Catalyst Roaster Belt Drying Vessel for Acid Fume Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of alkylene oxides, such as ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, generates acid fumes during the catalyst cleaning process in catalyst roasters, which pose serious industrial hygiene and safety risks due to the escape of acid fumes into the processing building.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and process that includes a drying vessel with a heating medium inlet and outlet, where the catalyst roaster belt is passed through an acid bath and then subjected to a heating medium flowing from one side to the other, vaporizing inorganic salts and utilizing an air knife system to manage acid fumes, preventing their escape into the building.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an air knife apparatus is used to blow residue from the conveyor, then the catalyst cleaning process is effective, but acid fumes escape into the building interior causing industrial hygiene and safety problems
Solution Approach 1:
A drying vessel is introduced as an intermediary component between the acid bath and the air knife apparatus. This vessel contains the acid fumes generated during the cleaning process, allowing the air knife to effectively remove catalyst residue while preventing acid fume escape into the building interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The drying vessel creates a contained environment that isolates the acid fumes from the building interior. By maintaining a controlled atmosphere within the vessel, the system prevents harmful acid fumes from mixing with the ambient air in the processing area.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a drying vessel with heating medium is used to vaporize inorganic salts, then acid fumes are contained and managed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drying vessel serves multiple functions: it contains acid fumes, provides heating to vaporize inorganic salts, and integrates with the existing air knife apparatus. By combining these functions into a single component, the system achieves acid fume containment without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The drying vessel merges the heating medium flow path with the conveyor belt passage. The heating medium flows through the vessel while the conveyor belt passes through it, combining the vaporization function with the existing transport mechanism to minimize additional structural complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the heating medium inlet is positioned to flow through the conveyor belt, then inorganic salts are effectively vaporized, but the arrangement complexity of the heating system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating medium flow path is segmented into distinct inlet and outlet regions within the drying vessel. The inlet is positioned to direct heating medium through the conveyor belt for effective vaporization, while the outlet is arranged to efficiently remove the heated air and vaporized salts, reducing flow arrangement complexity through clear spatial separation.
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
Effectively vaporizes inorganic salts and manages acid fumes, preventing their accumulation in the industrial processing building and ensuring a safer working environment by containing and venting the fumes outside the processing area.
Implementation Method 1
supplying a heating medium to a first side of the catalyst roaster belt such that the heating medium flows through the catalyst roaster belt to a second side of the catalyst roaster belt, and such that the inorganic salt is vaporized
Implementation Method 2
an acid bath, usually containing nitric acid, to help clean the silver catalyst from the apparatus
Data Source
Figure 1~2A
Figure 2B~2C
Figure 2D~2F
AI summary
A system (10) and process for removing an inorganic salt from a catalyst roaster belt (26) is disclosed. The system (10) includes an apparatus with a drying vessel (56) having a catalyst roaster belt inlet (51), a catalyst roaster belt outlet (30), a heating medium inlet (72), and a heating medium outlet (74), wherein the catalyst roaster belt inlet (51) and the catalyst roaster belt outlet (30) are spaced apart along a first direction, the heating medium inlet (72) and the heating medium outlet (74) are spaced apart along a second direction, the heating medium inlet (72) is spaced apart from the catalyst roaster belt inlet (51) in the second direction, and the catalyst roaster belt inlet (51) is between the heating medium inlet (72) and the heating medium outlet (74) along the second direction. The system (10) includes an acid bath (12) and a moveable catalyst roaster belt (26) extending from the acid bath (12) through the catalyst roaster belt inlet (51) and through the catalyst roaster belt outlet (30). The process includes the steps of providing a catalyst roaster belt (26) with an inorganic salt disposed thereon and supplying a heating medium to a first side of the catalyst roaster belt (26) such that heat from the heating medium flows through the catalyst roaster belt (26) to a second side of the catalyst roaster belt (26) to vaporize the inorganic salt.