Soot Removal in Acetylene Compressor via Liquid Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing processes for producing acetylene from hydrocarbons by partial oxidation face challenges in effectively separating fine soot particles from the cracked gas, leading to operational interruptions, high investment costs, and reduced availability due to the use of expensive and complex screw compressors, which are prone to damage from high solids content.
Innovation Solution
Injecting a liquid, such as water or solvent, into the screw compressor to absorb and separate soot, allowing the compressed gas to exit in liquid form, thereby eliminating the need for separate soot separators and ensuring continuous operation of the compressor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wet electrostatic precipitators are used for soot separation, then soot removal efficiency is improved, but device complexity and operational reliability deteriorate due to frequent operational interruptions from torn spray wires and deposits
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the electrostatic precipitator system entirely, replacing it with a simpler liquid injection system directly at the compressor inlet. This removes the complex and failure-prone precipitator hardware while achieving adequate soot separation through the liquid absorption method.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a simple, inexpensive liquid injection system instead of expensive, complex electrostatic precipitators. The liquid (water or solvent) is continuously injected and consumed, requiring only simple injection apparatus rather than sophisticated separation equipment.
2Power
If screw compressors are used for gas compression, then compression capability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to damage from high solids content in the gas stream
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary soot separation by injecting liquid at the compressor inlet before compression occurs. This pre-treatment removes soot particles from the gas stream, protecting the compressor from solid particle damage during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The injected liquid acts as an intermediary substance that captures soot particles through absorption. This liquid medium transfers the soot from the gas phase to the liquid phase, protecting the compressor mechanism from direct contact with harmful solids.
3Reliability
If soot separation equipment is installed, then soot removal is improved, but investment costs increase due to expensive and complex separation systems
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive electrostatic precipitators with a simple liquid injection system that uses inexpensive liquids (water or common solvents). The separation function is achieved through the liquid's absorption capability rather than through expensive electrical field equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential soot separation function from the complex electrostatic precipitator system and implements it through a simple liquid injection and absorption process, dramatically reducing capital investment while maintaining separation effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for efficient and trouble-free soot separation, reducing operational interruptions and investment costs, while maintaining high availability and extending the service life of the compressor by ensuring soot is removed without damaging the equipment, achieving residual soot contents below 20 mg/Nm³.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid is injected into the screw compressor, which absorbs most of the soot contained in the material flow
Implementation Method 2
A small amount of water is added to the compressor during operation for cooling, but this water usually evaporates completely during compression
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing acetylene form hydrocarbons by partial oxidation, arc-decomposition or pyrolysis, wherein the material stream obtained containing acetylene and soot is fed to a compressor, characterised in that a liquid is injected in the compressor which removes most of the soot in the material stream.