# US 10,864,456 B2 · System and method to partially vaporize a process stream by mixing the stream with a heating medium

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- Number: US 10,864,456 B2
- Document ID: US10864456B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/413,828
- Filed: 2019-05-16
- Published: 2019-09-05
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-27
- Assignees: Cameron Solutions, Inc.
- Applicants: Cameron Solutions, Inc.
- Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng; Christopher Stephen King; Harihara V. Nemmara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864456B2

## CPC

- B01D 1/0041: {Use of fluids}
- B01D 1/0052: {Use of a liquid transfer medium or intermediate fluid, e.g. bain-marie}
- B01D 1/0064: {Feeding of liquid into an evaporator}
- B01D 1/0094: {with forced circulation}
- B01D 1/14: with heated gases or vapours {or liquids} in contact with the liquid
- B01D 1/2856: {The compressed vapour is used for heating a reboiler or a heat exchanger outside an evaporator}
- B01D 5/006: {with evaporation or distillation}
- C02F 1/10: by direct contact with a particulate solid or with a fluid, as a heat transfer medium
- C07C 29/76: by physical treatment
- C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination
- Y02P 20/10: Process efficiency
- Y02P 20/50: Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals
- Y02P 70/10: Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method to partially vaporize a process stream, the method comprising:
routing the process stream into a liquid zone of a vessel, the liquid zone including a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream, immiscible with the process stream, and maintained at a vaporization operating temperature;
providing a mixture of the process stream and a portion of the heating medium to the liquid zone of the vessel;
partially vaporizing volatile components of the process stream by thermal exchange with the heating medium in the liquid zone;
removing a vaporized portion of the process stream from a vapor zone of the vessel;
moving solids from the process stream to the heating medium in the liquid zone; and
removing solids from the heating medium.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 wherein providing the mixture of the process stream and the portion of the heating medium to the liquid zone of the vessel comprises mixing the process stream and the portion of the heating medium wherein no vaporization of the volatile components of the process stream occurs.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 wherein providing the mixture of the process stream and the portion of the heating medium to the liquid zone of the vessel comprises mixing the process stream and the portion of the heating medium wherein no more than about 90% of the volatile components of the process stream vaporize.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 further comprising separating and removing at least some of the solids from the heating medium directly as blowdown containing the at least some of the solids.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 further comprising: removing a portion of the heating medium;
raising a temperature of the removed portion to produce a heated recycle stream; and
routing the heated recycle stream back to the liquid zone.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A method according to claim 5 wherein the removed portion of the heating medium is a mixture of heating medium and at least some of the solids of the process stream.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A method according to claim 6 further comprising separating and removing at least some of the solids from the removed portion prior to raising the temperature.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 further comprising condensing at least a portion of the vaporized process stream.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 further comprising compressing at least a portion of the vaporized process stream.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 further comprising raising a temperature of at least a portion of the process stream prior to the process stream directly entering the liquid zone of the vessel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 wherein a density of the heating medium is greater than that of the process stream.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 wherein the process stream includes water.

### Claim 13

A system to partially vaporize a process stream, the system comprising:
a vessel arranged to receive the process stream into a liquid zone of the vessel, the liquid zone comprising a heating medium less volatile than the process stream, immiscible with the process stream, and maintained at a vaporization operating temperature;
a pre-mixer fluidly coupled to the liquid zone of the vessel and arranged to mix the process stream and a portion of the heating medium remote from the liquid zone; and
a pump-around loop arranged to remove a portion of the heating medium from the liquid zone and return the portion back to the liquid zone; a separation device disposed within said pump-around loop;
wherein volatile components of the process stream partially vaporize by thermal exchange with the heating medium and migrate to a vapor zone of the vessel for removal, and solids move from the process stream and collect in the heating medium.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

A system according to claim 13 wherein the mixer is arranged so no more than about 90% of the volatile components of the process stream vaporize in the mixer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

A system according to claim 13 wherein the vessel includes internals arranged to separate at least some of an unvaporized portion of the process stream from the heating medium.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

A system according to claim 13 wherein the pump-around loop includes a heater.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

A system according to claim 13 further comprising a condenser arranged to receive at least a portion of a vaporized process stream exiting the vapor zone of the vessel.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

A system according to claim 13 further comprising a compressor arranged to receive at least a portion of a vaporized process stream exiting the vapor zone of the vessel and produce a pressurized vaporized process stream.