Liquid-continuous column distillation
AssigneeCatalytic Distillation Technologies
InventorsLawrence Smith, Mitchell Loescher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Bubble columns fractionate with vapor-liquid mass transfer efficiencies approaching that of distillation towers when vapor velocities in excess of 50% of jet flood are used. If the vapor velocities are pushed above about 70% of jet flood then the distillation performance of a given column packing becomes similar for both liquid continuous operation (bubble column mode) and vapor continuous operation (ordinary distillation tower mode).
Claims24
An improvement in the distillation of liquid mixtures comprising contacting a fractionatable liquid mixture in a distillation zone, said fractionation zone containing a solid component under conditions of temperature and pressure to fractionate said liquid mixture to produce liquid and vapor wherein the improvement comprises maintaining said distillation zone as liquid continuous and maintaining said vapor at a rate of greater than 50% of jet flood to less than 100% of jet flood.
The process of fractionating a liquid mixture comprising placing a liquid mixture in a fractionation zone, said fractionation zone containing a solid component under conditions of temperature and pressure to fractionate said liquid mixture to produce a vapor, maintaining a continuous liquid phase in said fractionation zone said vapor having a rate through said fractionation zone of greater than 70% of jet flood to less than 100% of jet flood.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.