Configurations and methods of gas-assisted spray nozzles
AssigneeFluor Technologies Corporation
InventorsGarry E. Jacobs, Walt Stupin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Contemplated configurations and methods are drawn to systems in which gas assisted spray nozzles are used to distribute a liquid phase in micron-sized droplets in a device effluent at a position upstream of a second device having multiple parallel flow paths for the effluent. Most preferably, the assist gas is a high-pressure gas phase that is generated in a process upstream of the device effluent, the first device is a hydrotreating or hydrocracking reactor or distillation column, and the second device is an air cooler or heat exchanger.
Claims16
A method of treating an effluent, comprising:
- providing an effluent having a pressure of at least 500 psia;
- injecting a plurality of micron-sized fluid droplets into the effluent using one or more gas-assisted nozzles, wherein the assist gas comprises a process gas involved in the formation of the effluent, and wherein a pressure differential between the assist gas and the effluent is at least 50 psi;
- and
- contacting the effluent with a heat transfer surface downstream of the injection location.
A gas treatment apparatus comprising:
- a reactor that is configured to produce a reactor effluent having a pressure of at least 500 psia, and a conduit configured to receive the reactor effluent;
- one or more gas-assisted nozzles coupled to the conduit and configured to provide a plurality of micron-sized droplets into the reactor effluent, wherein the assist gas comprises a process gas involved in the formation of the effluent, and wherein a pressure differential between the assist gas and the effluent is at least 50 psi;
- and
- a heat exchanger or air cooler downstream of and fluidly coupled to the conduit, wherein the heat exchanger or air cooler are configured to contact and cool the effluent gas.
A gas treatment apparatus comprising:
- a distillation column that is configured to produce from a feed a vapor effluent, and a conduit configured to receive the effluent;
- one or more gas-assisted nozzles coupled to the conduit and configured to provide a plurality of micron-sized droplets into the vapor effluent;
- and
- a heat exchanger or air cooler downstream of and fluidly coupled to the conduit, wherein the heat exchanger or air cooler are configured to receive and cool the effluent gas;
- and
- wherein the assist gas comprises a process gas that is used in, or produced by processing of the feed and wherein a pressure differential between the assist gas and the effluent is at least 20 psi.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.