Method and apparatus using guide vanes for vapor distribution in mass transfer and heat exchange columns
AssigneeKoch Engineering Company, Inc.
InventorsNeil Yeoman, Chang-Li Hsieh, Andrew M. Marcinkowski, O. Jeffrey Berven
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mass transfer or heat exchange column is provided with a vapor distributor having, in one embodiment, a deflecting surface which directs a vapor stream about the inner periphery of the column. Following discharge from the distributor, the vapor stream contacts circumferentially spaced guide vanes which redirect the vapor stream toward the center of the column to cause a more uniform distribution of the vapor stream across the horizontal cross section of the column.
Claims24
A mass transfer or heat exchange column comprising:
- a shell presenting an open internal volume and having a generally vertical center axis;
- a vapor inlet nozzle extending through said shell for directing a vapor stream into said open internal volume in a generally radial direction;
- a distributor comprising a generally upright deflecting surface within said shell and spaced radially inwardly from said vapor inlet nozzle for redirecting the vapor stream from said generally radial direction to a flow path directed about an inner periphery of the column shell, said distributor extending along less than about one-half of an inner circumference of the shell and including a top plate extending between the deflecting surface and the shell to substantially block upward deflection of the vapor stream;
- and
- a guide vane extending inwardly from said shell and circumferentially spaced from the distributor, said guide vane being positioned in said vapor stream flow path to redirect at least a portion of said vapor stream toward said center axis from said flow path about the inner periphery of the column shell to cause a more uniform distribution of the vapor stream across a horizontal cross section of the column.
A mass transfer or heat exchange column comprising:
- a shell presenting an open internal volume and having a generally vertical center axis;
- a vapor inlet nozzle extending through said shell for directing a vapor stream into said open internal volume in a generally radial direction;
- a distributor within said shell and extending along less than about one-half of an inner circumference of the shell, said distributor comprising a generally upright deflecting surface spaced radially inwardly from the vapor inlet nozzle and a top plate extending between the deflecting surface and the shell to substantially close the top of the distributor, said deflecting surface being shaped and positioned in relation to said vapor inlet nozzle to divide and redirect the vapor stream from said generally radial direction to oppositely directed flow paths about an inner periphery of the column shell;
- and
- guide vanes extending inwardly from said shell and circumferentially spaced from the distributor, said guide vanes being positioned in said vapor stream flow paths in spaced relationship from the distributor to redirect at least a portion of said vapor stream toward said center axis from said flow paths about the inner periphery of the column shell to cause a more uniform distribution of the vapor stream across a horizontal cross section of the column.
A method for distributing a vapor stream within a mass transfer or heat exchange column having an external shell and a vapor inlet nozzle extending through said shell, said column including a distributor within the external shell of said column and extending along less than about one-half of an inner circumference of the shell, said distributor comprising a generally upright deflecting surface spaced radially inwardly from the vapor inlet nozzle and a top plate extending between the deflecting surface and the shell to substantially close the top of the distributor, said column further including guide vanes extending inwardly from the column shell and circumferentially spaced from the distributor, said method comprising the steps of:
- introducing the vapor stream into the distributor through the vapor inlet nozzle and directing the vapor stream against the deflecting surface to divide and redirect the vapor stream to oppositely directed flow paths;
- discharging the divided and redirected vapor stream from the distributor about the inner circumference of the shell;
- and
- then contacting the discharged vapor stream against the guide vanes to redirect at least a portion of said vapor stream toward a center axis of the column from said flow paths to cause a more uniform distribution of the vapor stream across a horizontal cross section of the column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.