US 2003/0116286 A1Published application

Apparatus and method for removing volatile components from viscous liquids

AssigneeProcess Development Services, Inc.

InventorsPeter R. Cowley, Randolph E. Newman

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved falling strand devolatilizer apparatus and method for devolatilization of viscous solutions to yield viscous liquids with lower content of volatile solvents, unreacted components, and reaction byproducts. The novel apparatus utilizes a devolatilization system comprised of a single vessel with two or more liquid compartments or zones, a recirculation loop, and one or more manifold and stranding distributor assemblies to divide the viscous liquid stream into a plurality of strands for effective devolatilization. A stranded stream of solution is dropped through a first zone of the chamber and collected at the bottom, the stream is recirculated, and then dropped through a second zone of the vessel and separately collected. Devolatilization is accomplished by stranding thi falling streams to optimum parameters.

Claims34

Dependent claims

An improved falling strand devolatilizer apparatus comprised of:

a. A vacuum flash vessel having a top and a bottom and adapted to receive a solution consisting of viscous liquid and volatile compounds by means of differential pressure or gravity from a previous vessel,
b. A feed nozzle which is provided at the upper end of the vessel and adapted to cause the viscous solution to enter said vessel and thereafter be exposed to a high level of vacuum while the solution passes in a first stream and through a first zone from the top to the bottom of the vessel
c. A first compartment in the bottom of said vessel adapted to collect the solution in the first stream,
d. A recirculation line including at least one pumping device, said recirculating line being adapted to convey the solution collected in the first compartment from the bottom of said vessel to the top of said vessel by means of said at least one pumping device,
e. A second compartment at the bottom of said vessel and adapted to maintain its content separate from the content of the first compartment,
f. A recirculation Pressurized Distributor at the top of the vessel and designed to direct the viscous liquid from the recirculating line through a multitude of channels, through exposure to the said high level of vacuum in a second zone spaces from the first zone, and to the second compartment in the bottom of said vessel, from whence the viscous liquid is directed to further processing;
and
g. An outlet nozzle adapted so that volatile compounds vaporized by the two exposures of the streams to said high level of vacuum are withdrawn from the vessel.

5 more elements

An improved method for operating a falling strand devolatilizer apparatus comprised of a vacuum flash vessel which receives a solution consisting of viscous liquid and volatile compounds by means of differential pressure or gravity from a previous vessel, said vessel having a top and a bottom, an inlet nozzle at the top of the vessel, a first compartment and a separate second compartment, both compartments at the bottom of the vessel, and a recirculation loop adapted to move liquid from the first compartment to the top of the vessel, the steps of the process comprising:

a. Causing the viscous solution to enter said vessel and to be exposed to a high level of vacuum while passing from the top to the bottom of the vessel,
b. Collecting the viscous liquid in the first compartment in the bottom of said vessel,
c. Causing the viscous liquid to be recirculated from the first compartment at the bottom of said vessel to a recirculation Pressurized Distributor in the top of said vessel by means of a pumping device in the recirculation loop,
d. Causing the liquid to pass through said recirculation Pressurized Distributor to direct the viscous liquid through a multitude of channels,
e. Causing the viscous liquid flowing from said Pressurized Distributor to be exposed to a said high level of vacuum while passing from the recirculation Pressurized Distributor to the second compartment in the bottom of said vessel, from whence the viscous liquid is pumped to further processing, and
f. Causing volatile compounds vaporized by the two exposures to said high level of vacuum to be withdrawn from the vessel through a port in the vessel.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.