Apparatus for distillation at cryogenic temperatures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10914518-B2
Application number	US-201815952016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2018
Priority date	Apr 12, 2017
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus for distillation at cryogenic temperatures can include a cold box module comprising framing and having an upper module section and a lower module section, wherein the upper module comprises a roof; an upper column section disposed within the upper module section; a lower column section disposed within the lower module section; a plurality of support saddles attached to the upper and lower module sections that are configured to provide structural support for the upper and lower column sections when the upper and lower column sections are in a horizontal position during transportation; and means for limiting longitudinal movement of the lower column section when the lower module section is in a horizontal position during transport, wherein the means for limiting longitudinal movement are connected to the lower column section and the lower module section.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus for distillation at cryogenic temperatures, the apparatus comprising:
a cold box module comprising framing and having an upper module section and a lower module section, wherein the upper module comprises a roof;
an upper column section disposed within the upper module section;
a lower column section disposed within the lower module section;
a first support saddle and a second support saddle attached to the upper module section, wherein the first support saddle is attached at an upper side portion of the upper column section and the second support saddle is attached at a lower side portion of the upper column section, wherein the first support saddle and the second support saddle are configured to provide structural support for the upper column section when the upper column section is in a horizontal position during transportation;
a third support saddle and a fourth support saddle attached to the bottom module section, wherein the third support saddle is attached at an upper side portion of the lower column section and the fourth support saddle is attached at a lower side portion of the lower column section, wherein the third support saddle and the fourth support saddle are configured to provide structural support for the lower column section when the lower column section is in a horizontal position during transport; and
means for limiting longitudinal movement of the lower column section when the lower module section is in a horizontal position during transport, wherein the means for limiting longitudinal movement are connected to the lower column section and the lower module section.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first support saddle and the second support saddle are releasably attached to the upper module section, and wherein the third support saddle and the fourth support saddle are releasably attached to the lower module section.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising shipping support spacers disposed between each of the first, second, third, and fourth support saddles and the framing of the cold box module.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper module section and the lower module section are configured to be transported to an installation site separately.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a stairwell module attached to the lower module section, wherein the stairwell module is attached prior to transportation to an installation site.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the means for limiting longitudinal movement comprises a skirt attachment comprised of a threaded rod secured by a top lock nut and a bottom lock nut.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the skirt attachment is configured to prevent movement associated with acceleration and/or deceleration during transportation.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the skirt attachment is configured to allow movement at oblique angles to the longitudinal axis of the lower column section, wherein the amount of movement is configured to prevent column deformation.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the skirt attachment comprises temporary anchor bolts configured to reduce acceleration and deceleration forces during transport.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a jacking system disposed on the roof of the upper module section, wherein the jacking system is configured to lower the upper column section towards the lower column section in a controlled manner after the upper module section and the lower module section are connected to each other in a vertical orientation.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a jacking system disposed on the roof of the upper module section, wherein the jacking system is configured to lower the upper column independent of lowering the upper module section.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the jacking system comprises:
a structural assembly; and
a plurality of suspension rods supported at an upper end by the structural assembly, wherein the plurality of suspension rods is configured to provide support to the upper column section.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising column supports disposed on the upper column section, wherein the column supports are configured to engage with the suspension rods and transfer the weight of the upper column section to the suspension rods.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the structural assembly further comprises:
a lifting frame elevated from the roof;
means for lowering the upper column section in a controlled manner; and
a plurality of shipping spacers disposed between the lifting frame and the roof of the cold box.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the structural assembly is configured to allow for removal of the shipping spacers after the cold box is installed in a vertical position.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the means for lowering the upper column section in a controlled manner comprise a set of roof lock nuts engaged with the plurality of suspension rods, wherein the roof lock nuts are configured to provide a set stopping point for lowering the upper column section.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising means for elevating the lifting frame off the shipping spacers.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the means for elevating the lifting frame off the shipping spacer comprises a plurality of hydraulic lift jacks.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lower module section comprises a top post at an upper end, wherein the upper module section comprises a bottom post at a lower end, wherein the top post of the lower module section and the bottom post of the upper module section are configured to be bolted together.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the top post of the lower module section is thicker than the bottom post of the upper module section, wherein filler plates are used to bolt the bottom post and the top post together.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 , further comprising a lifting lug bolted to the top post of the lower module section, wherein the lifting lug is configured for use when erecting the lower module section from a horizontal position to a vertical position at the installation site.

Assignees

• Air Liquide

Inventors

• Poulin Gilles
• Hardy Yves
• Granger Claude
• Plamondon Yoland
• Pham Minh Huy
• Yip May Yee Wendy

Classifications

• F25J3/04945 Primary

  Details of internal structure; insulation and housing of the cold box · CPC title

• F25J2290/42

  Modularity, pre-fabrication of modules, assembling and erection, horizontal layout, i.e. plot plan, and vertical arrangement of parts of the cryogenic unit, e.g. of the cold box · CPC title

• F25J3/04896

  Details of columns, e.g. internals, inlet/outlet devices · CPC title

• F25J3/0489

  Modularity and arrangement of parts of the air fractionation unit, in particular of the cold box, e.g. pre-fabrication, assembling and erection, dimensions, horizontal layout "plot" (F25J3/04872 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25J3/04412

  in a classical double column flowsheet, i.e. with thermal coupling by a main reboiler-condenser in the bottom of low pressure respectively top of high pressure column · CPC title