Partial Vaporization in Liquid Pool Zone
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vaporization and desalination processes are complex, costly, and prone to scaling and safety issues due to the need for extensive pretreatment and high recycle rates of heating mediums, which limits partial vaporization and increases equipment design challenges.
Innovation Solution
The system allows partial vaporization to occur within the liquid pool zone of a vessel, eliminating the need for a mixing zone and stripping zone, using a heating medium that is immiscible and less volatile than the process stream, with pre-mixing done at a level below vaporization to enhance fluid acceleration and reduce equipment complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a mixing zone is used for vaporization outside the liquid pool, then vaporization efficiency is improved, but equipment complexity and susceptibility to scaling increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the vaporization function with the liquid pool zone by allowing vaporization to occur directly within the liquid pool rather than in a separate mixing zone. The heating medium contacts the process stream within the liquid pool, combining heating and vaporization functions in one location, thereby eliminating the need for a separate mixing zone and reducing equipment complexity while maintaining vaporization efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the vaporization function from the traditional mixing zone location and relocates it to occur within the liquid pool zone. By taking out the requirement for a separate mixing zone and performing vaporization where the liquid pool already exists, the system simplifies equipment design while preserving the vaporization efficiency needed for process performance
2Manufacturing precision
If a stripping zone is used for solids removal, then solids separation is improved, but corrosion and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the solids removal function from the traditional stripping zone and relocates it to occur within the liquid pool zone. By performing solids separation where the heating medium and process stream already mix, the system eliminates the need for a separate stripping zone, thereby reducing corrosion risks and safety hazards associated with high-temperature oil-water contact while maintaining effective solids removal
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the solids removal function with the liquid pool zone operations. The heating medium contacts the process stream within the liquid pool, and solids are removed in this same zone rather than requiring a separate stripping zone. This combination eliminates the harmful conditions associated with traditional stripping zones while preserving solids separation capability
3Use of energy by moving object
If a light heating medium is used relative to the process stream, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but recycle rate requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of heating medium selection to allow use of a heavy heating medium (denser than the process stream) rather than requiring a light heating medium. This parameter change enables the system to achieve effective heat transfer without the constraint of using lighter materials, and the heavy medium naturally settles to the bottom of the liquid pool, eliminating the need for high recycle rates while maintaining heat transfer efficiency
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 simplifies the system, reduces costs, minimizes pretreatment, and eliminates scaling and fouling, enabling partial vaporization without high temperature differentials or excessive recycle rates, while allowing for efficient solids and unvaporized liquid removal.
Implementation Method 1
Vaporization occurs in this mixing zone (where more than 99% of the volatile components of the feed stream are vaporized)
Implementation Method 2
The mixture is introduced into a mixing zone within or upstream of a separation vessel where it is further mixed with a recycle fluid extracted from a liquid pool zone of the separator vessel and pumped through a heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
The resulting stream is then transferred to the separator vessel in which the vapor is separated, with the solid and liquid components falling into the liquid pool zone of the separator vessel
Implementation Method 4
A pump-around loop is arranged to receive a portion of the heating medium and route the portion back through the heater to the liquid pool zone
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method to partially vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or in the pump-around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.