Integrated Hydrocarbon Feed Stripper for Catalyst Poison Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current polyolefin polymerization systems face inefficiencies in removing volatile catalyst poisons from liquid hydrocarbon feeds, leading to significant hydrocarbon losses and high inert gas venting, which increases operational costs and environmental emissions.
Innovation Solution
An integrated system that includes a stripper column, vent recovery system, and liquid feed pump to remove volatile catalyst poisons and recover hydrocarbons, allowing for the recycling of gases and liquids to minimize venting and optimize catalyst productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a packed bed or column with inert gas flow is used to remove volatile catalyst poisons, then investment cost is reduced compared to reboiler systems, but hydrocarbon losses in the vent stream increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by capturing the vent stream that would otherwise be discarded and sending it to a flare system with energy recovery. This allows the system to maintain the low investment cost advantage of packed bed systems while recovering the hydrocarbon losses through flaring and energy utilization, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing ease and substance loss.
2Ease of manufacture
If inert gas sparging is used to remove volatile catalyst poisons, then investment cost is minimized, but removal efficiency decreases and hydrocarbon losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by implementing a flare system with energy recovery to handle the vent stream from sparging operations. This allows the system to maintain minimal investment cost while managing the hydrocarbon losses efficiently through flaring and energy utilization, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing ease and productivity.
3Reliability
If multiple independent stripping systems are used for multiple liquid hydrocarbon feeds, then each feed is effectively treated, but device complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the merging principle by consolidating multiple liquid hydrocarbon feed streams into a single combined feed stream that is then treated by one integrated stripping system. This reduces device complexity and the number of independent systems required while maintaining effective treatment of all feeds through the unified stripping process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the universality principle by designing a single stripping system that can handle multiple different liquid hydrocarbon feed streams with varying compositions and volatile content. This multi-functional system replaces multiple specialized systems, reducing complexity while maintaining the ability to effectively treat diverse feed streams.
4Productivity
If reboiler systems are used to remove volatile catalyst poisons, then removal efficiency is high, but operational costs due to steam and cooling water requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by implementing a flare system with energy recovery to handle the vent stream. This recovers the energy contained in the vented hydrocarbons, reducing the overall energy consumption of the system and offsetting the operational costs associated with steam and cooling water requirements of reboiler systems.
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 system effectively reduces hydrocarbon losses, conserves valuable monomers and comonomers, and decreases the amount of low-energy gases sent to flares, thereby enhancing the efficiency and reducing environmental impact of polyolefin production processes.
Implementation Method 1
a first portion of the recycle gas is fed to the stripper column where it strips volatile catalyst poisons from the liquid hydrocarbon feed
Implementation Method 2
These systems are investment intensive, for example, often including a column, reboiler, condenser, surge tank, aftercooler, and feed pump required for each liquid hydrocarbon stream
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a system for removing a volatile catalyst poison from a liquid hydrocarbon feed to a polymerization process, the system comprising: a) a process vent originating from a polymerization process; b) a vent recovery system in fluid communication with the process vent, wherein the vent recovery system compresses the process vent to form a recycle gas; c) a stripper column, wherein the stripper column receives a first portion of the recycle gas and a fresh liquid hydrocarbon, and wherein a stripper column tail and a stripper vent gas exit the stripper column; and d) a liquid feed pump in fluid communication with the stripper column, wherein the liquid feed pump pressurizes a degassed liquid hydrocarbon comprising the stripper column tail.