Patent ID: 8684337
Filing Date: 2014-04-01
Classification: B01D,F25J,F28D,F28F

Abstract:
1. A method of purifying a lower boiling component from an impure mixture by distillation, the method comprising: (a) contacting a vapor enriched in the lower boiling component on the external surfaces of a plurality of condenser tubes of an apparatus for vapor-liquid contacting, comprising a vertically oriented column having disposed therein the plurality of condenser tubes extending substantially vertically over a section of the column length, wherein at least a portion of the condenser tubes have external surfaces comprising one or more surface enhancements, and (b) passing a cooling fluid through the condenser tubes, wherein the surface enhancements comprise circumferentially extending fins; and wherein at least a portion of the circumferentially extending fins have outer edges that include a plurality of notches aligned axially with respect to adjacent circumferentially extending fins so that they are superimposed when viewed axially to improve condensate drainage and wherein the notches are bent at their respective corners outside of the plane of the circumferentially extending fins.