EP0066416A1 — Heat exchange method and apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 127 words

A method of continuously condensing a vapor component of a gas mixture including such component characterised in that the gas mixtur is supplied to a reflux heat exchange device containing a body of the liquid phase of said vapor component and in that the following steps are performed: introducing a flow of a cryogenic liquid, having a boiling point below the boiling point of said vapor component, directly into said liquid phase body thereby chilling said liquid phase; stirring the liquid phase substantially to. preclude local freezing of said liquid phase; and removing chilled liquid fran said device and returning at least a portion of said removed chilled liquid as reflux to said device and into contact with said gas mixture thereby to condense said vapor component.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 127 words

A method of continuously condensing a vapor component of a gas mixture including such component characterised in that the gas mixtur is supplied to a reflux heat exchange device containing a body of the liquid phase of said vapor component and in that the following steps are performed: introducing a flow of a cryogenic liquid, having a boiling point below the boiling point of said vapor component, directly into said liquid phase body thereby chilling said liquid phase; stirring the liquid phase substantially to. preclude local freezing of said liquid phase; and removing chilled liquid fran said device and returning at least a portion of said removed chilled liquid as reflux to said device and into contact with said gas mixture thereby to condense said vapor component.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method according to claim 1, additionally characterised in that introduction of the cryogenic liquid into the liquid phase creates the necessary stirring substantially precluding freezing of the liquid phase.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method according to claim 1, additionally characterised in that the step of recirculating a portion of said removed, chilled liquid into said body of said liquid phase to augment stirring of said body is perfonned.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 109 words

A method according to any one of the preceding claims, additionally characterised in that the following steps are perfonned: discharging an overhead gas stream fran said reflux heat exchange device; sending the temperature of said discharged gas stream (or of the liquid phase); comparing the sensed temperature with a temprature corresponding to a predetermined equilibrium partial pressure of said vapor component; and controlling the flow rate of said cryogenic liquid stream into said device to establish a chilled, reflux liquid temperature which effects condensation of said vapor to an extent such that the difference between said sensed temperature and said temperature corresponding to said equilibrium partial pressure in minimized.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 101 words

A method according to any one of the preceding claims, additionally characterised in supplying said discharged gas stream as a refrigerating medium to a second heat exchange device; and supplying a relatively vapor-rich gas mixture having a greater concentration of said vapor component than in the gas mixture supplied to said reflux heat exchange device to said second heat exchange device to condense a portion of said vapor component fran the gas mixture supplied to said second heat exchange device, the uncondensed gas being supplied to the reflux heat exchange as the gas mixture fran which vapor is to be condensed.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 53 words

A method according to claim 5, additionnly characterised in that the said relatively vapor-rich gas mixture is formed by performing in a third heat exchange device a partial condensation of vapor-rich gas mixture, said partial condensation being performed by heat exchanging said richer gas mixture with water (or other non-cryogenic heat exchange medium).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 100 words

A method according to claim 5 or claim 6, additionally characterised in that the follwing steps are performed: removing a further flow of said condensed, chilled liquid phase fran said reflux heat exchange device and removing a flow of said condensed vapor component from said further heat exchange device or devices; combining said flows and pumping said combined flow to a suitable storage device; sensing the level of said condensed vapor component in said second heat exchange device; and controlling the rate of pumping said combined flow to said storage device to maintain said liquid level within a predetermined range.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 61 words

A method according to claim 7 (when dependent from claim 6), additionally characterised in that the following step is performed: spraying a portion of said pumped combined flow into said gas mixture prior to introducing said gas mixture into said third heat exchange device to cool said gas mixture and to increase the concentration of said vapor component to approximately saturation.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 97 words

A method according to any one of the preceding claims, additionally characterised in that said cryogenic liquid is vaporized upon introduction to said liquid phase to form a cold gas which rises in said device into contact with said gas mixture to promote additional condensation of said vapor component and in that the step of returning reflux liquid phase to said heat exchange device comprises passing said reflux downwardly over a gas-liquid contact medium countercurrent to a flow of said gas mixture upwardly therethrough hereby said vapor component is condensed upon contact with said reflux liquid phase.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 162 words

Apparatus for condensing a vapor component of a gas mixture including said vapor component characterised in that said apparatus comprises a reflux heat exchange device (4) adapted to contain a body of the liquid phase of said vapor component in a lower section (42) thereof; means (28) for introducing said gas mixture into said device (40) at a location above the surface of said body of said liquid phase; means (70) for introducing a flow of cryogenic liquid having a boiling point below the boiling point of said liquid phase into said body of said liquid phase to chill said body of said liquid phase, means for stirring said body whereby freezing of said body of said liquid phase is substantially precluded; and means (62, 64, 65, 66) for removing chilled liquid phase from the device and returning at least a portion of it as reflux to said device and into contact with said gas mixture thereby to condense said vapor component.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 162 words

Apparatus for condensing a vapor component of a gas mixture including said vapor component characterised in that said apparatus comprises a reflux heat exchange device (4) adapted to contain a body of the liquid phase of said vapor component in a lower section (42) thereof; means (28) for introducing said gas mixture into said device (40) at a location above the surface of said body of said liquid phase; means (70) for introducing a flow of cryogenic liquid having a boiling point below the boiling point of said liquid phase into said body of said liquid phase to chill said body of said liquid phase, means for stirring said body whereby freezing of said body of said liquid phase is substantially precluded; and means (62, 64, 65, 66) for removing chilled liquid phase from the device and returning at least a portion of it as reflux to said device and into contact with said gas mixture thereby to condense said vapor component.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 130 words

Apparatus according to claim 10, additionally characterised in that said means for stirring said body is provided at least in part by the said means (70) for introducing the flow of cryogenic liquid into said body, in that means (68) are provided for returning a portion of said removed chilled liquid phase directly into said body of said liquid phase to provide additional stirring of said body of said liquid phase, an in that the apparatus additionally includes means (29) for discharging non-condensed gas fran an overhead porticn of said heat exchange device; means (73) for sensing the temperature of said discharged non-condensed gas (of said body of liquid); and means (75, 72) for controlling the flow of said cryogenic liquid to naintain the temperature at substantially a predetermined value.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 143 words

Apparatus for condensing a vapor component of a gas mixture including such vapor characterised in that the apparatus comprises a reflux heat exchanger (40) according to claim 10 or 11, a second heat exchanger (23) and a third heat exchanger (13), the arrangement of the heat exchangers being such that the gas mixture is able in operation to pass successively through the third heat exchanger (13), in vhich a portion of its vapor content is able to be condensed therefrom by heat exchange with water (or other non-cryogenic fluid), the second heat exchanger (23) in which a further portion of its vapor content is able to be condensed therefrom by heat exchange with non-condensed gas passing out of the reflux heat exchanger (40) and the reflux heat exchanger (40) in which substantially the remainder of the vapor is able to be condensed therefrom

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 81 words

Apparatus according to claim 12 additionally characterised in that said heat exchangers have means (37) for pumping condensate therefrom to a storage vessel, means for sensing the level of condensate in the second heat exchanger, and means (35) for controlling the removal of the condensate from the second heat exchanger to maintain said level within a predetermined range and in that the apgaratus includes means (11) for introducing chilled condensate into the gas mixture upstream of the third heat exchanger (13).

Heat exchange method and apparatus

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