Reliable vacuum system cuts steam requirements 50%
In choosing a new high-vacuum system for fractional distillation, Polarome Manufacturing Company, New York, NY and Newark, NJ, a producer of high-quality flavor and fragrance chemicals, considered reliability and performance and steam consumption to be the most important factors. Distillation is carried out under vacuum to minimize thermal degradation. For stable operation, the vacuum system for the distillation column has to be ultra-reliable, and has to be able to go on-line quickly. Fluctuations in vacuum affect operating temperature and fractionation and cause deterioration of the product quality. Polarome's process requires a gas removal rate from the distillation column of 7.5 lg/hr of air plus 7.5 lb/hr of condensible vapors at 0.5 mm Hg absolute pressure at 105/sup 0/F. Polarome chose a combination ejector/liquid ring pump system that combines the two distinctly different types of equipment to improve high-vacuum efficiency. The unit requires only 400 lb/hr of motive steam at 125 psig, and the liquid ring pump only draws 5.7 brake hp. Polarome purchased two virtually identical four-stage systems, each composed of two ejector stages, a shell-and-tube condenser, and a two-stage liquid ring vacuum pump. The fully packaged systems were delivered skid-mounted, ready to pipe and operate. Polarome found a number of advantages with their combined system. Steam savings are considerable - up to 50% over a conventional ejector system - because the liquid-ring pump is substituted for the less efficient final two ejector stages. In Polarome's vacuum range of 0.5 mm Hg, this was considered the most efficient way of drawing vacuum, with lowest investment and operating costs for the greatest capacity.
- OSTI ID:
- 5392030
- Journal Information:
- Chem. Process. (Chicago); (United States), Vol. 48:14
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
DISTILLATION EQUIPMENT
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
PERFORMANCE
CHEMICAL PLANTS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
STEAM
VACUUM DISTILLATION
DISTILLATION
EFFICIENCY
EQUIPMENT
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
400105* - Separation Procedures
320303 - Energy Conservation
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& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Equipment & Processes