U.S. patent application number 16/847384 was filed with the patent office on 2020-10-22 for structural panel intended to form part of a cold box of a separation device.
This patent application is currently assigned to L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude. The applicant listed for this patent is L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude. Invention is credited to Patrice CAVAGNE.
Application Number | 20200333071 16/847384 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004813262 |
Filed Date | 2020-10-22 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200333071 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CAVAGNE; Patrice |
October 22, 2020 |
STRUCTURAL PANEL INTENDED TO FORM PART OF A COLD BOX OF A
SEPARATION DEVICE
Abstract
Structural panel intended to form part of a cold box of a
low-temperature distillation separation device, comprising at least
one chamber made from carbon steel or chrome and nickel alloy
steel, with a rectangular or non-rectangular, optionally isosceles,
trapezoid cross-section, having a roof and/or bottom sloping at an
angle of between 45.degree. and 60.degree. relative to the panel
and one open face, the open face being positioned on the inner face
of the structural panel.
Inventors: |
CAVAGNE; Patrice; (Paris,
FR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des
Procedes Georges Claude |
Paris |
|
FR |
|
|
Assignee: |
L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour
l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Paris
FR
|
Family ID: |
1000004813262 |
Appl. No.: |
16/847384 |
Filed: |
April 13, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25J 3/04945 20130101;
F25J 3/04903 20130101; F25J 2290/42 20130101; F25J 3/0489
20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25J 3/04 20060101
F25J003/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 17, 2019 |
FR |
FR 1904118 |
Claims
1. A structural panel configured to form part of a cold box of a
low-temperature distillation separation device, comprising at least
one chamber made from carbon steel or stainless steel, the panel
having a cross-section, having a roof and/or bottom sloping at an
angle of between 45.degree. and 60.degree. relative to the panel
and one open face, the open face being positioned on the inner face
of the structural panel.
2. The panel according to claim 1, containing at least one
accessory selected from the group consisting of a manual valve, an
automatic valve, a flow meter, a valve shutter or other
instrumentation means, a pipe spool connected to the accessory, and
combinations thereof.
3. The panel according to claim 1, in which the chamber comprises
at least one means for handling the chamber and at least one
permanent or temporary support to support the at least one pipe
spool and/or the at least one accessory during the transport phases
and the connection to the structural panel.
4. The panel according to claim 1, in which the chamber is fastened
to the panel by welding or bolting, preferably on the ground before
lifting.
5. The panel according to claim 1, in which the chamber comprises
at least one perforated face covered with a material that is
impermeable to a particular insulation material, for example to
perlite, but permeable to a flushing gas.
6. The panel according to claim 1, in which the chamber contains
rock wool and/or aerogel.
7. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the cross-section is
selected from the group consisting of rectangular, non-rectangular,
isosceles, and trapezoidal.
8. A cold box of a low-temperature distillation separation device,
comprising at least four vertical walls, at least one of which
comprises the panel according to claim 1, the cold box being filled
with an insulation material and containing at least one element of
the device configured to operate at a low temperature or at a
cryogenic temperature.
9. The cold box according to claim 8, further comprising at least
one distillation column and/or at least one heat exchanger.
10. A method for assembling a cold box of a low-temperature
distillation separation device, comprising at least four panels to
be arranged vertically around one element configured to operate at
a low temperature or at a cryogenic temperature, wherein the wall
of at least one panel is provided with a chamber made from carbon
steel or chrome and nickel alloy steel, having a roof and/or bottom
sloping at an angle of between 45.degree. and 60.degree. relative
to the panel and one open face, by fastening the open face to the
inner face of the panel.
11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the chamber is
fastened to the panel in a workshop.
12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the chamber is
fastened to the panel on the installation site of the cold box.
13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the chamber is
fastened to the panel on the construction site of the cold box.
14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the panels are
fastened together once the chamber is fastened to the panel.
15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the cross-section is
selected from the group consisting of rectangular, non-rectangular,
isosceles, and trapezoidal.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn. 119 (a) and (b) to French patent application No. FR
1904118, filed Apr. 17, 2019, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a structural panel intended
to form part of a cold box of a separation device and a cold box
comprising such a panel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Conventionally, low-temperature or cryogenic-temperature
distillation separation units comprise at least one distillation
column arranged in an insulating structure known as a cold box
(CB). The cold box is a metal enclosure that generally has a
substantially parallelepipedal shape so as to form a predetermined
insulation thickness around the column and its pipes. The
insulation material used is generally perlite.
[0004] A low temperature is a temperature below 0.degree. C., or
even below -100.degree. C.
[0005] The present invention relates to the inner chambers of a CB,
housing at least one accessory selected from the following group:
manual valve, automatic valve, flow meter, valve shutter, sensor or
other instrumentation means. The accessory generally requires
access for maintenance operations but is connected to the pipes of
the distillation columns and/or heat exchangers of a
low-temperature or cryogenic-temperature distillation separation
device. The mixtures to be separated comprise air or air gases for
ASUs (double main column or argon column) and also a synthesis gas
comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, an ammonia synthesis gas
comprising nitrogen and hydrogen, a mixture comprising carbon
dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen or a mixture comprising carbon dioxide
and hydrogen.
[0006] The cold boxes can be stick-built units or package
units.
[0007] Package Units
[0008] In order to limit the assembly costs on the installation
site, and especially to control the manufacturing quality, one of
the methods commonly used is to pre-assemble the column with pipe
elements and accessories in the manufacturer's workshop and insert
it into a metal enclosure with a cross-section incorporating the
future insulation thicknesses all around the column as described in
EP 0 913653 A1. This assembly, pre-assembled in a horizontal
position, known as a package unit, is then transported and
installed on the final construction site.
[0009] The package unit assembly option described above nonetheless
has the drawback of considerably increasing the weight of the
enclosure in order to ensure the mechanical stability thereof
during the erection phase for moving the package unit from a
horizontal position to a vertical position. In addition to their
weight, which significantly increases the transport costs, these
package units are also faced, largely due to their considerable
volume, with serious problems limiting their transport (fitting
under or over bridges or through tunnels, around bends, under
electricity lines, etc.).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] According to certain embodiments of the invention, when the
CBs are prefabricated as package(s) (comprising one or more
sub-packages), both in a workshop and directly on the installation
site, at least one accessory of the CB selected from the following
group: manual valve, automatic valve, flow meter, valve shutter,
sensor or other instrumentation means, etc. requiring its
installation in a separate chamber fastened to the inner walls of
the CB, is installed in an accessory chamber, parallelepipedal in
shape but with roof and/or bottom faces sloping at between
45.degree. and 60.degree. to the horizontal in order to prevent the
perlite from banking and a loss of performance of the insulation.
The chamber is in turn installed in the package in order to make it
possible to insulate it thermally, generally with rock wool, once
installation on the construction site is complete and before the
starting of the CB, which in turn is filled with a powdered
insulation material such as perlite. This installation in dedicated
chambers, making it possible to be isolated from the perlite,
ensures access by making it possible to easily remove the rock wool
insulation with which they are filled, in the event of subsequent
operations for inspection or maintenance for example of the
elements or accessories that they contain.
[0011] In this type of design, the assembly and production of the
accessory chambers, as it is carried out in a horizontal position
in the workshop, does not make the manufacturing of the package
units more complex. The constraints generated by this design are
mainly the additional cost of the material of the enclosure and the
limited transportability.
[0012] Stick-Built Units
[0013] For stick-built design, the CBs are entirely assembled on
the construction site. That is, all of the pipes of the CB must be
installed one by one and connected to the vertical distillation
column and/or to other columns, to cryogenic exchangers and/or to
pumps and/or to turbines at a height ranging from ground level to
approximately 60 m. Similarly the accessories (manual or automatic
valves, flow meters, valve shutters, miscellaneous sensors, etc.)
must be connected to these pipes one by one, which requires a lot
of manpower and a large quantity of scaffolding and does not
facilitate worker productivity.
[0014] These accessory chambers are also produced on the
construction site. These accessory chambers can be located on any
inner face of the CB at a height varying from ground level to
approximately 60 m. These chambers are the same type as those
installed in the package units and house the accessories described
previously.
[0015] In this type of CB assembly, one of the challenges is to
significantly reduce the installation time and planning risks of
the CB by limiting the construction activities as much as possible
while guaranteeing a level of quality comparable to the
manufacturing of the package units in the workshop.
[0016] To this end, measures are taken to offer a high level of
prefabrication of the carbon steel jacket structures of the CB.
This involves the prefabrication in panel form of the various
structural elements of the CB. These various panels can be
rectangular and flat (flat panels), angled (corner panels) and also
in the form of a portion of a sector of a circle (shell panels),
and are described for example in US20060162379A1.
[0017] During the design of a stick-built cold box, the present
invention firstly proposes designing a chamber housing the various
accessories (manual or automatic valves, flow meters, valve
shutters, miscellaneous sensors, etc.) and having it manufactured
in the manufacturer's workshop.
[0018] Secondly, for even greater optimization of the on-site
construction phase, the distillation column can be partially
provided, in the manufacturer's workshop, with some of its pipes,
obviously such as those that will have to be connected to the
accessory chambers in order to fully restore the pipe network once
the accessory chamber fastened to its structural panel has been put
in place and after welding of the pipe interfaces of said chamber
with the pipe spools installed in advance on the distillation
column.
[0019] This chamber will then be sent, as will the distillation
column provided with some of its pipe spools, to the construction
site.
[0020] This chamber will have at least one open face that will
subsequently be in contact with the structural panel of the CB.
[0021] This chamber, the structure of which will preferably be made
from carbon or stainless steel, will preferably by provided with
handling means, known as lifting lugs, so that it can be handled in
order to connect it by welding or bolting to the inner face of a
structural panel of the prefabricated CB.
[0022] The chamber is preferably connected to the structural panel
on the ground, at breast height or a height only requiring a small
mobile scaffold, before final lifting and positioning of the
structural panel around the distillation column in order to
minimize the risks and reduce operations at height, which are
generally very costly.
[0023] Pipe spools comprising their associated accessories as
described previously will also be installed in this prefabricated
chamber.
[0024] These pipe spools, in this prefabricated chamber, will have
permanent or temporary supports for securing the pipe spools and
accessories during the transport and handling phase with a view to
connecting the panel, and during the handling of the panel and its
final positioning around the distillation column.
[0025] The present invention aims to provide assembly means that
make it possible to both maintain the quality criteria relating to
the workshop pre-assembly of the elements requiring strict quality
control (typically the entire cryogenic part), and greatly limit
the problems and costs relating to transport to the construction
site and facilitate the installation on the construction site of
the stick-built cold boxes.
[0026] Such a method, which no longer takes into consideration, for
its pre-assembly and transport, the volume of insulation necessary
for the column or the enclosure that contains the insulation, makes
it possible to increase the options for transporting a sub-assembly
of a cryogenic unit such as a distillation column by reducing the
overall dimensions while allowing a high level of controlled
prefabrication in the workshop.
[0027] According to one object of the invention, a structural panel
intended to form part of a cold box of a low-temperature
distillation separation device is provided, comprising at least one
chamber made from carbon steel or stainless steel, for example
comprising chrome and nickel, with a rectangular or
non-rectangular, optionally isosceles, trapezoid cross-section,
having a roof and/or bottom sloping at an angle of between
45.degree. and 60.degree. relative to the panel and one open face,
the open face being positioned on the inner face of the structural
panel.
[0028] According to other optional features: [0029] the panel
contains at least one accessory selected from the following group:
manual valve, automatic valve, flow meter, valve shutter, sensor or
other instrumentation means, as well as a pipe spool connected to
the accessory; [0030] the chamber comprises at least one means for
handling the chamber and at least one permanent or temporary
support to support the at least one pipe spool and/or the at least
one accessory during the transport phases and the connection to the
structural panel; [0031] the chamber is fastened to the panel by
welding or bolting, preferably on the ground before lifting; [0032]
the chamber comprises at least one perforated face covered with a
material that is impermeable to a particular insulation material,
for example to perlite, but permeable to a flushing gas; and/or
[0033] the chamber contains rock wool and/or aerogel.
[0034] According to another aspect of the invention, a cold box of
a low-temperature distillation separation device is provided,
comprising at least four vertical walls, at least one of which
consists of or comprises a panel as described above, the cold box
being filled with insulation material and containing at least one
element of the device intended to operate at a low temperature, or
at a cryogenic temperature (e.g., a temperature at or below
-50.degree. C.).
[0035] The cold box preferably contains at least one distillation
column and/or at least one heat exchanger.
[0036] According to another object of the invention, a method for
assembling a cold box of a low-temperature distillation separation
device is provided, comprising at least four panels to be arranged
vertically around one element intended to operate at a low
temperature, or at a cryogenic temperature, in which the wall of at
least one panel is provided with a chamber made from carbon steel
or chrome and nickel alloy steel, with a rectangular or
non-rectangular, optionally isosceles, trapezoid cross-section,
having a roof and/or bottom sloping at an angle of between
45.degree. and 60.degree. relative to the panel and one open face,
by fastening the open face to the inner face of the structural
panel.
[0037] The chamber can be fastened to the panel in a workshop or on
the cold box installation and/or construction site.
[0038] Preferably, the panels are fastened together once the
chamber is fastened to the panel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0039] Further features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the description hereinafter of embodiments, which are
given by way of illustration but without any limitation, the
description being given in relation with the following attached
figures:
[0040] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-section of a chamber fastened to
a panel according to the invention.
[0041] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a cold box comprising two
panels according to the invention.
[0042] FIG. 3 illustrates the chamber in more detail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0043] FIG. 1 illustrates a panel 5 of a cold box of a distillation
air separation device; the cold box can contain a column and/or a
heat exchanger. An element 3 to be insulated is illustrated as
being surrounded with perlite 15. Fastened to the inner face of the
panel 5 is a chamber 1 made from carbon steel or chrome and nickel
alloy steel (stainless steel). It has a roof at an angle of
60.degree. relative to a vertical plane, which is the plane of the
panel 5. The bottom is sloped at 45.degree. relative to the panel.
Other angles between 45.degree. and 60.degree. are possible.
[0044] This serves to prevent the perlite 15 surrounding it from
banking. The chamber 1 has one open face, the open face being
positioned on the inner face of the structural panel 5. Inside the
chamber 1 is at least one accessory 9 that can be a manual valve,
an automatic valve, a flow meter, a valve shutter or a sensor. The
accessory is connected, if necessary, to the outside of the cold
box through the panel 5 and a boot 8 to its actuator 10.
[0045] The chamber 1 is filled with rock wool 11.
[0046] The chamber has a trapezoid cross-section. In the figure, it
is a non-rectangular, non-isosceles trapezium, as the roof is
sloped at 60.degree. to the vertical and the bottom is sloped at
45.degree. to the vertical. It is also possible for the two angles
to be identical. Otherwise, the roof and/or the bottom can be
perpendicular to the panel, in which case the cross-section is a
rectangular trapezium shape.
[0047] At least one wall of the chamber 1 can be perforated, for
example being made from mesh or expanded metal 18. The mesh is
covered with a material impermeable to a particular insulation
material, with which the box is filled, for example to perlite 15,
but permeable to a flushing gas. The allows the flushing gas, for
example nitrogen, which circulates in the perlite 15, to circulate
in the chamber in order to prevent the formation of pockets of ice
or the build up of other impurities.
[0048] In FIG. 2, a distillation column 3 is arranged in a cold box
consisting of eight corner panels 5, 5A having an L-shaped
cross-section. Only four of the panels can be seen in the figure.
The panels 5, 5A each have a chamber 1 fastened to the inner wall.
Obviously, the panels of the cold box do not necessarily hold
chambers. Again, the chamber is made from carbon steel or chrome
and nickel alloy steel (stainless steel). It has a roof at an angle
of 60.degree. relative to a vertical plane, which is the plane of
the panel 5. The bottom is sloped at 45.degree. relative to the
panel.
[0049] The chamber(s) contain(s) rock wool and the cold box is
filled with perlite in use.
[0050] The column 3 is provided with pipes and can be connected to
an accessory present in one of the chambers.
[0051] The chambers 1 can be fastened to the panels 5, 5A by
welding or bolting. It is preferable to fasten the chamber to the
panel 5A on the ground and then lift the panel 5A into position
above the panel 5. It is however possible to position the chamber
subsequently on its structural panel after said panel has been
lifted, through an opening in the roof of the CB, or to slide it
from the outside through one face of a structural panel using the
catwalks of the CB.
[0052] FIG. 2 shows that the chambers are positioned before the
panels of the cold box are attached to each other.
[0053] FIG. 3 shows details of the chamber 1 with its accessories
such as a manual valve, automatic valve, flow meter, valve shutter
or sensor, together with a pipe spool 23 connected to the
accessory. The actuator 10 of the valve 9 extending outside, and
the wire 21 enabling the subsequent connection of the
instrumentation, can also be seen.
[0054] While the invention has been described in conjunction with
specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives,
modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is
intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and
variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the
appended claims. The present invention may suitably comprise,
consist or consist essentially of the elements disclosed and may be
practiced in the absence of an element not disclosed. Furthermore,
if there is language referring to order, such as first and second,
it should be understood in an exemplary sense and not in a limiting
sense. For example, it can be recognized by those skilled in the
art that certain steps can be combined into a single step.
[0055] The singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural
referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0056] "Comprising" in a claim is an open transitional term which
means the subsequently identified claim elements are a nonexclusive
listing (i.e., anything else may be additionally included and
remain within the scope of "comprising"). "Comprising" as used
herein may be replaced by the more limited transitional terms
"consisting essentially of" and "consisting of" unless otherwise
indicated herein.
[0057] "Providing" in a claim is defined to mean furnishing,
supplying, making available, or preparing something. The step may
be performed by any actor in the absence of express language in the
claim to the contrary.
[0058] Optional or optionally means that the subsequently described
event or circumstances may or may not occur. The description
includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs and
instances where it does not occur.
[0059] Ranges may be expressed herein as from about one particular
value, and/or to about another particular value. When such a range
is expressed, it is to be understood that another embodiment is
from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value,
along with all combinations within said range.
[0060] All references identified herein are each hereby
incorporated by reference into this application in their
entireties, as well as for the specific information for which each
is cited.
* * * * *