Patent Description:
The present invention relates to a dispersion plate, and particularly, to a dispersion plate used in a butadiene purification column.

Butadiene has been used as an intermediate of numerous petrochemicals such as synthetic rubber and electronic materials, which is one of the most important basic oils in a petrochemical market, and the demand and value thereof has been gradually increasing.

Butadiene may be obtained by purifying butadiene in a C<NUM> mixture. For purification, a first extraction system, a second extraction system, and a purification system are included.

Here, in the purification system, a process of removing impurities is performed in order to increase the purity of butadiene, which is carried out in a purification column.

The purification column includes a dispersion plate and a catalyst layer therein, wherein steam injected from a lower portion thereof moves to an upper portion thereof, butadiene injected from the upper portion thereof moves to the lower portion thereof, and in the catalyst layer, a reaction for removing impurities occurs.

Here, the dispersion plate separates the flow of steam and butadiene from each other, such that the purification is performed efficiently.

The dispersion plate includes a plurality of tubes through which butadiene and steam flow, and some of the tubes through which butadiene flows may be clogged by a popcorn-type impurity (hereinafter, referred to as a popcorn polymer) produced during the process.

As such, when some of the tubes are clogged, the dispersion plate fails to function, a liquid level of butadiene rises, so that butadiene flows in the tube through which steam flows, thereby reducing purification efficiency.

<CIT> describes a reactor comprising a continuous wall enclosing a first reaction zone, wherein the first reaction zone includes a catalyst for causing a desired reaction between the liquid and the treat gas; a liquid inlet above the first reaction zone for allowing a portion of the liquid to enter the reactor; a gas inlet below the first reaction zone for allowing a portion of the treat gas to enter the reactor; a liquid outlet below the first reaction zone for allowing a reacted portion of the liquid to exit the reactor; a gas outlet above the first reaction zone for allowing a portion of the treat gas to exit the reactor; and a gas bypass device in the first reaction zone for allowing a portion of the treat gas to bypass a portion of the first reaction zone, the gas bypass device including a gas bypass regulating device for regulating the amount of treat gas which bypasses the first reaction zone.

<CIT> describes a distributor for a liquid in a gas-liquid contacting vessel. A first member forms a plurality of apertures permitting a liquid to pass there-through. A first compartment is coupled to the first member forming a barrier proximate to a perimeter of a first aperture of the plurality of apertures. A second compartment is coupled to the first member forming a barrier proximate to a perimeter of a second aperture of the plurality of apertures.

The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a dispersion plate for butadiene purification column in which purification efficiency is not reduced even if some of the tubes through which butadiene is discharged are clogged to raise a liquid level, and a purification column including the same.

The present invention provides a dispersion plate for a purification column including a support plate, at least one first fluid tube penetrating through the support plate, and a plurality of second fluid tubes arranged to be spaced apart from the first fluid tube and surround the first fluid tube, wherein a length of at least one of the second fluid tubes is longer than a length of another one of the second fluid tubes, and is shorter than or equal to a length of the first fluid tube.

The second fluid tubes may be arranged at a predetermined interval along a circumference of the first fluid tube.

The second fluid tubes may include a first tube having a first length and a second tube having a second length longer than the first length, wherein the first tube and the second tube are alternately arranged along the circumference of the first fluid tube.

Each of the second fluid tubes has an elliptical inlet in which a first end point positioned to be spaced apart from one surface of the support plate by a first distance, and a second end point positioned to be spaced apart from the one surface of the support plate by a second distance longer than the first distance are connected to each other.

The second end point of the first tube is positioned on the same line as the first end point of the second tube.

Diameters of the first tube and the second tube may be the same.

The second fluid tubes may include a plurality of first tubes surrounding the first fluid tube, arranged at a predetermined interval, and having the same length; and a plurality of second tubes each positioned between adjacent first tubes and having different lengths, wherein lengths of the second tubes are longer than lengths of the first tubes.

The first tubes may be arranged at angles in which the first fluid tube having a circular cross-section is evenly divided.

The second fluid tubes may include the same number of first tubes and second tubes.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a purification column including a purification chamber having a lower portion into which steam is injected and an upper portion into which butadiene is injected, at least one dispersion plate as described above installed across the inside of the purification chamber, and at least one catalyst layer configured to remove impurities of butadiene. The at least one catalyst layer is positioned so as to be spaced apart from the dispersion plate.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the dispersion plate installed in the butadiene purification column, the butadiene tubes may have various lengths, whereby deterioration in purification efficiency may be minimized even if the tube is clogged due to a popcorn polymer.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so as for those of ordinary skill in the art to easily implement, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

To clarify the present invention, parts not related to the description are omitted from the drawings, and the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

In addition, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of explanation, and thus the present invention is not necessarily limited to those shown in the drawings.

Throughout the specification, when referring that a certain element is "connected" to another element, it includes not only "directly connected" but also "indirectly connected" between other members. In addition, when referring that a certain element "comprises" a certain component, this means that the element may further include another components instead of excluding another components, unless explicitly described to the contrary.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a dispersion plate installed in a butadiene purification column according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

<FIG> is a schematic configuration diagram showing a purification column according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Purification of butadiene according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is performed in the purification column. As shown in <FIG>, a purification column <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a purification chamber <NUM>, a dispersion plate <NUM> installed across the purification chamber <NUM>, inlets H1 and H2 and outlets H3 and H4 for injecting and discharging fluid into/from the purification chamber <NUM>, and a catalyst layer <NUM> for removing impurities.

The purification chamber <NUM> provides a space in which butadiene is purified by reacting with a catalyst and separated from an external environment.

The purification chamber <NUM> includes a first inlet H1 through which butadiene is supplied, a second inlet H2 through which steam is injected, a first outlet H3 through which steam is discharged, and a second outlet H4 through which purified butadiene is discharged.

The first inlet H1 is positioned at an upper portion of the purification chamber, and the second outlet H4 is positioned at a lower portion of the purification chamber to allow butadiene supplied from the upper portion of the purification chamber to the lower portion thereof and then purified to be discharged through the second outlet H4 at the lower portion thereof.

The second inlet H2 is positioned at the lower portion of the purification chamber, and the first outlet H3 is positioned at the upper portion of the purification chamber <NUM> to allow steam supplied to the lower portion of the purification chamber <NUM> and then moving to the upper portion of the purification chamber <NUM> to be discharged through the first outlet H3.

The catalyst layer <NUM> may be selected depending on the impurities to be removed from butadiene supplied, and may be a catalyst containing a metal.

The dispersion plate <NUM>, which is to separate the catalyst layer <NUM>, butadiene and steam from one another, is installed across the purification chamber <NUM>.

<FIG> is a schematic perspective diagram showing a dispersion plate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. <FIG> is a diagram for comparing and illustrating a length of a fluid tube included in <FIG>. <FIG> is a layout diagram showing a fluid tube included in one unit group included in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, the dispersion plate <NUM> includes a support plate <NUM>, at least one first fluid tube <NUM> penetrating through the support plate <NUM>, and a plurality of second fluid tubes <NUM> arranged to be spaced apart from the first fluid tube <NUM> and surround the first fluid tube <NUM>.

Here, the second fluid tubes <NUM> may be arranged, at a predetermined interval, along the circumference of the first fluid tube <NUM>.

Vapor (steam) may flow through the first tube <NUM> and butadiene may flow through the second fluid tube <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, a diameter D1 of the first tube <NUM> may be larger than diameters D2 of the second fluid tubes <NUM>. Lengths of the second fluid tubes <NUM> may be shorter than a length of the first fluid tube <NUM> and a length L1 of at least one of the second fluid tubes <NUM> is longer than a length L2 of another second fluid tube <NUM>, but is not limited thereto, and three, four, or more second fluid tubes having different lengths may be formed.

Hereinafter, the second fluid tubes having four different lengths will be described as an example. For convenience of explanation, among the second fluid tubes having different lengths, the second fluid tube having the shortest length is referred to as a first tube 23a, and in order of increasing length, the second fluid tubes having different lengths, in the order of increasing lengths, are each referred to as a second tube 23b, a third tube 23c and a fourth tube 23d.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the second fluid tubes <NUM> are cut obliquely and inlets of the second fluid tubes <NUM> each have an elliptical inlet in which a first end point X1 positioned to be spaced apart from one surface of the support plate <NUM> by a first distance LD1, and a second end point X2 positioned to be spaced apart from the one surface of the support plate <NUM> by a second distance LD2 longer than the first distance LD1 are connected each other.

Here, the second end point is positioned relatively adjacent to the first fluid tube <NUM>, and the first end point is positioned relatively far from the first fluid tube <NUM>. Therefore, the elliptical inlets of the second fluid tubes <NUM> are arranged so as not to face the first fluid tube <NUM>, thereby allowing butadiene to easily flow in. A difference between a length L21 of the first tube 23a and a length L22 of the second tube 23b, a difference between a length L22 of the second tube 23b and a length L23 of the third tube 23c, and a difference between a length L23 of the third tube 23c and a length L24 of the fourth tube 23d may be a difference LD (hereinafter, referred to as a height of the elliptical inlet) between the second distance LD2 and the first distance LD1, respectively.

Thus, the second end point X2 of the first tube 23a is positioned on the same line as the first end point X1 of the second tube 23b, the second end point X2 of the second tube 23b may be positioned on the same line as the first end point X1 of the third tube 23c, and the second end point X2 of the third tube 23c may be positioned on the same line as the first end point X1 of the fourth tube 23d. That is, when arranging one of the second fluid tubes having a longer length than another one of the second fluid tubes having a reference length, the one of the second fluid tubes having a longer length than the other one of the second fluid tubes having the reference length (or previously arranged) by a height LD of the elliptical inlet is arranged, and the second end point X2 of the other one of the second fluid tubes having the reference length and the first end point X1 of the one of the second fluid tubes arranged thereafter are arranged so as to be positioned on the same line.

Meanwhile, when the plurality of second fluid tubes <NUM> surrounding the first fluid tube <NUM> around one first fluid tube <NUM> are referred to as one unit group G, the dispersion plate <NUM> may include a plurality of unit groups G depending on a purification capacity of the purification column. For example, the dispersion plate <NUM> may include seven unit groups G, and, the unit group G may be arranged at a predetermined interval in the support plate.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, among the second fluid tubes <NUM> having different lengths and included in the unit group G, there may be second fluid tubes <NUM> having same lengths. When one unit group G has six second fluid tubes, it may include three first tubes 23a and three second tubes 23b, and the first tubes 23a and the second tubes 23b may be arranged alternately. Alternatively, one unit group G may include three first tubes 23a, one second tube 23b, one third tube 23c, and one fourth tube 23d, and the second tube 23b, the third tube 23c, and the fourth tube 23d may be arranged between adjacent first tubes 23a.

As in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the second fluid tubes <NUM> through which the butadiene flows have various lengths, the function of the dispersion plate may be extended although some of the second fluid tubes <NUM> are clogged due to popcorn polymer necessarily produced in addition to butadiene.

<FIG> are schematic diagrams for explaining a fluid flow in the dispersion plate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In order to assist in understanding of the invention, the fluid tubes arranged in the order of their lengths are shown. Referring to <FIG>, butadiene is supplied from the upper portion of the purification column and stored on the support plate <NUM>, and when the butadiene reaches a predetermined level or more, it is transferred to the catalyst layer at the lower portion of the purification column, through the second fluid tubes <NUM>.

Some of the plurality of second fluid tubes may be clogged by the popcorn polymer. Clogging due to the popcorn polymer results in a difference in flux of the supplied butadiene and the butadiene discharged through the second fluid tubes <NUM>. Therefore, all of the supplied butadiene is not transferred to the catalyst layer but is stored, resulting in raising the height of the liquid level W of butadiene.

As in the present invention, when the second fluid tubes <NUM> are installed in multi-stages, butadiene is discharged through the first tube 23a in the steady state. When some of the first tubes 23a are clogged, the liquid level W rises and, the liquid level W reaches the inlet of the second tube 23b as shown in <FIG> and butadiene starts to be discharged through the second tube 23b. For example, in the dispersion plate having seven groups, when two of the first tubes 23a having a length of <NUM> are clogged, the liquid level height may be raised to <NUM>. Therefore, at the inlet of the second tube 23b, the first end point may be positioned at <NUM>, which is the liquid level height.

Thereafter, when some of the second tubes 23b are also clogged, the liquid level W rises again, the liquid level W reaches the third tube 23c as shown in <FIG>, and then butadiene is discharged through the third tube 23c. When some of the third tubes 23c are clogged and the liquid level continuously rises, butadiene is discharged through the fourth tube 23d, and the discharging through the second fluid tube may be performed sequentially until the liquid level reaches the first fluid tube.

Conventionally, when some of the plurality of second fluid tubes having the same length are clogged, the flux of butadiene supplied to the catalyst layer is small while the liquid level rises, thereby reducing purification efficiency. Also, butadiene, the liquid level height of which was rapidly raised, was discharged through the first fluid tube, and disturbed the movement of steam, thereby reducing purification efficiency.

However, in the present invention, butadiene may be discharged even while the liquid level rises and reaches the first fluid tube, thereby reducing the deterioration in purification efficiency.

In the present invention, the second end point X2 of a second fluid tube which relatively first starts to discharge (for example, a first tube 23a which starts to discharge prior to the second tube 23b), and the first end point X1 of the second tube 23b starting the next discharge are positioned on the same line. Therefore, even if the liquid level rises, it is possible to perform a discharge immediately, thereby preventing the deterioration in the purification efficiency.

In addition, when the liquid level rises, the popcorn polymer together with butadiene may reach the catalyst layer through the first fluid tube, thereby reducing purification efficiency. However, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the rise of the liquid level may delay as much as possible, thereby delaying the deterioration in purification efficiency due to the transfer of the popcorn polymer to the catalyst layer.

<FIG> is a schematic layout diagram showing a dispersion plate according to another embodiment of the present invention. <FIG> is a diagram for comparing and illustrating the length of the fluid tubes included in <FIG>.

The dispersion plate shown in <FIG> and <FIG> is mostly the same as that shown in <FIG>, and thus only different parts will be described in detail. For convenience of explanation, one unit group is described as an example, and the dispersion plate may include such unit group in plural.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, a dispersion plate <NUM> may include the first fluid tube <NUM> and the second fluid tube <NUM>, and the second fluid tubes <NUM> may include tubes 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, and 23e having different lengths, and may be installed in multi-stages.

The second fluid tubes <NUM> in <FIG> and <FIG> further include one more stage than the second fluid tubes in <FIG>. The reason may be that the distance from the first tube 23a to the first fluid tube <NUM> is longer than the distance from the first tube 23a to the first fluid tube <NUM> in <FIG>, or the height LD of the inlet is short.

Here, the arrangement of the second fluid tubes in <FIG> and the second fluid tubes in <FIG> and <FIG> may be performed in the same manner.

That is, a reference tube is arranged at a predetermined interval along the circumference of the first fluid tube <NUM>. Here, the reference tube may be the first tubes 23a, and all of the first tubes 23a may have the same length and have the shortest length among the second fluid tubes.

The second fluid tubes may be arranged radially from the center of the first fluid tube. For example, in <FIG>, since the number of the first tube 23a, which is the reference tube, is three, the first tubes 23a may be arranged at a position where the first fluid tube having a circular cross section is divided by <NUM> degrees. In <FIG>, since the number of the first tube, which is the reference tube, is four, the first tubes 23a may be arranged at a position where the first fluid tube having a circular cross section is divided by <NUM> degrees.

Intermediate tubes having longer lengths than the reference tube may be arranged between adjacent reference tubes, respectively. Here, the intermediate tubes may be the second tube 23b, the third tube 23c, the fourth tube 23d, and the fifth tube 23e, all of these lengths may be different.

In <FIG>, the intermediate tubes having three different lengths may be arranged between adjacent reference tubes, respectively. In <FIG>, the intermediate tubes having four different lengths may be arranged between adjacent reference tubes, respectively.

In an exemplary embodiment above, the second fluid tubes having four stages in <FIG> and five stages in <FIG> are each escribed as an example, but is not limited thereto, and may include more or fewer number of stages.

Since the reference tube may be arranged at an angle in which the first fluid tube having a circular cross-section is evenly divided, and the intermediate tubes may be arranged therebetween, the number of reference tubes and the number of intermediate tubes positioned between adjacent reference tubes may be the same.

Further, in exemplary embodiments of <FIG> and <FIG>, one intermediate tube is described except for the reference tube, but is not limited thereto, and depending on the flux of butadiene, there may be multiple intermediate tubes in each stage.

Also, in an exemplary embodiment above, the first fluid tube having a circular cross-section is described as an example, but is not limited thereto. The first fluid tube may have various cross-sections, such as a tetragon and pentagon. Here, the second fluid tube may be arranged radially at a predetermined angle from the center of the first fluid tube, while surrounding the first fluid tube.

In an exemplary embodiment above, the purification column having one dispersion plate is described, but is not limited thereto, and as shown in <FIG>, a plurality of dispersion plates may be installed, as necessary.

<FIG> is a schematic configuration diagram showing a purification column according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in <FIG>, a purification column <NUM> may include two dispersion plates <NUM> and may be installed in the order of the catalyst layer <NUM>, the dispersion plate <NUM>, the catalyst layer <NUM>, and the dispersion plate <NUM> from the lower portion of the purification column.

Claim 1:
A dispersion plate (<NUM>), comprising:
a support plate (<NUM>);
at least one first fluid tube (<NUM>) penetrating through the support plate (<NUM>); and
a plurality of second fluid tubes (<NUM>) arranged to be spaced apart from the first fluid tube and to surround the first fluid tube (<NUM>),
wherein a length (L22-L24) of at least one of the second fluid tubes (<NUM>) is longer than a length (L21-L23) of another one of the second fluid tubes (<NUM>), and is shorter than or equal to a length of the first fluid tube (<NUM>),
wherein each of the second fluid tubes (<NUM>) has an elliptical inlet which connects a first end point (X1) positioned to be spaced apart from one surface of the support plate (<NUM>) by a first distance (LD1) and a second end point (X2) positioned to be spaced apart from the one surface of the support plate (<NUM>) by a second distance (LD2) longer than the first distance (LD1),
wherein the second end point (X2) of one of the second fluid tubes (23a-23c) is positioned on the same line as the first end point (X1) of another one of the second fluid tubes (23b-23d),
wherein the second end point (X2) is positioned relatively adjacent to the first fluid tube (<NUM>), and the first end point (X1) is positioned relatively far from the first fluid tube (<NUM>).