Packed-bed letdown systems
A packed bed system should reduce the operation of valves under high pressure drop conditions in coal liquefaction plants. Since the packed bed with fluid control can control over a relatively narrow throughput range, its greatest benefit would not be realized in a pilot plant. A commercial scale system designed for maximum operating flexibility could employ packed beds as base load devices with valves operating in load following duty. For example, an SRC-II Demonstration Plant size system could employ two packed beds and a single valve (with spare) each sized to handle 50% of the plant throughput capacity. The valve would provide flow control while the plant operated at less than, say, 90% of capacity. One bed would be brought on-stream at 50% capacity and a second at about 90%, at which point the control function would revert to the use of fluid addition systems. Advantage of this system would be a reduction in the number of letdown valves, and presumably, the operating time of those remaining, thus reducing replacement costs of the valves as well as the frequency of operation of their associated block valves.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 5697015
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-811101-18; ON: DE82004111
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Packed-bed letdown system. [Coal liquefaction plants]
Development of a packed-bed letdown valve for coal-liquefaction plants