Rotary valve, multiport

A multiport rotary valve is used to connect 12 fixed-bed reactors in a rotary adsorber for high utilization of the amount of adsorbing agent (see Figure 34.6). 

The commercial appHcation of this concept (68) is portrayed ia Figure 8, which shows the adsorbent as a stationary bed. A Hquid circulating pump is provided to pump Hquid from the bottom outiet to the top inlet of the adsorbent chamber. A fluid-directing device known as a rotary valve (69,70) is provided. The rotary valve functions on the same principle as a multiport stopcock in directing each of several streams to different lines. At the right-hand face of the valve, the four streams to and from the process are continuously fed and withdrawn. At the left-hand face of the valve, a number of lines are coimected that terminate in distributors within the adsorbent bed. 

Multiport This term refers to any valve or manifold of valves with more than one inlet or outlet. For throttling control, the three-way body is used for blending (two inlets, one outlet) or as a diverter (one inlet, two outlets). A three-way valve is most commonly a special globelike body with special trim that allows flow both over and under the plug. Two rotary valves and a pipe tee can also be used. Special three-, four-, and five-way ball valve designs are used for switching applications. 

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