Reflux condenser system for improved fluids separation

Abstract

An improved condenser system employing heat exchange tubes that are supported by rod-type baffles. The condenser system can be a reflux condenser positioned at the top of a distillation column and employing a generally upright U-tube bundle for cooling fluids exiting the top of the distillation column.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A condenser comprising: 
 a main body defining a condensing zone; and    a generally upright U-tube bundle disposed in the condensing zone and comprising 
 a plurality of U-tubes and a plurality of rod-type baffles for supporting the U-tubes.  
   
     
     
         2 . A condenser according to  claim 1 , 
 said main body defining a condensing zone inlet fluidly communicating with the condensing zone and a condensing zone outlet fluidly communicating with the condensing zone,    said condensing zone outlet being vertically positioned higher than the condensing zone inlet.    
     
     
         3 . A condenser according to  claim 2 , 
 said U-tubes extending at least partly between the condensing zone inlet and the condensing zone outlet.    
     
     
         4 . A condenser according to  claim 2 , 
 said condensing zone inlet presenting a minimum horizontal open area which is at least 50 percent as large as the maximum horizontal open area of the condensing zone.    
     
     
         5 . A condenser according to  claim 1;  and 
 a mist extraction pad disposed in said condensing zone and covering the condensing zone outlet,  
 said mist extraction pad being operable to cause coalescence of at least a portion of a condensed liquid.  
 
     
     
         6 . A condenser according to  claim 1 , 
 said main body defining a cooling fluid manifold disposed vertically above and fluidly isolated from the condensing zone,    said fluid cooling manifold including an inlet portion and an outlet portion fluidly communicating with one another via the U-tubes.    
     
     
         7 . A condenser according to  claim 6 , 
 said main body defining a cooling fluid inlet fluidly communicating with said inlet portion and a cooling fluid outlet fluidly communicating with said outlet portion,    each of said U-tubes including a first open end fluidly communicating with the inlet portion and a second open end fluidly communicating with the outlet portion.    
     
     
         8 . A condenser according to  claim 1 , 
 said U-tube bundle including a plurality of vertically spaced baffle rings,    each of said baffle rings being rigidly coupled to a respective baffle group of said baffles.    
     
     
         9 . A condenser according to  claim 8 , 
 said baffles of each respective baffle group extending substantially parallel to one another.    
     
     
         10 . A condenser according to  claim 9 , 
 said baffle rings and baffles being substantially horizontally oriented.    
     
     
         11 . A condenser according to  claim 10 , 
 said baffles of adjacent vertically spaced baffle groups extending substantially perpendicular to one another.    
     
     
         12 . A condenser according to  claim 8 , 
 said baffles of four adjacent vertically spaced adjacent baffle groups forming a positive four-point containment system for supporting the U-tubes.    
     
     
         13 . A condenser according to  claim 8 , 
 said baffle rings being positioned generally between the U-tubes and an upright side wall of the main body that defines at least a portion of the condensing zone,    said baffle rings being operable to enhance the contacting between an upwardly flowing fluid and the U-tubes by at least substantially preventing bypass flow of the fluid between the sidewall and the U-tubes.    
     
     
         14 . A distillation unit comprising: 
 an elongated upright distillation column having a lower end and an upper end and defining a fractionation zone extending between the lower and upper ends; and    a reflux condenser positioned above and rigidly coupled to the upper end of the column and defining a condensing zone fluidly communicating with the fractionation zone via a condensing zone inlet,    said condenser including a heat exchange tube bundle disposed in the condensing zone and comprising a plurality of upright elongated heat exchange tubes and a plurality of rod-type baffles for supporting the heat exchange tubes.    
     
     
         15 . A distillation unit according to  claim 14 , 
 said condenser including a main body defining the condensing zone, the condensing zone inlet, and a condensing zone outlet fluidly communicating with the condensing zone,    said condensing zone outlet being vertically positioned higher than the condensing zone inlet.    
     
     
         16 . A distillation unit according to  claim 14 , 
 said heat exchange tube bundle further comprising a plurality of vertically spaced baffle rings,    each of said baffle rings being rigidly coupled to a respective baffle group of said baffles.    
     
     
         17 . A distillation unit according to  claim 16 , 
 said baffles of four adjacent vertically spaced baffle groups forming a positive four-point containment system for supporting the heat exchange tubes.    
     
     
         18 . A distillation unit according to  claim 14 , 
 said heat exchange tubes being U-tubes.    
     
     
         19 . A distillation unit according to  claim 18 , 
 said condenser defining a cooling fluid manifold disposed vertically above and fluidly isolated from the condensing zone,    said cooling fluid manifold including an inlet portion and an outlet portion fluidly communicating with one another via only the U-tubes.    
     
     
         20 . A distillation unit according to  claim 19 , 
 said condenser defining a cooling fluid inlet fluidly communicating with the inlet portion and a cooling fluid outlet fluidly communicating with the outlet portion,    each of the U-tubes including a first open end fluidly communicating with the inlet portion and a second open end fluidly communicating with the outlet portion.    
     
     
         21 . A distillation unit according to  claim 14 , 
 said condensing zone inlet presenting a minimum horizontal open area that is at least 50 percent as large as the maximum horizontal open area of the condensing zone.    
     
     
         22 . An alkylation unit comprising: 
 a reactor for contacting an iso-paraffin, an olefin, and an acid catalyst under reaction conditions sufficient to produce a reactor effluent comprising an alkylate, propane, and n-butane;    a depropanizer fluidly communicating with the reactor and operable to substantially separate the propane and the alkylate; and    a rectifier fluidly communicating with the depropanizer and operable to separate at least a portion of the n-butane from the alkylate and return the resulting separated alkylate to the depropanizer,    said rectifier including an elongated upright distillation column and a reflux condenser,    said condenser including a main body defining a condensing zone and a heat exchange tube bundle disposed in the condensing zone,    said heat exchange tube bundle comprising a plurality of elongated heat exchange tubes and a plurality of rod-type baffles for supporting the heat exchange tubes.    
     
     
         23 . An alkylation unit according to  claim 22 , 
 said condenser being positioned generally above and rigidly coupled to the distillation column.    
     
     
         24 . An alkylation unit according to  claim 22 , 
 said heat exchange tube bundle being a generally upright U-tube bundle.    
     
     
         25 . An alkylation unit according to  claim 22 , 
 said distillation column defining a fractionation zone,    said main body defining a condensing zone inlet for providing fluid communication between the condensing zone and the fractionation zone.    
     
     
         26 . An alkylation unit according to  claim 25 , 
 said main body defining a condensing zone outlet fluidly communicating with the condensing zone,    said condensing zone outlet being vertically positioned higher than the condensing zone inlet.    
     
     
         27 . An alkylation unit according to  claim 22 , 
 said heat exchange tube bundle further comprising a plurality of vertically spaced baffle rings,    each of said baffle rings being rigidly coupled to a respective baffle group of said baffles.    
     
     
         28 . An alkylation unit according to  claim 27 , 
 said baffles of four adjacent vertically spaced baffle groups forming a positive four-point containment system for supporting the heat exchange tubes.    
     
     
         29 . An alkylation unit according to  claim 28 , 
 said heat exchange tubes being U-tubes.    
     
     
         30 . An alkylation unit according to  claim 29 , 
 said main body defining a cooling fluid manifold disposed vertically above and fluidly isolated from the condensing zone,    said cooling fluid manifold including an inlet portion and an outlet portion fluidly communicating with one another via the U-tubes.    
     
     
         31 . An alkylation unit according to  claim 30 , 
 said main body defining a cooling fluid inlet fluidly communicating with the inlet portion and a cooling fluid outlet fluidly communicating with the outlet portion,    each of said U-tubes including a first open end fluidly communicating with the inlet portion and a second open end fluidly communicating with the outlet portion.    
     
     
         32 . A process comprising the steps of: 
 (a) fractionating a fluid mixture in an upright distillation column;    (b) conducting a light fluid component of the fluid mixture to a reflux condenser rigidly coupled to the top of the distillation column, said condenser including a plurality of heat exchange tubes supported by a plurality of rod-type baffles; and    (c) condensing a heavy fluid component of the light fluid component in the condenser, thereby providing a condensed liquid in the condenser.    
     
     
         33 . A process according to  claim 32;  and 
 (d) allowing the condensed liquid to flow downwardly from the condenser into the distillation column by gravitational force.  
 
     
     
         34 . A process according to  claim 32;  and 
 (e) passing at least a portion of the light fluid component through a mist extraction pad, thereby causing coalescence of liquid droplets of the heavy fluid component on the mist extraction pad.  
 
     
     
         35 . A process according to  claim 32;  and 
 (f) reacting an iso-paraffin and an olefin in the presence of an acid catalyst to thereby produce a reactor effluent comprising the fluid mixture.  
 
     
     
         36 . A process according to  claim 35;  and 
 (g) fractionating the reactor effluent in a fractionater.  
 
     
     
         37 . A process according to  claim 36;  and 
 (h) transporting the fluid mixture from the fractionater to the distillation column.  
 
     
     
         38 . A process according to  claim 37;  and 
 (i) transporting at least a portion of the condensed liquid from the distillation column to the fractionater.  
 
     
     
         39 . A process according to  claim 38 , 
 said reactor effluent comprising an alkylate, propane, n-butane, and iso-butane,    said fluid mixture comprising the alkylate and n-butane,    said condensed liquid comprising the alkylate.    
     
     
         40 . A process according to  claim 32 , 
 said condenser comprising a main body defining a condensing zone,    said heat exchange tubes being disposed in the condensing zone,    said heat exchange tubes having a generally upright orientation.    
     
     
         41 . A process according to  claim 40 , 
 said main body defining a condensing zone inlet fluidly communicating with the condensing zone and a condensing zone outlet fluidly communicating with the condensing zone,    said condensing zone outlet being vertically positioned higher than the condensing zone inlet.    
     
     
         42 . A process according to  claim 41 , 
 said condenser further including a plurality of vertically spaced baffle rings,    each of said baffle rings being rigidly coupled to a respective baffle group of said baffles.    
     
     
         43 . A process according to  claim 42 , 
 said baffles of four adjacent vertically spaced baffle groups forming a positive four-point containment system for supporting the heat exchange tubes.    
     
     
         44 . A process according to  claim 43 , 
 said heat exchange tubes being U-tubes.