Offgas Heating via Oxygen Gas Heat Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
The anthraquinone process for hydrogen peroxide production consumes large amounts of energy in the form of electrical power and steam, particularly due to the need to heat compressed offgas before expansion to prevent droplet formation and equipment damage, which is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The process utilizes hot compressed oxygen containing gas from the oxidation step to heat the compressed offgas in a heat exchanger before expansion, reducing the requirement for steam and cooling medium, and enhancing energy efficiency by ensuring the offgas temperature remains above the dew point, thus preventing droplet formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If steam heating is used to increase the temperature of compressed offgas before expansion, then droplet formation and equipment damage are prevented, but energy consumption and operational cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful waste heat from compressed oxygen-containing gas into a beneficial heating source for the compressed offgas. Instead of discarding this thermal energy through cooling towers, the patent uses a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the hot compressed oxygen-containing gas to the cold compressed offgas, thereby preventing droplet formation during expansion without requiring additional steam heating energy
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a heat exchanger as an intermediary device between the hot compressed oxygen-containing gas and the cold compressed offgas. This intermediary enables efficient thermal energy transfer from the waste heat stream to the process stream that requires heating, eliminating the need for direct steam heating and reducing energy consumption
2Temperature
If compressed oxygen containing gas is cooled using cooling towers, then the gas temperature is reduced for oxidation, but substantial amounts of energy are disposed without further usage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful waste heat that would otherwise be disposed of in cooling towers into a beneficial resource. By using the hot compressed oxygen-containing gas to heat the compressed offgas in a heat exchanger, the patent recovers thermal energy that would have been lost, thereby reducing overall energy consumption in the hydrogen peroxide production process
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 approach significantly reduces energy consumption by eliminating the need for steam heating and minimizing cooling medium usage, while ensuring safe expansion and maintaining hydrogen peroxide production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The hot compressed oxygen containing gas is utilized in a heat exchanger to increase the temperature of a compressed (cold) offgas obtained in an oxidizing step
Implementation Method 2
The hot compressed oxygen containing gas is utilized in a heat exchanger to increase the temperature of a compressed (cold) offgas
Implementation Method 3
the compressed and heated offgas can be subjected to an expander without the formation of droplets or damaging the equipment
Data Source
AI summary
A process for producing hydrogen peroxide with an oxidizing unit in an anthraquinone process can be performed. The process and oxidizing unit have a compressor for obtaining hot compressed oxygen containing gas. The hot compressed oxygen containing gas is utilized in a heat exchanger to increase the temperature of a compressed (cold) offgas obtained in an oxidizing step for the production hydrogen peroxide. Accordingly, the compressed and heated offgas can subjected to an expander without the formation of droplets or damaging the equipment. Moreover, the process and an oxidizing unit reduce the required amount of energy in the form of electrical power and steam, as well as the required amount of cooling medium in an anthraquinone process.