Low-Temperature Distillation Plant Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing low-temperature distillation systems require significant energy to maintain the necessary temperature differences between mixed and pure liquids, leading to high operational costs, especially when waste heat is not available.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a sub-cooling chamber, a superheating chamber, and a heat exchanger connected via steam lines, which generate and manage the temperature difference between the coldest condenser and warmest evaporator, reducing the need for external energy sources and optimizing energy use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional heat exchangers are used to heat or cool liquids to required temperatures, then the necessary temperature differences for distillation can be achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the warm mixed liquid from the evaporator to directly preheat the cold pure liquid from the condenser, and the cool pure liquid to precool the warm mixed liquid, creating a self-sustaining thermal exchange system that reduces external energy requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The heating and cooling functions are merged into a single heat exchanger unit where both temperature adjustment processes occur simultaneously, optimizing thermal efficiency by recovering heat from the warm liquid stream to cool the cold liquid stream
2Temperature
If multiple stages of different temperatures are arranged in sequence, then a greater overall temperature gradient can be utilized, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The distillation system is divided into multiple stages with different temperature levels, where each stage operates with its own evaporator and condenser at optimized temperature differences, allowing the system to utilize a broader temperature gradient while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger serves multiple functions simultaneously: it preheats the pure liquid, precools the mixed liquid, and recovers thermal energy across different stages, reducing the need for separate temperature control systems and simplifying the overall device architecture
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 configuration reduces the overall energy required to achieve the necessary temperature differences, enhances productivity by recycling steam, and minimizes heat losses, resulting in lower operational costs and more efficient distillation processes.
Implementation Method 1
the mixed water evaporating with the supply of heat
Implementation Method 2
then being condensed again
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2~3a
Figure 3b~3d
AI summary
The invention relates to a low-temperature distillation plant (LTD plant) (1) for the distillation of a mixed liquid (5) to form a pure liquid (6). The LTD plant has an evaporator (2), with a vapour chamber (4) and with a relatively warm mixed liquid (5) that can be introduced, and has a condenser (3), with a vapour chamber (4) and with a relatively cool pure liquid (6) that can be sprayed in, wherein the vapour chambers (4) of the evaporator (2) and of the condenser (3) are connected to one another by vapour connections (10) to form a common vapour chamber (4). According to the invention, the LTD plant comprises at least one assembly device (14) which is connected at an inlet side to the vapour chamber of a supercooling chamber (15), wherein collected mixed liquid (5) can be introduced into the supercooling chamber (15) from a or the coolest evaporator (2). At the outlet side, the assembly device (14) is connected to the vapour chamber of a superheating chamber (16), wherein collected pure liquid (6) can be sprayed into the superheating chamber (16) from a or the warmest condenser (3). The assembly device (14) is furthermore connected to an energy source (8) for cooling the temperature in the supercooling chamber (15) and for heating the temperature in the superheating chamber (16). Furthermore, a heat exchanger (17) is arranged between the outlets of the supercooling chamber (15) and of the superheating chamber (16) for the purposes of cooling the hot collected pure liquid (6) from the superheating chamber (16) as an inlet into a or the coolest condenser (3) and for heating the cold collected mixed liquid (5) from the supercooling chamber (15) as an inlet into a or the warmest evaporator (2). During the process, vapour flows from the supercooling chamber (15) via the assembly device (14) to the superheating chamber (16).