Patent ID: 6551465
Filing Date: 2003-04-22
Classification: B01D,Y10S

Abstract:
A dividing wall fractional distillation column having a vertical central portion divided into a feed section and a parallel product section by a dividing wall, the parallel feed and product sections having upper and lower ends, the dividing wall fractional distillation column comprising:a.) an upper section containing vapor-liquid contacting devices; b.) an overhead condensing system in which vapor rising from the upper section of the column is at least partially condensed and an overhead liquid is produced; c.) a first flow control valve which controls the flow of a portion of said overhead liquid into the upper section of the column as reflux; d.) a first temperature sensor, which monitors the temperature in the upper end of the product section of the column and generates a signal used in controlling the operation of the first flow control valve; e.) a first liquid collection system located in an upper portion of the column below the upper section and above the dividing wall, the first liquid collection system blocking downward liquid flow through substantially all of the cross section of the column; f.) a first conduit providing fluid communication with the feed section, and a second conduit providing fluid communication with the product section; g.) a flow ratio controller which controls the division of liquid collected in the first liquid collection system into separate streams which flow via the first and second conduits into the feed and product sections of the column; h.) a second liquid collection system, which is located in an intermediate portion of the product section of the column, with the second liquid collection system having a liquid collection well from which a side product is removed from the column; i.) a second flow control valve which controls the rate of side product removal in response to a second signal; j.) a second temperature sensor, which monitors the temperature in the lower end of the product section of the column and generates the second signal used in controlling the operation of the second flow control valve; k.) a control system for regulating the heat input to the column by a reboiler system located at the bottom of the column; and l.) a flow control system for regulating the rate at which a net bottoms product is removed from the column.