Process for handling fluids in heat transfer equipment

Abstract

This invention provides a novel process of handling fluids which increase heat transfer efficiency in all types of heat transmission equipment. This process is applicable both to single and multiple units; in both cases, heat transfer is enhanced and steam consumption reduced. Basically, the process consists in extracting, along with the condensate, some of the steam from inside of a steam heated unit, separating this steam from the condensate and noncondensable gases, before and after feeding this extraction steam to another units working at a lower pressure.

I claim: 
     
       1. Process for handling fluids in heat transfer apparatus, comprising the steps of providing a first group of heat transfer units, feeding .Iadd.a flow of .Iaddend.steam to this first group, through a common header; connecting the outlets of said heat transfer units to first modified steam-trap units .[.to traps.]. that separate condensate and extraction steam.Iadd., thereby providing a flow of condensate separate from a flow of extraction .Iaddend.steam; piping the condensate flow through a common header to a flash tank and feeding the .Iadd.flow of .Iaddend.extraction steam to a second group of heat transfer units, through a separator and an air eliminator; .[.in this second group of heat transfer units, the steam is passed through corresponding steam traps, but in this case the steam traps.]. .Iadd.feeding the flow of extraction steam to the second group of heat transfer units, through a common header; connecting the outlets of the second group of heat-transfer units to second steam modified traps, the second steam traps being connected to .Iaddend.discharge, both the extraction steam and the condensate, together through a header to the flash tank; .Iadd.connecting .Iaddend.said flash tank .Iadd.to feed .Iaddend..[.feeds.]. the flash steam through a pipe to one of the heat transfer units of a third group, that operates at the lowest pressure of all groups; .[.from this unit, steam is extracted to the next unit and from the latter to a third unit,.]. .Iadd.extracting steam from said one unit and feeding the same to a second unit of the third group, and extracting steam from said second unit and feeding the same to a third unit of the third group, .Iaddend.producing by .[.this.]. .Iadd.such .Iaddend.extraction an automatic pressure drop from one unit to the next. 
     
     
       2. Procedure for handling fluids in heat transfer apparatus in accordance with claim No. 1, characterized by providing a .[.group of steam traps.]. .Iadd.modified steam trap .Iaddend.for each of the units in the third group; these traps .Iadd.being connected to .Iaddend.discharge, both the condensate and the extraction steam together, through a pipe to a final condensate collector .[.that also collects the condensate that a normal trap discharges out of the flash tank.]..Iadd., and connecting a normal trap to receive condensate discharged from the flash tank and to supply the same to said final condensate collector. .Iaddend. .[.3. Procedure for handling fluids in heat transfer apparatus, in accordance with claim No. 1, wherein the extraction steam is condensed in other groups of heat transfer units..]. .[.4. Procedure for handling fluids in heat transfer equipment, in accordance with claim No. 1, wherein individual drainage is provided for each heat transfer unit, collecting the condensates in general headers that discharge into collector tanks..]. .[.5. Process for multi-stage handling of fluids in plural heat-transfer stages comprising the steps of feeding steam to heat-transfer apparatus of a first of said stages; extracting an outlet flow from said first-stage apparatus, separating said flow into a line of first-stage vapor flow apart from a line of first-stage condensate flow, and feeding said first-stage vapor flow directly to heat-transfer apparatus of a second of said stages; extracting an outlet flow from said second-stage apparatus, separating said last-mentioned flow into a line of second-stage vapor flow apart from a line of second-stage condensate flow, and directly utilizing the second stage vapor flow in a third heat-transfer apparatus..].  .[.6. The process of claim 5, wherein in the first stage, steam is fed to a plurality of first-stage heat-transfer units, and wherein the first-stage step of separating vapor flow from condensate flow is performed individually for the respective outlet flows from the individual heat-transfer units..]. .[.7. The process of claim 5, wherein in the second stage, steam supplied by the first-stage vapor-flow line is fed to a plurality of second-stage heat-transfer units, and wherein the second-stage step of separating vapor flow from condensate flow is performed individually for the respective 
     
     
        outlet flows from the individual heat-transfer units..]. 8. The process of claim .[.6.]. .Iadd.12.Iaddend., wherein the .[.condensate flows separated from the outlet flows of individual heat-transfer units are fed.]. .Iadd.last-defined step comprises feeding the separated second-stage outlet condensate and vapor flows .Iaddend.to a flash tank .[.the latter.]. .Iadd.to generate flash steam, and .Iaddend.feeding flash steam 
     
     
        to .Iadd.the .Iaddend.third-stage heat-transfer apparatus. 9. The process of claim 8, wherein .Iadd.both the first-stage and .Iaddend.the second-stage condensate .[.flow is also.]. .Iadd.flows are .Iaddend.fed to the flash tank for generation of flash steam supplied to the third-stage heat-transfer apparatus.  .[.10. The process of claim 5, and the step of blocking said first-stage condensate flow for less than a first-stage minimum predetermined pressure differential between the pressure of the first-stage outlet flow and the pressure in the first-stage condensate line..]. .[.11. The process of claim 5, and the step of blocking said second-stage condensate flow for less than a second-stage minimum predetermined pressure differential between the pressure of the second-stage outlet flow and the pressure in the second-stage condensate line..]. .Iadd. 12. Process for multi-stage handling of fluids in plural heat-transfer stages, each of which stages comprises a plurality of heat-transfer devices, comprising the steps of feeding steam in parallel to each of a plurality of heat-transfer devices of a first of said stages; extracting a continuous outlet flow from each of said first-stage devices, separating each said flow into a line of first-stage continuous vapor flow apart from a line of first-stage condensate flow, collecting into a common first-stage vapor line the individual separated continuous vapor flows from each of said first-stage devices, collecting into a common first-stage condensate line the individual separated condensate flow from each of said first-stage devices, said common first-stage condensate line being independent of said common first-stage vapor line, and directly and continuously utilizing the continuous vapor flow in the common first-stage vapor line in a second-stage heat-transfer device. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 13. The process according to claim 12, in which vapor flow in the common first-stage vapor line is directly utilized by parallel feeding of such vapor flow to a plurality of second-stage heat-transfer devices. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 14. The process of claim 13, and the steps of extracting an outlet flow from each of said second-stage devices, separating each said last-mentioned flow into a line of second-stage condensate flow apart from a line of second-stage vapor flow, and utilizing separated second-stage outlet flows in a third stage of heat-transfer apparatus. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 15. Multi-stage steam-operated apparatus, comprising a first stage of plural heat-transfer devices having parallel steam-supply inlet connections, an independent outlet-flow connection for each of said first-stage devices, means including a modified steam trap in each of said outlet-flow connections for separating each outlet flow into an individual first-stage continuous vapor flow apart from an individual first-stage condensate flow, a vapor-flow header connected to receive each said individual first-stage vapor flow, a condensate header independent of said vapor-flow header and connected to receive each individual first-stage condensate flow, and a second stage of plural heat-transfer devices having steam-supply inlet connections connected for supply by said vapor-flow header. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. Apparatus according to claim 15, in which each said second-stage heat-transfer device includes an independent outlet-flow connection, a second-stage outlet-flow header, individual modified steam traps connecting said second-stage header to said second-stage outlet-flow connections, and flash-steam generating means having a condensate-supply connection to said condensate header and having a vapor-supply connection to said second-stage header. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17. Apparatus according to claim 15, in which the connection of said vapor-flow header to the inlets of said second-stage heat-transfer devices includes a separator for separating condensate from vapor flow, the vapor flow being connected to the inlets of said second-stage heat-transfer devices, a flash tank, and means including a steam trap connecting the last-separated condensate for supply to said flash tank. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 18. Apparatus according to claim 15, in which the connection of said vapor-flow header to the inlets of said second-stage heat-transfer devices includes an air eliminator for extracting non-condensable gas from the vapor supply to said second-stage devices. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. Apparatus according to claim 15, in which said second-stage devices are serially connected for supply by said vapor-flow header, and condensate-trap means at each series interconnection. .Iaddend.