Method and apparatus for high volume fractional distillation of liquids

A method for high volume distillation of impure liquid comprising the steps of:

• (a) evaporating said impure liquid in a fractional distilation evaporator to separate a low boiling component vapor;
• (b) compressing said vapor to a predetermined pressure;
• (c) reacting at least a portion of said compressed vapor at said predetermined pressure in the vapor phase in a catalyst-containing reaction zone for producing an adjusted composition vapor;
• (d) passing said vapor exiting said reaction zone through an expansion engine, said vapor doing work on said engine to motivate said engine and to produce shaft energy, whereby said vapor expands and cools, said portion comprising from 0.001 to 99.999% by volume of said compressed gas flow;
• (e) adding make-up work to said expansion engine to supplement the work done on said engine by said vapor expanding therethrough, said added work being sufficient to at least make-up the difference between the work done in compressing said vapor and the work done on said engine by said vapor in expanding therethrough;
• (f) admixing the remainder of said compressed vapor at a pressure at least equal to said predetermined pressure directly with said expanded vapor to expand said compressed vapor and compress said expanded vapor to form a second vapor at ambient pressure and at a temperature corresponding thereto, said temperature and pressure of said second vapor being greater than that of the expanded vapor exiting said expansion engine and less than that of the remainder of the compressed vapor prior to admixing;
• (g) cooling said second vapor in heat transfer relation with said impure liquid whereby said second vapor at least partially condenses, transferring heat to said impure liquid for fractionally distilling said liquid and separating said low boiling component vapor;
• and
• (h) collecting said condensed low boiling component.

A system for high volume distillation of impure liquids comprising:

• (a) fractional distillation evaporator means, including means for supplying impure liquid feed thereto, for separating a low boiling component vapor from said liquid;
• (b) first compressor means receiving said vapor from said evaporator means for increasing said vapor pressure and temperature to predetermined pressure and temperature levels;
• (c) a vapor composition adjustment zone including removably insertable catalyst means therein for receiving at least a portion of said compressed vapor from said first compressor means, said zone including vapor flow space wherein said vapor composition is catalytically altered or stabilized;
• (d) second compressor means receiving the vapor exhausting said adjustment zone for increasing the vapor pressure and temperature thereof;
• (e) means for driving said first and second compressor means;
• (f) condenser means in heat transfer relationship with said impure liquid feed for receiving said vapor from said compressor means and for at least partially condensing said vapor whereby the heat released by said vapor is transferred to said feed liquid to supply heat energy for fractionally distilling said liquid and separating said low boiling component vapor;
• (g) means for recovering condensed low boiling component from said condenser means;
• and
• (h) means for removing the remainder of said liquid feed from said evaporator means.

A system for high volume distillation of impure liquids comprising:

• (a) fractional distillation evaporator means, including means for supplying impure liquid feed thereto, for separating a low boiling component vapor from said liquid;
• (b) first compressor means receiving said vapor from said evaporator means for increasing said vapor pressure and temperature;
• (c) a vapor composition adjustment zone including removably insertable catalyst means for receiving at least a portion of said vapor from said first compressor means, said zone including vapor flow space wherein said vapor composition is catalytically altered or stabilized;
• (d) expansion engine means motivated at least in part by compressed vapor from said adjustment zone and means for supplying make-up work to said expansion engine means, said engine being drivingly connected to said first compressor means whereby the work done by said vapor in expanding in said expansion engine means is transmitted to said first compressor means, said make-up work supplementing the work done on said engine by said vapor expanding therethrough;
• (e) a first mixing chamber for receiving said expanded vapor exhausting from said expansion engine means and by-pass duct means for diverting the remainder of said compressed vapor from said first compressor means around said adjustment zone and said expansion engine means to said first mixing chamber, said remainder of said compressed vapor at a pressure at least substantially equal to said predetermined pressure admixing with and transferring heat directly to said vapor exiting said expansion engine means to form a second vapor, whereby said compressed vapor is expanded and said expanded vapor is compressed;
• (f) condenser means in heat transfer relationship with said impure liquid feed for receiving said second vapor from said first mixing chamber and for at least partially condensing said vapor whereby the heat released by said vapor is transferred to said feed liquid to supply heat energy for fractionally distilling said liquid and separating said low boiling component vapor;
• (g) means for recovering condensed low boiling component from said condenser means;
• and
• (h) means for removing the remainder of said liquid feed from said evaporator means.