| 摘要 |
A multi-column system comprising: (a) higher (10) and lower (12) pressure columns associated with one another by a condenser-reboiler (18) to condense tower overhead in the higher pressure column against vaporising a portion of liquid descending within the lower pressure column. The condenser-reboiler comprising a falling film type of heat exchanger; (b) a liquid collector (30) to collect the liquid for transfer to the condenser-reboiler; (c) a sump to collect a remaining portion of the liquid (32) not vaporised; (d) a first branched flow circuit (34) connected to the sump having first (36) and second (38) branches; (e) a pump (40) connected to the first branch of the branched flow circuit to pressurise a stream of the remaining portion of the liquid; (f) a second branched flow circuit (42) connected to the pump and having an outlet branch (44) and a return branch(46); (g) an ejector (48) having a high pressure inlet connected to the return branch, a low pressure inlet connected to the second branch and an outlet; (h) a conduit (52) communicating between the high pressure outlet and the liquid collector for recirculating the mixed streams back to the condenser-reboiler. Also claimed is a method of operating the system. |
