Systems and processes for improving distillate yield and quality

摘要

Systems and processes for improving quality and yield of one or more distillate products generated in a distillation column are disclosed. The system comprises a feed inlet distributor that reduces the amount of liquid entrained in vapor rising from the feed zone of the distillation column, a wash zone collection apparatus having an improved design for collecting slop wax falling from a liquid/vapor contacting structure provided in the wash zone, a recirculation subsystem for recirculating at least a portion of the collected slop wax to the top of the wash zone for distribution as wash oil, and a control subsystem. The feed inlet distributor ensures a horizontal fluid flow path free of transverse surfaces thereby minimizing atomization of liquid droplets entrained in vapor in the feed stream.

主权项

1. A process for improving quality and yield of one or more distillate products generated in a distillation column, the distillation column comprising a feed zone, a wash zone located above the feed zone, and a fractionation zone located above the wash zone, the wash zone having disposed therein a liquid/vapor contacting structure and a wash oil distributor for distributing wash oil to the contacting structure, the process comprising:
feeding a fluid feed stream comprising both liquid and vapor phases tangentially or radially to the distillation column; providing a tangential entry feed distributor or a radial entry feed distributor within the distillation column, the tangential entry feed distributor and/or the radial entry feed distributor is free of any surface transverse to a flow path of the feed stream in order to reduce atomization of liquid in the feed stream; collecting slop wax falling from the contacting structure using a wash zone collection apparatus disposed in the wash zone; recirculating a portion of the slop wax to the wash oil distributor for distribution as the wash oil to the contacting structure; and producing a distillate product by condensation and collection of the vapor above the wash zone,
wherein the fractionation zone comprises a distillate product collector for collecting the produced distillate product, andwherein one or more insulating materials is applied to an upper surface of a floor of the distillate product collector to reduce condensation of vapor on a bottom surface thereof.