CONTROLLED FREEZE ZONE TOWER

摘要

A CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION TOWER (100) IS PROVIDED FOR THE SEPARATION OF A FLUID STREAM (10) CONTAINING AT LEAST METHANE AND CARBON DIOXIDE. THE CRYOGENIC DISTILLATION TOWER (100) HAS A LOWER STRIPPING SECTION (106), AN UPPER RECTIFICATION SECTION (110), AND AN INTERMEDIATE SPRAY SECTION (108). THE INTERMEDIATE SPRAY SECTION (108) INCLUDES A PLURALITY OF SPRAY NOZZLES (122) THAT INJECT A LIQUID FREEZE ZONE STREAM. THE NOZZLES ARE CONFIGURED SUCH THAT SUBSTANTIAL LIQUID COVERAGE IS PROVIDED ACROSS THE INNER DIAMETER OF THE INTERMEDIATE SPRAY SECTION (108). THE LIQUID FREEZE ZONE STREAM GENERALLY INCLUDES METHANE AT A TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE WHEREBY BOTH SOLID CARBON DIOXIDE PARTICLES AND A METHANE-ENRICHED VAPOR STREAM (25) ARE FORMED. THE TOWER MAY FURTHER INCLUDE ONE OR MORE BAFFLES BELOW THE NOZZLES TO CREATE FRICTIONAL RESISTANCE TO THE GRAVITATIONAL FLOW OF THE LIQUID FREEZE ZONE STREAM. THIS AIDS IN THE BREAKOUT AND RECOVERY OF METHANE GAS. ADDITIONAL INTERNAL COMPONENTS ARE PROVIDED TO IMPROVE HEAT TRANSFER AND TO FACILITATE THE BREAKOUT OF METHANE GAS. (FIGURE 1)