Vaporizer Stripping Column for C4 Purification
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Solution Overview
Problem
The separation of C4 cuts in extractive distillation is complicated by small differences in relative volatilities and is hindered by impurities like C5+ hydrocarbons, C4 oligomers, and C3 hydrocarbons, leading to solvent foam formation, apparatus fouling, and high losses of valuable C4 hydrocarbons in existing prepurification methods.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a vaporizer vessel integrated with a stripping column, where the liquid C4 cut is supplied to the upper region of the stripping column, allowing direct gas and liquid exchange, and the vaporous purified C4 cut is drawn off, operated without a condenser at the top, effectively reducing high-boiler removal and minimizing C4 hydrocarbon losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a vaporizer vessel with a single plate is used to remove high-boiling components, then the high-boiling components are removed, but valuable C4 hydrocarbons are also discharged in the purge stream
Solution Approach 1:
The vaporizer vessel is divided into multiple stages with multiple plates, creating a segmented structure that allows different components to be separated at different levels. This segmentation enables selective removal of high-boiling components while retaining valuable C4 hydrocarbons in the vapor phase for recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
A stripping column is added as a vertical dimension to the vaporizer vessel, creating a multi-dimensional separation system. The stripping column with multiple plates provides additional separation stages in the vertical direction, enhancing the ability to selectively remove impurities while preserving valuable components.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple plates are added to the vaporizer vessel to improve separation, then separation efficiency increases, but device complexity and energy costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stripping column with multiple plates is merged with the vaporizer vessel into a single integrated unit. This combination allows the system to achieve enhanced separation efficiency without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the added plates are integrated into the existing vaporizer structure rather than being separate components.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple plates are added to the vaporizer vessel to improve separation, then separation efficiency increases, but energy costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stripping column is operated without a condenser at the top, allowing the system to function in a self-service manner where the vapor stream is directly utilized or discharged without requiring additional condensation energy. This reduces the energy input needed for operation while maintaining effective separation through the multiple plates.
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 and reduces energy costs for removing impurities, increasing the service life of the extractive distillation column by efficiently reducing C5+ hydrocarbons and C4 oligomers, while maintaining high yields of valuable C4 hydrocarbons, particularly 1,3-butadiene, with lower losses and reduced fouling.
Implementation Method 1
a stripping column (K) having one or more plates, to which the liquid C4 cut is supplied in the upper region thereof, which is in direct gas and liquid exchange with the vaporizer vessel in the lower region
Implementation Method 2
vaporizing the liquid crude C4 cut in a vaporizer vessel
Data Source
AI summary
Mixtures of hydrocarbons predominantly having 4 carbon atoms per molecule known as C4 cuts are used in obtaining crude 1,3-butadiene by a thermal cracking process. Vaporous purified crude C4 cuts are produced from liquid crude C4 cuts, containing butanes, butenes, 1,3-butadiene, C3 hydrocarbons, C4 oligomers and polymers, and C5+ hydrocarbons via an extractive distillation by fist removing the C4 oligomers and polymers and the C5+ hydrocarbons and then vaporizing the liquid crude C4 cut in a vaporizer vessel. The vaporizer vessel is directly or indirectly in contact with a stripping column where liquid C4 cuts are supplied to the upper region, direct gas and liquid exchange with the vaporizer vessel occurs in the lower region, and vaporous purified crude C4 cuts are removed from the top region.