Valves rotary

Fig. 8. UOP Parex simulated moving bed for adsorptive separation. AC = adsorbent chamber RV = rotary valve EC = extract column ...

The Aromax process was developed in the early 1970s by Toray Industries, Inc. in Japan (95—98). The adsorption column consists of a horizontal series of independent chambers containing fixed beds of adsorbent. Instead of a rotary valve, a sequence of specially designed on—off valves under computer control is used to move inlet and withdrawal ports around the bed. Adsorption is carried out in the Hquid phase at 140°C, 785—980 kPA, and 5—13 L/h. PX yields per pass is reported to exceed 90% with a typical purity of 99.5%. The first Aromax unit was installed at Toray s Kawasaki plant in March 1973. In 1994, IFP introduced the Eluxyl adsorption process (59,99). The proprietary adsorbent used is designated SPX 3000. Individual on-off valves controlled by a microprocessor are used. Raman spectroscopy to used to measure concentration profiles in the column. A 10,000 t/yr demonstration plant was started and successfully operated at Chevron s Pascagoula plant from 1995—96. IFP has Hcensed two hybrid units. 

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 At the right-hand face of the valve, the four streams to and from the process are continuously fed and withdrawn.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. 

At any particular moment, only four lines from the rotary valve to the adsorbent chamber are active. Figure 8 shows the flows at a time when lines 2, 5, 9, and 12 are active. When the rotating element of the rotary valve is moved to its next position, each net flow is transferred to the adjacent line thus, desorbent enters line 3 instead of line 2, extract is drawn from 6 instead of 5, feed enters 10 instead of 9, and raffinate is drawn from 1 instead of 12. 

The primary control variables at a fixed feed rate, as in the operation pictured in Figure 8, are the cycle time, which is measured by the time required for one complete rotation of the rotary valve (this rotation is the analog of adsorbent circulation rate in an actual moving-bed system), and the Hquid flow rate in Zones 2, 3, and 4. When these control variables are specified, all other net rates to and from the bed and the sequence of rates required at the Hquid... 

A schematic diagram of a six-vessel UOP Cyclesorb process is shown in Figure 15. The UOP Cyclesorb process has four external streams feed and desorbent enter the process, and extract and raffinate leave the process. In addition, the process has four internal recycles dilute raffinate, impure raffinate, impure extract, and dilute extract. Feed and desorbent are fed to the top of each column, and the extract and raffinate are withdrawn from the bottom of each column in a predeterrnined sequence estabUshed by a switching device, the UOP rotary valve. The flow of the internal recycle streams is from the bottom of a column to the top of the same column in the case of dilute extract and impure raffinate and to the top of the next column in the case of dilute raffinate and impure extract. 

There are seven commercial processes in operation six operate in the vapor phase. The Universal Oil Products process operates in the Hquid phase and is unique in the simulation of a moving bed. The adsorption unit consists of one vessel segmented into sections with multiple inlet and oudet ports. Flow to the various segments is accompHshed by means of a rotary valve which allows each bed segment to proceed sequentially through all the adsorption/desorption steps. 

Volumetric Feeders. Examples of volumetric feeders are screws, belts, rotary valves, louvered, and vibratory. 

Rotary V lve Feeders. Devices known as rotary valve feeders are commonly used for circular or square configured outlets. These are particularly useful when discharging materials to a pneumatic conveying system where a seal is required to prevent air flow through the hopper outlet. The discharge rate is set by the speed of rotation of the vanes or pockets of the valve. 

A potential problem for rotary valve usage is that they tend to pull material preferentially from the upside of the valve, which can affect the mass flow pattern. Another problem is that once soHd drops from the vane, the air or gas that replaces it is often pumped back up into the bin. In addition, air can leak around the valve rotor. Such air flows can decrease the soflds flow rates and/or cause flooding problems. A vertical section shown in Figure 13 can alleviate the preferential flow problem because the flow channel expands in this area, usually opening up to the full outlet. To rectify the countercurrent air flow problem, a vent line helps to take the air away to a dust collector or at least back into the top of the bin. 

Fig. 13. (a) Preferential flow through rotary valve and (b) correction from installation of a vertical spool piece. 

In the physical separation process, a molecular sieve adsorbent is used as in the Union Carbide Olefins Siv process (88—90). Linear butenes are selectively adsorbed, and the isobutylene effluent is distilled to obtain a polymer-grade product. The adsorbent is a synthetic 2eohte, Type 5A in the calcium cation exchanged form (91). UOP also offers an adsorption process, the Sorbutene process (92). The UOP process utilizes ahquid B—B stream, and uses a proprietary rotary valve containing multiple ports, which direct the flow of Hquid to various sections of the adsorber (93,94). The cis- and trans-isomers are alkylated and used in the gasoline blending pool. 

Spray Drying and Agglomeration. Most instant coffee products are spray-dried. Stainless steel towers with a concurrent flow of hot ak and atomized extract droplets are utilized for this purpose. Atomization, through pressure nozzles, is controUed based on selection of the nozzles, properties of the extract, pressures used, bulk density, and capacity requkements. Low inlet ak temperatures (200—280°C) are preferred for best flavor quaHty. The spray towers must be provided with adequate dust coUection systems such as cyclones or bag filters. The dried particles are coUected from the conical bottom of the spray drier through a rotary valve and conveyed to bulk storage bins or packaging lines. Processors may screen the dry product to... 

Proprietary designs for rotary valve feeders (star valves) capable of continuous feeding of certain pelleted and granular materials into low velocity, dense phase systems, having system pressures up to 200 kPa (2 bars) have been developed. 

Rotary valve or other intermittent seal for product discharge... 

Dried product is collected in either cyclones or baghouses depending upon the product-particle size. When primary coUection is carried out in cyclones, secondary collection in a baghouse or scrubber is usually necessary in order to comply with environmental regulations. A rotary valve is used to provide an airlock at the discharge point. Screws are utihzed to combine product from multiple cyclones or large bag-houses. If required, a portion of the dried product is separated from the main stream and returned to the feed system for use as backmix. 

FIG. 17-16 Solids-flow-control devices, a) Slide valve, (h) Rotary valve, (c) Table feeder, (d) Screw feeder, (e) Cone valve, (f ) L Valve. 

All drum filters (except the single-compartment filter) utilize a rotary-valve arrangement in the drum-axis support trunnion to facih-tate removal of filtrate and wash hquid and to allow introduction of air or gas for cake blowback if needed. The valve controls the relative duration of each cycle as well as providing dead portions of the cycle through the use of bridge blocks. A typical valve design is shown in Fig. 18-121. Internal piping manifolds connect the valve with various sections of the drum. 

The preferred eharaeteristie is linear. Rotary valves with nonlinear eharaeteristies may be appropriate in some applieations. 

Another version of the dewatering screw that has been used successfully in a number of installations (Figure 40) consists of an inclined screw with a box-like back end and an internal overflow weir. The drive is usually a variable-speed motor reducer. Rotary air lock fitted with a variable-speed drive is typically used as shown in Figure 37 in connection with the plain receiving tank and an inclined screw conveyor. Materials of construction can be chrome-plated cast iron or nickel-hard casing. The rotary valve is made of hard faced tips or stainless steel replaceable blades. 

Elame propagation can also be stopped between process eqnipment handling bnlk solids and powders by jndicions selection and design of bnlk solids/powders conveying eqnipment snch as rotary valves (rotary airlocks) and screw conveyors. The mass of bnlk solids/powders contained in these items of eqnipment provide a tortnons path throngh which the gas and flame have to pass, and so can act as a material choke when certain design features are implemented. 

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