Ethanolamine Vacuum Drying Column Water Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current processes for producing ethanolamines result in high water content in product streams, which is inefficient and costly, as they fail to effectively minimize water levels in ethanolamine product streams, particularly in monoethanolamine (MEA) streams.
Innovation Solution
A non-reactive distillation process involving mixing an ammonia solution with ethylene oxide, followed by ammonia stripping and vacuum drying to reduce water content, where processing conditions such as flow rates, reflux rates, and heat duties are adjusted to achieve a dehydrated ethanolamine product stream with minimal water content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional distillation processes are used to separate ethanolamines, then the separation function is provided, but the water content in the product stream remains high (0.01% to 0.03% by weight)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by operating the distillation column under vacuum conditions (reduced pressure) and adjusting temperature parameters to achieve effective water removal. The process maintains ethanolamine separation while reducing water content to 0.01-0.03% by weight through optimized thermal parameters and pressure control, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and productivity.
2Manufacturing precision
If water removal processes are implemented to reduce water content in ethanolamine streams, then product purity is improved, but processing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transitions by employing vacuum distillation where water and ethanolamines are separated through vaporization and condensation cycles. The reduced pressure lowers the boiling points, enabling water removal at lower temperatures and reducing energy consumption compared to conventional atmospheric distillation, thus improving product purity while controlling processing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum environment creates an inert atmospheric condition that prevents oxidation and degradation of ethanolamines during the water removal process. This inert environment protects the product quality while enabling efficient water separation, addressing both purity improvement and energy efficiency requirements.
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
The process effectively reduces water content in ethanolamine product streams from 0.01% to 0.03% by weight, improving yield and reducing costs by optimizing processing conditions in the vacuum drying column.
Implementation Method 1
removing 30% to 50% by weight of the unreacted ammonia and 50% to 70% by weight of water from the resultant product stream to create a stripped product stream, wherein the ammonia stripper operates at a pressure of 1 to 5 barg
Implementation Method 2
removing a portion of residual water from the stripped product stream at the vacuum drying column to create a dehydrated product stream, wherein said dehydrated product stream includes ethanolamines and approximately 0.01% to approximately 0.03% by weight of water
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and method are provided for reducing the water content from approximately 0.15% -0.19% by weight to approximately 0.01-0.03% by weight in an ethanolamine product stream in a non-reactive distillation column. The reduced water content can be achieved by increasing the processing conditions at the drying column by approximately 5% to approximately 20%, more preferably to approximately 10%. The increased processing conditions at the drying column can result in an increased bottom stream flow rate and an increased reboiler duty. The reboiler duty of the drying column can be increased by up to 2 % to achieve said level of water content. The bottom stream flow rate can be increased by up to approximately 12% to achieve said level of water content.