Controlled Safety Valve for Jet Compressor Propellant Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety measures for protecting plant sections from pressure exceedance in jet compressor systems often result in the venting of potentially hazardous process gases, leading to environmental hazards and inefficient material use, as they cannot differentiate between propellant and process gases, necessitating costly gas trapping and disposal.
Innovation Solution
A controlled safety valve actuated by external energy, with multiple parallel control strands and pressure switches, is used to vent propellant (such as steam or compressed air) instead of process gas, allowing safe atmospheric discharge of the less hazardous propellant when pressure exceeds acceptable levels, thereby preventing the venting of hazardous process gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a safety valve is installed to protect the pressure-side process gas system from pressure exceedance, then the plant section is protected against pressure exceedance, but hazardous process gas is vented into the environment requiring costly trapping and disposal
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into propellant system and process gas system with separate safety protection. The safety valve is configured to vent only propellant (steam or compressed air) from the propellant system, while the process gas system has its own pressure protection through the jet compressor control, preventing mixed venting of hazardous process gas
Solution Approach 2:
The jet compressor acts as an intermediary element that mechanically couples the propellant system and process gas system without creating a direct pressure equalization path. Its geometry-based compression mechanism allows pressure monitoring and controlled venting of propellant without allowing hazardous process gas to escape to the environment
2Reliability
If a safety valve vents process gas to protect against pressure exceedance, then pressure protection is achieved, but feedstocks are lost and material use efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The safety protection is segmented to target only the propellant portion of the system. The safety valve is specifically configured to vent steam or compressed air from the propellant system, while the process gas containing valuable feedstocks remains contained and is recirculated or properly disposed of through controlled pathways
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful element (propellant excess pressure) is extracted and vented separately from the valuable process gas. The safety valve selectively removes only the propellant component that needs pressure relief, leaving the process gas with valuable feedstocks intact and available for continued production
3Reliability
If a safety valve and gas trapping system are installed to handle vented process gas, then pressure protection is achieved, but technical costs and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The propellant component is extracted and vented separately through a simple safety valve configuration. This eliminates the need for complex gas trapping and disposal systems that would be required if hazardous process gas needed to be captured, significantly reducing technical complexity and costs
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses disposable/ventable propellant (steam or compressed air) that can be safely discharged to atmosphere without requiring expensive trapping infrastructure. This replaces the need for costly continuous gas handling systems with a simple pressure-relief approach
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 solution minimizes the venting of hazardous process gases, reducing environmental risks and material loss by allowing safe atmospheric discharge of propellant, thus enhancing the efficiency of synthesis gas production by reforming hydrocarbonaceous feedstocks.
Implementation Method 1
at least one jet compressor (1) is used, which sucks in and compresses the hydrocarbonaceous feed gas, the steam necessary for reforming being used as propellant
Implementation Method 2
Converting the mixture of hydrocarbonaceous feed gas and steam in the reforming reactor under reforming conditions to a raw synthesis gas
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A safety means for protecting a plant section located on the pressure side of a jet compressor connected with a propellant system against the exceedance of an admissible pressure, comprising a controlled safety valve actuated by external energy, whose control means measures is connected with the plant section to be protected via at least one pressure tapping line, wherein the safety valve is arranged such that upon exceedance of the pressure in the protected plant section it can vent propellant from the propellant system.