Prefractionation Main Column Arrangement for LAO Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing sequential distillation processes for separating linear alpha olefins (LAO) require a large number of distillation columns, leading to high capital and operating costs, as well as significant plot space requirements, and are inefficient due to excess enthalpy issues and unequal separation difficulties in dividing wall columns, making incremental capacity expansions costly and space-intensive.
Innovation Solution
Converting existing sequential distillation processes to prefractionate feed streams into product pairs, which are then further separated in downstream multiproduct distillation columns, reducing the number of columns needed and increasing throughput by relaxing separation sharpness to manage excess vapor/liquid traffic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If sequential distillation processes use a series of distillation columns to separate LAO products, then separation completeness is improved, but capital costs and plot space requirements increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple distillation functions into a single dividing wall column that can separate multiple LAO products simultaneously. The dividing wall column integrates what would traditionally require multiple separate columns, thereby reducing plot space requirements while maintaining separation completeness through the dividing wall structure that creates multiple separation zones within one column
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension by implementing a dividing wall structure within the distillation column. This dividing wall creates additional separation pathways and zones within the same column volume, enabling multi-product separation without requiring multiple columns. The dividing wall effectively adds a dimensional element to the separation process
2Manufacturing precision
If sequential distillation processes use a series of distillation columns to separate LAO products, then separation completeness is improved, but capital investment increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple distillation columns into a single dividing wall column configuration. This consolidation reduces the total number of vessels, foundations, and supporting structures required, thereby substantially reducing capital investment while maintaining the ability to separate multiple LAO products completely through the dividing wall separation mechanism
3Area of stationary object
If dividing wall columns are used to separate LAO products, then plot space requirements are reduced, but excess enthalpy causes vaporization of feed and increases energy input requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or removes the problematic feed stream with excess enthalpy from the dividing wall column input. By taking out this high-enthalpy feed before it enters the column, the system avoids the vaporization issues and excessive energy input problems that would otherwise occur, while still achieving the plot space savings of using a dividing wall column configuration
4Reliability
If incremental capacity expansions are made to existing LAO plants, then market oversupply risk is reduced, but large capital expenditures and increased plot space usage result from requiring new distillation columns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables incremental capacity expansions to be achieved by installing dividing wall columns that consolidate multiple separation functions. This approach allows capacity to be increased in manageable increments while minimizing capital expenditures and plot space usage, as the dividing wall column configuration requires fewer new vessels and associated equipment compared to traditional multi-column arrangements
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 reduces capital expenditures, operating and maintenance costs, and plot space by allowing existing columns to process higher feed rates, effectively debottlenecking the distillation process and minimizing the need for new columns in capacity expansions.
Implementation Method 1
Fractional distillation is a very important and widely used process used throughout the refining, chemical, and gas processing industries to separate multicomponent mixtures into two or more products
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a method of separating a multiproduct mixture using a prefractionation/main column arrangement to efficiently separate the multiproduct mixture into the desired individual products. One advantage of the invention is that it can be used to debottleneck an existing series of distillation columns, permitting a capacity expansion to take place without requiring the installation of an entire new train of distillation columns.