Process and apparatus for increasing vacuum tower production

Claim 2

A VACUUM FRACTIONATION PROCESS COMPRISING INTRODUCING PREHEATED LIQUID-CONTAINING FEED IN TO A FLASH ZONE, PASSING VAPORIXED CONSTITUENTS UPWARDLY INTO THE BOTTOM OF A FRACTIONATING ZONE, PASSING THESE VAPORS THROUGH THE FRACTIONATING ZONE IN COUNTERCURRENT CONTACT WITH DOWNFLOWING CONDENSATE, PASSING UNVAPORIZED LIQUID FROM THE FLASH ZONE DOWNWARDLY THROUGH A STRIPPING ZONE IN COUNTERCURRENT CONACT WITH UPFLOWING STRIPPING VAPOR, PASSING STRIPPED AND STRIPPING VAPORS DIRECTLY FROM THE STRIPPING ZONE INTO THE FRACTIONATING ZONE SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE BOTTOM THEREOF WHEREBY THE PRESSURE DROP BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE FRACTIONATING ZONE AN D THE STRIPPING ZONE IS REDUCED SUBSTANTIALLY, MAINTAINING A PARTIAL VACUUM AT THE TOP OF THE FRACTIONATING ZONE AND THUS THROUGHOUT THE OTHER ZONES, REMOVING UNVAPORIZED LIQUID FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE STRIPPING ZONE AND REMOVING FRACTIONATED MATERIAL FROM THE FRACTIONATING ZONE.

Claim 3

VACUUM FRACTIONATING APPARATUS COMPRISING A TOWER, MEANS IN THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF FORMING A FRACTIONING SECTION, MEANS IN THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF FORMING A STRIPPING SECTION, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING STRIPPING VAPORS INTO THE STRIPPING SECTION, A COMPARTMENT WITHIN THE TOWER BETWEEN THE FRACTIONATING SECTION AND THE STRIPPING SECTION FORMING A FLAS SECTION, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING PREHEATED FEED INTO THE FLASH SECTION, MEANS FORMING A FLASH SECTION, WAY BETWEEN THE FLASH SECTION AND THE BOTTOM OF THE FRACTIONATING SECTION AND THE BOTTOM TOM OF THE FLASH SECTION AND ADAPTED TO PERMIT WITH THE STRIPPING SECTION AND ADAPTED TO PERMIT FLOW OF LIQUID FROM THE FLASH SECTION TO THE STRIPPING SECTION, A VAPOR CONDUIT SUBSTANIALLY ABOVE THE STRIPPING SECTION AND ADAPTED TO DISCHARGE INTO THE FRACTIONATING SECTION SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE BOTTOM THEREOF, MEANS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE TOP OF THE TOWER FOR THE MAINTAINING A PATIAL VACUUM THEREIN, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING A PARTIAL VACUUM THEREIN, MEANS FOR REMOVING UUNVAPORAND MEANS FOR REMOVING FRACTIONATED MATERIAL FROM THE FRACTIONATING SECTION.

Claim 4

VACUUM FRACTIONATING APPARATUS COMPRISING A TOWER, MEANS IN THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF FORMING A FRACTIONING SECTION, MEANS IN THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF FORMING A STRIPPING SECTION, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING STRIPPING VAPORS INTO THE STRIPPING SECTION, A COMPARTMENT WITHIN THE TOWER BETWEEN THE FRACTIONATING SECTION AND THE STRIPPING SECTION FORMING A FLAS SECTION, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING PREHEATED FEED INTO THE FLASH SECTION, MEANS FORMING A FLASH SECTION, WAY BETWEEN THE FLASH SECTION AND THE BOTTOM OF THE FRACTIONATING SECTION AND THE BOTTOM TOM OF THE FLASH SECTION AND ADAPTED TO PERMIT WITH THE STRIPPING SECTION AND ADAPTED TO PERMIT FLOW OF LIQUID FROM THE FLASH SECTION TO THE STRIPPING SECTION, A VAPOR CONDUIT SUBSTANIALLY ABOVE THE STRIPPING SECTION AND ADAPTED TO DISCHARGE INTO THE FRACTIONATING SECTION SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE BOTTOM THEREOF, MEANS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE TOP OF THE TOWER FOR THE MAINTAINING A PATIAL VACUUM THEREIN, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING A PARTIAL VACUUM THEREIN, MEANS FOR REMOVING UUNVAPORAND MEANS FOR REMOVING FRACTIONATED MATERIAL FROM THE FRACTIONATING SECTION.