Vertical Plate-Fin Condenser for Low-Ammonia CO2 Distillation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current shell and tube type condensers for liquefying gases in carbon dioxide separation columns are bulky, expensive, and inefficient, requiring large support structures and significant ammonia volumes, which contradicts the goal of reducing ammonia usage and complicates equipment integration and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A brazed aluminum plate and fin heat exchanger is used as the condenser, oriented vertically, which reduces weight, ammonia volume, and floor space, while enhancing heat exchange efficiency and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If shell and tube type condenser is used for liquefying gas at the top of the column, then the exchanger can resist high pressures and accommodate all types of power, but the device becomes bulky with large footprint (30 m²) and high cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the heat exchanger by transitioning from shell and tube construction to plate and fin construction. This structural parameter change enables the same pressure resistance function with dramatically reduced footprint, as plates and fins can be arranged in compact stacked configurations that maintain structural integrity while occupying minimal space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction techniques in the plate and fin exchanger, combining multiple materials with complementary properties. The plates and fins use material compositions that provide both pressure resistance and thermal efficiency, eliminating the need for bulky single-material shell and tube structures while maintaining reliability under high pressure conditions.
2Reliability
If shell and tube type condenser is used for liquefying gas at the top of the column, then the exchanger can resist high pressures, but the cost price increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameters by adopting plate and fin construction, which uses standardized, mass-producible components. This approach reduces material costs, fabrication complexity, and assembly requirements compared to custom-welded shell and tube structures, thereby lowering overall cost while maintaining pressure resistance through optimized plate thickness and fin design.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate and fin exchanger divides the heat transfer function into separate, modular plates and fins that can be manufactured independently using cost-effective processes. This segmentation allows for standardized production, reduced material waste, and simplified assembly, all of which contribute to lower manufacturing costs while maintaining the necessary pressure resistance through proper structural design of individual components.
3Reliability
If shell and tube type condenser is used for liquefying gas at the top of the column, then the exchanger can resist high pressures, but the device becomes heavy requiring heavy support structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the structural parameters by replacing thick-walled shell and tube construction with thin-walled plate and fin structures. This parameter change dramatically reduces weight while maintaining pressure resistance through the distributed structural support provided by the plate stack configuration and the rigid fin attachments, eliminating the need for heavy supporting frameworks.
4Power
If larger exchanger is used for liquefying gas at the top of the column, then the heat exchange capacity increases, but the volume of refrigerant ammonia increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the heat transfer parameters by using plate and fin construction, which provides significantly higher heat transfer coefficients per unit volume compared to shell and tube design. This parameter change allows the same heat exchange capacity to be achieved with a more compact exchanger that requires less refrigerant volume, as the enhanced surface area to volume ratio and improved thermal contact efficiency maximize heat transfer effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate and fin structure utilizes three-dimensional space more efficiently by stacking plates with fins extending in multiple directions, creating a compact heat transfer volume. This dimensional optimization allows for high heat exchange capacity within a small physical footprint, thereby reducing the overall volume of refrigerant needed to fill and operate the exchanger effectively.
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
The solution enables a more compact, cost-effective, and efficient carbon dioxide separation process by minimizing the use of ammonia and simplifying equipment integration, achieving improved heat exchange and reduced operational complexity.
Implementation Method 1
the heat exchange between the CO2 and the ammonia is inefficient with calender tube technology
Implementation Method 2
The reflux at the top of the column is produced by condensation of at least part of the gas at the top of the column
Implementation Method 3
Liquid or two-phase ammonia can heat up in the condenser
Implementation Method 4
It is known to separate mixtures comprising carbon dioxide and at least one other gas by distillation at subambient temperatures
Implementation Method 5
While the carbon dioxide in the mixture condenses in condenser 9, the lighter gases (oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon monoxide) remain incondensable
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to an apparatus for the distillation separation of a mixture containing, as the main components thereof, carbon dioxide and at least one other fluid selected from the group containing nitrogen, oxygen, argon, hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, said apparatus comprising a distillation column (8), a condenser (9), a reboiler (7, 11), means for conveying the mixture to be separated to the column or the condenser, means for conveying a head gas from the column to the condenser, and means for conveying a liquid condensed in the condenser into the head of the column. The condenser is formed by an exchanger with plates and blades made from brazed aluminium and having an exchange surface area per m3 of exchanger greater than 400 m2/m3, with ammonia being used as refrigerant.