Thermally integrated distillation systems and processes using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10835837-B2
Application number	US-201916395662-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2019
Priority date	Sep 8, 2016
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

Processes and systems for separating a mixture of three or more chemical components into multiple product streams each enriched in one of the components are provided herein. In some aspects, the present invention relates to processes for the separation of a chemical mixture including at least a heavy key component, an intermediate key component, and a light key component to form a product stream enriched in the light key component, a product stream enriched in the intermediate key component, and a product stream enriched in the heavy key component. Systems described herein may include one or more thermally coupled distillation columns including, for example, a dividing wall column, or a plurality of distillation columns arranged in a thermally integrated configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A thermally integrated distillation system for separating a ternary mixture comprising a light key component, a heavy key component, and at least one intermediate key component, wherein said mixture has a distillation boundary on a distillation region diagram that intersects a heterogeneous, minimum boiling binary azeotrope between said intermediate key component and said heavy key component that has a higher boiling point than the light key component, said system comprising:
a first stripping zone configured to separate at least a portion of said mixture into a first vapor stream and a first product stream enriched in said heavy key component;
a second stripping zone configured to separate at least a portion of said mixture into a second vapor stream and a second product stream enriched in said intermediate key component;
a rectification zone configured to receive said first vapor stream and said second vapor stream and for separating said first vapor stream and said second vapor stream into a rectification liquid stream and an overhead product stream enriched in said light key component; and
a decantation zone configured to receive said rectification liquid stream and for separating said rectification liquid stream into a first liquid phase enriched in said heavy key component and a second liquid phase enriched in said intermediate key component, wherein each of said first and said second liquid phases have compositions that fall within different distillation regions of said distillation region diagram, and
wherein said first stripping zone is configured to receive one of said first liquid phase and said second liquid phase from said decantation zone and wherein said second stripping zone is configured to receive the other of said second liquid phase and said first liquid phase from said decantation zone.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first stripping zone is configured to receive a feed stream comprising said mixture and having a composition located in a distillation region of said distillation region diagram that contains a heavy key component vertex, or wherein said second stripping zone is configured to receive a feed stream comprising said mixture and having a composition located in a distillation region of said distillation region diagram that contains an intermediate key component vertex.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said rectification zone is configured to receive a feed stream comprising said mixture and having a higher concentration of said light key component as compared to said intermediate key component or said heavy key component.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said decantation zone is configured to receive a feed stream comprising said mixture.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said system comprises at least one dividing wall distillation column that includes a vessel shell defining an internal volume, wherein said internal volume has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein said dividing wall distillation column further comprises a dividing wall coupled to said vessel shell and extending vertically into said lower portion of said internal volume, wherein said rectification zone is located within said upper portion of said internal volume and said first and said second stripping zones are located within said lower portion of said internal volume, wherein said first and said second stripping zones are separated by said dividing wall.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said decantation zone is located outside said internal volume of said dividing wall distillation column.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein said decantation zone is located within said internal volume of said dividing wall distillation column at a location vertically positioned between said rectification zone and said first and said second stripping zones.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said system comprises a first distillation column, a second distillation column, and a third distillation column, wherein said rectification zone, said first stripping zone, and said second stripping zone are respectively located within said first, said second, and said third distillation columns, and wherein said decantation zone is located outside of each of said first, said second, and said third distillation columns.

Assignees

• Eastman Chem Co

Inventors

• Hoyme Craig Alan
• Huss Robert Scott

Classifications

• C07C45/84

  by azeotropic distillation · CPC title

• B01D3/143 Primary

  by two or more of a fractionation, separation or rectification step · CPC title

• C07C29/82

  by azeotropic distillation · CPC title

• C07C209/86

  Separation · CPC title

• C07C45/80

  by liquid-liquid treatment · CPC title