Multistage columnar flash evaporators and condensers with interspersed staging

Claim 2

A method according to claim 1 wherein said coolant liquid is pumped from the lowest location of each group to the highest location of each successive group thereby providing serial flow of coolant flow through all said locations.

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 wherein the coolant liquid is oil.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1 wherein the liquid condensate formed in the condensers flows along with the coolant liquid.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the coolant liquid is water.

Claim 6

Apparatus for condensing vapors at different pressures and temperatures, said apparatus comprising a plurality of superposed groups of condenser chambers, the chambers in each group being displaced elevationally from one another, the condenser chambers of individual groups being interspersed elevationally among the condenser chambers of other groups, each of said chambers including condensing liquid admission means leading into each chamber, condensing liquid distribution means within each chamber below the condensing liquid admission means, liquid outlet means leading out from the bottom of each chamber and means for receiving vapors into each chamber below its liquid distribution means, liquid conduit downcomer means interconnecting the liquid outlet means of each upper condenser with the liquid admission means of the next lower condenser of the same group and pumping means arranged to pump the condensing liquid from the liquid outlet means of the lowermost condenser in one group up to the liquid admission means of the uppermost condenser into the next group of higher pressure condensers, the vertical dimensions of the condenser chambers in the said groups being such as to permit interspersal therebetween of the successive individual condenser chambers in the remaining groups so as to be accommodated in the vertical distances between the said successive condenser locations.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the downcomer means which extend between the condenser chambers in one group bypass the condenser chambers Of other groups.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said downcomer means are each provided with a liquid trap to ensure a hydraulic seal between adjacent condenser chambers.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the condenser chambers of several groups are arranged in vertical alignment.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the condenser chambers of several interspersed groups are formed in a vertically positioned cylinder divided by partitions to form the condensing chambers the cylinder being used as the main support for the condensing chambers.

Claim 11

In a multiple stage condenser system the combination of at least one vertically extending tubular column, plural partition means extending across the interior of said column and dividing same into a number of elevationally displaced condenser chambers, each chamber being formed with an upper condensing liquid admission opening, a lower condensing liquid outlet opening and a vapor admission opening therebetween, liquid distribution means arranged in each chamber, said condenser chambers being arranged in different groups with the vertically displaced condenser chambers of each group being interspersed elevationally among those which are similarly displaced in the other groups, the vertical dimensions of the vertically displaced condenser chambers in each group being such as to permit interspersal thereof between successive condenser chambers of the other groups and accommodation in the vertical distances between the said successive condenser locations, downcomer means interconnecting the condenser chambers of each group and extending between the liquid outlet opening of a higher condenser chamber and the condensing liquid admission opening of the next lower condenser chamber in the same group, and pumping means arranged to pump liquids from the condensing liquid outlet opening of the lowermost condenser chamber of one group up to the condensing liquid admission opening of the highest condenser chamber of the succeeding group.

Claim 12

In a multiple stage condenser system the combination of vertically extending tubular column means, a plurality of vertically spaced transverse partition means extending across the interior of said column means and dividing same into a number of elevationally displaced condenser chambers, each chamber being formed with an upper condensing liquid admission opening, a lower condensing liquid outlet opening and a vapor admission opening between the other two openings, downcomer means interconnecting the liquid admission and liquid outlet openings, each downcomer means bypassing at least one of said condenser chambers to extend from the lower condensing liquid outlet opening of a chamber above said one chamber to the upper condensing liquid admission opening of a chamber below said one chamber.

Claim 13

A multiple stage condenser system according to claim 17 wherein said column means comprises a plurality of columns and wherein each of said columns includes a plurality of groups of interspersed condenser chambers.

Claim 14

Apparatus for the evaporation separation of solvents and solutes from solution, said apparatus comprising a plurality of evaporation stages, means maintaining said stages at successively decreasing pressures and temperatures, liquid conduit means interconnecting said stages in series whereby a preheated liquid may flow through the stages and undergo successively decreasing pressures and temperatures to experience partial vaporization in each stage, a corresponding plurality of direct contact type condenser stages, vapor conduit means interconnecting each evaporation stage with a corresponding one of said condenser stages, said condenser stages being arranged in stacked relationship and interconnected by downcomers to permit a condensing liquid to flow down from stage to stage at successively increasing pressures, each downcomer bypassing at least one condenser stage to permit the obtaining of a condensing fluid pressure head between the stages connected by each downcomer, and pumping means arranged to pump the condensing liquid from the bottom of one group of downcomer interconnected condenser stages to the top of another group of stages bypassed by the downcomers of said one group.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 17 wherein said lower density liquid is water and said higher density liquid is oil.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 17 wherein said higher density liquid is directed to fall down between vertically separated bodies of said lower density liquid in the form of sprays and to sink down through each body of said lower density liquid.

Claim 19

A method according to claim 17 wherein the higher density liquid is caused to move in a generally vertical direction as it is sprayed onto and sinks through the lower density liquid.

Claim 20

A method according to claim 20 wherein the lower density liquid is caused to move in horizontal directions while said higher density liquid is sprayed onto it and sinks through it.

Claim 21

In a multiple flash evaporation system the combination of a plurality of evaporation chambers, U-tube interconnection means arranged to transfer liquids from a higher pressure evaporator to the next lower pressure evaporator, said U-tube interconnection means comprising a large cross section inclined extension extending down from the bottom of the higher pressure evaporator, a pair of U-tubes extending down from said extension, one of said U-tubes having the downward leg extending from the bottom of said extension and the other having a downward leg extending up a finite distance into said extension clear of its upper opening, said U-tubes having upward legs which join together and extend to said next lower pressure evaporator.

Claim 22

In the multistage flash evaporation of liquids the steps of subjecting a heated liquid to a pressure lower than its saturation pressure in a first stage evaporation chamber to produce flash evaporation with consequent agitation and formation of a liquid and vapor mixture, passing the liquid and vapor mixture downwardly from the first stage evaporation chamber as a downwardly fLowing mixture column and continuing the passage of the mixture upwardly as an upwardly flowing mixture column to a second stage evaporation chamber maintained at a pressure lower than the pressure in said first stage evaporation chamber, the continued presence of vapors in the mixture passing from said downwardly flowing mixture column to said upwardly flowing mixture column serving to promote agitation and heat transfer and thereby enhance vaporization in the upwardly flowing mixture column, and the degree of vapor transfer from stage to stage being less than about 10 percent of the vapors produced in the next preceding stage.

Claim 23

Multistage flash evaporation of liquid according to claim 23 wherein the degree of vapor transfer is less than about 10 percent of the vapors produced in the next preceding stage.

Claim 24

Multistage flash evaporation of liquid according to claim 23 wherein a substantial portion of the vaporization which takes place from the beginning of one stage to the beginning of the next stage occurs in said columns.

Claim 25

Multistage flash evaporation of liquid according to claim 23 wherein said upflowing column extends for a longer distance than said downflowing column to provide increased lift of the liquid flowing therethrough.

Claim 26

Multistage flash evaporation of liquid according to claim 23 further including the step of throttling the flow of liquid in one of said columns to control the degree of vapor transfer.

Claim 27

Apparatus for achieving flash evaporation of one of two liquids of higher and lower density, respectively, which flow along together, said apparatus comprising a chamber, means for directing the lower density liquid to flow as a body in horizontal directions through said chamber at different elevational levels, and means for spraying streams of the higher density liquid from level to level on the upper surface of the body of lower density liquid at each level and to sink down through the lower density liquid in the form of droplets, the means for directing the higher density liquid comprising a plurality of traylike elements superposed at different elevational levels within said chamber, said traylike elements having first, larger openings, staggered from tray to tray to permit transferral of the lower density liquid from element to element, said traylike elements further having spray orifices to permit the spraying down of said higher density liquid, said first larger openings being provided with upstanding walls surrounding them.