US 4,192,850 AGranted

Dual temperature exchange systems

AssigneeDeuterium Corporation

InventorJerome S. Spevack

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Abstract

Improvements in the dual temperature exchange system wherein the feed supply substance traverses selected portions of one of the two temperature zones, said selected portions being correlated with the availability and/or cost of a supply of the feed substance concerned; e.g. (A) when a large supply of feed substance is available at relatively low cost, advantages are realized by directing at least a part of the feed-to-disposal path through only the region of the impoverishing tower wherein the feed substance has a concentration less than or substantially not greater than the concentration of the feed supply; (B) where a limited supply or a high cost supply of feed substance is involved or a high degree of extraction of the desired material from the feed supply of substance is desired, advantages are realized by employing cyclic circulation not only of the auxiliary fluid but also of the fluid maintained in exchange relation thereto, with correlated provision for enriching the two circulating streams with the desired material from a feed supply substance. Combinations of (A) and (B) are also advantageous. Also disclosed are provisions for improving the heat recovery in such systems, as well as provisions for increasing the output capacity of integrated enrichment systems without physical alteration of the intermediate and/or final enrichment stages thereof.

Claims17

Dependent claims

Improved apparatus for producing a fluid containing a first material concentrated therein, by exchanging at two different temperatures said first material with a second material between chemically different first and second fluid phases which are physically separable from each other and which are each capable of containing each of said materials, said apparatus being of the type which comprises

(a) a pair of exchange units and means connected thereto for passing said second fluid phase through each of the second and first units of said pair in that order, and for also passing flows of said first fluid phase in countercurrent contact with said second fluid phase in said first and second units of said pair,
(b) means for maintaining said first and second units at different temperatures to cause said second fluid phase to become enriched in said first material in passing through said second unit, and to become impoverished in said first material in passing through said first unit, of said pair, and to cause the first fluid phase to become enriched in said first material in passing through said first unit and to become impoverished in said first material in passing through said second unit of said pair of units, and
(c) means connected to said units for passing enriched first fluid and second fluid between said units and for withdrawing a part of at least one of said enriched fluids;
and the improvement comprising, in combination with the foregoing:
(d) first means, including conduits, connected to said second unit for delivering thereto a first flow of said first fluid phase containing said materials from a source external to said pair of units, for discharging said first flow therefrom, and for passing said first flow in countercurrent contact with said impoverished second fluid in a first delivery-to-discharge path through a portion only of said second unit proximate to its end at which said fluid phases are most impoverished in said first material, and
(e) second means comprising delivery and discharge conduits connected to said units for passing a second flow of first fluid phase in a second delivery-to-discharge path in said units exclusive of said first path in countercurrent contact with said second fluid phase therein and as said enriched flow of first fluid between said units.

3 more elements

(a) a pair of exchange units and means connected thereto for passing said second fluid phase through each of the second and first units of said pair in that order and for also passing flows of said first fluid phase in countercurrent contact with said second fluid phase in said first and second units of said pair,
(b) means for maintaining said first and second units at different temperatures to cause said second fluid phase to become enriched in said first material in passing through said second unit and to become impoverished in said first material in passing through said first unit, of said pair, and to cause the first fluid phase to become enriched in said first material in passing through said first unit and to become impoverished in said first material in passing through said second unit of said pair of units, and
(c) means connected to said units for passing enriched first fluid and second fluid between said units and for withdrawing a part of at least one of said enriched fluids;
and the improvement comprising, in combination with the foregoing:
(d) said means of (a) including conduits connected to said units for delivering thereto a flow of said first fluid phase containing said materials from a source external of said pair of units, for discharging said first flow therefrom, and for passing said first flow in countercurrent contact with said second fluid in a delivery-to-discharge path passing through at least a portion of the extent of said first unit and at least in part through the full extent of said second unit, and
(e) recirculating means comprising conduits connected to said units for returning at least a portion of said flow of first fluid phase which has passed through the full extent of said second unit to recirculate in countercurrent contact with said second fluid phase throughout the entire extent of said first unit, and
(f) recycling means comprising conduits connected to said units for returning the impoverished second fluid phase from said first unit to said second unit for the passage referred to in clause (a).

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/700,296Filed 28 Jun 1976 · division
Priority: 22 Mar 1971
Granted: 11 Mar 1980
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B01D 11/0484
Of solutions which are liquid: controlling means
B01D 11/0426
Of solutions which are liquid: counter-current multistage extraction towers in a vertical or sloping position
B01D 11/0488
Of solutions which are liquid: flow sheets
B01D 19/0068
Degasification of liquids: general arrangements, e.g. flowsheets