in sequence, high-temperature and dry sulfur vapor is obtained.

3. A sulfur vapor generator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cyclone separator group (4) consists of at least four cyclone separators arranged in a ring, and the sulfur vapor in these cyclone separators has the same swirling direction, which is opposite to the swirling direction of the cyclone plate separator (5), thereby forming a counter-current zone (203) between the two.

4. A sulfur vapor generator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cyclone separator (5) has an arc-shaped guide groove (505) on the outlet side of the cyclone plate (503). The free end of the arc-shaped guide groove (505) extends to the central channel (502) in the center of the cyclone separator (5). The central channel (502) is connected to the top of a liquid-repellent tube (501). The bottom of the liquid-repellent tube (501) passes through the cyclone separator group (4) and extends to the lower part of the separation device (2).

5. A sulfur vapor generator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom of the separation device (2) forms a liquid collection area (202), and a liquid sulfur discharge port (201) is provided on the liquid collection area (202) to communicate with the liquid sulfur area (101) at the bottom of the pressure tank (1).

6. A sulfur vapor generator according to claim 5, characterized in that: The liquid sulfur outlet (201) is provided with a one-way valve plate (8) that allows liquid sulfur to flow downward and prevents sulfur vapor from passing upward.

7. A sulfur vapor generator according to claim 6, characterized in that: The one-way valve plate (8) includes a closed part (802) and a valve plate (801) that can be flipped up or down. The free end of the valve plate (801) can be flipped up to contact the closed part (802) and block the upward movement of sulfur vapor. A support member (803) is provided below the valve plate (801). After the valve plate (801) contacts the support member (803) under the action of gravity, a channel for liquid sulfur to pass downward is formed between its free end and the closed part (802).

8. A sulfur vapor generator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the separation device (2) extends into the pressure tank (1) after passing through the top of the pressure tank (1), and the top of the pressure tank (1) forms an upward inclined plate (103) to guide sulfur vapor into the separation device (2).

9. A liquid sulfur heat exchange heating system, comprising a heat exchanger (3) for exchanging heat between the heated liquid and sulfur vapor, characterized in that: The heating medium inlet of the heat exchanger (3) is connected to the sulfur vapor outlet (204) of the sulfur vapor generator according to any one of claims 1-8 via a pipeline, and the heating medium outlet of the heat exchanger (3) is connected to the liquid sulfur inlet (102) of the sulfur vapor generator according to any one of claims 1-8 via a liquid sulfur pump (305).

10. A liquid sulfur heat exchange heating system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The liquid sulfur inlet (102) extends into the lower part of the separation device (2) and returns to the liquid sulfur area (101) at the bottom of the pressure tank (1) through the liquid sulfur outlet (201) opened on the liquid collection area (202) formed at the bottom of the separation device (2).

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