Heat Recovery Vapor Trap

Abstract

A heat recovery vapor trap is provided for removal of vapor condensate from a container, while preventing any appreciable escape of vapor, and for achieving beneficial heat recovery from said condensate prior to temperature degradation associated with depressurization, whereby useful heating to much higher temperature is possible. The trap is indirect acting, and is preferably mechanically actuated by a float.

1 . An apparatus for controlling the liquid level in a container containing saturated vapor and liquid, and for recovering heat from the liquid discharged from said container by said level control apparatus, comprising:
 a. A float actuated mechanical control valve wherein said float is supported by a liquid level that is in vapor and liquid communication with said level in said container;   b. A heat recovery heat exchanger having hot and cold ends;   c. A first conduit conveying liquid from said container to said hot end;   d. A second conduit for conveying cooled container liquid from said cold end to said mechanical float-actuated control valve; and   e. A third conduit for removal of cooled reduced pressure liquid from said valve   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said container is comprised of a steam-heated heat exchanger for a fluid, wherein said saturated vapor is steam, and additionally comprised of a feed-effluent heat exchanger for the fluid supplied to and from said steam-heated heat exchanger, and wherein said heat recovery heat exchanger is arranged for parallel fluid flow with said feed-effluent heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said float is contained in said container. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  additionally comprised of a housing for said float that is external to said container, plus at least one fluid conduit connecting said housing to said container. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said valve is comprised of:
 a. A rod that rotates inside a cylinder; 
 b. Inlet and outlet ports in said cylinder that connect to inlet and outlet fluid conduits of said valve; 
 c. A mechanical connection between said float and said rod, whereby float movement causes the rod to rotate; and 
 d. An opening in said rod that aligns with said cylinder openings at one float position, and misaligns with them at another. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said container is a desorption column and said saturated vapor is sorbate, and said liquid is sorbent. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said container is a distillation column. 
     
     
         8 . A heat recovery steam trap for a steam heated fluid heat exchanger, comprised of:
 a. A condensate level sensing steam trap, that prevents level buildup in said fluid heat exchanger;   b. A condensate heat recovery heat exchanger; and   c. A means for routing condensate from said fluid heat exchanger sequentially first to said condensate heat recovery heat exchanger, then to said steam trap.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  additionally comprised of a float for said steam trap that senses said level. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  additionally comprised of a level sensor that sends an electronic signal to said steam trap, which is an electronically-actuated valve. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  additionally comprised of a means for splitting said heated fluid into two parallel streams and routing one stream to said fluid heat exchanger and the other stream to said condensate heat recovery heat exchanger. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  additionally comprised of a second indirect acting steam trap connected to said condensate heat recovery heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for removing condensate from a container, comprised of:
 a. An indirect acting level control valve for said container;   b. A heat recovery heat exchanger in fluid communication with said container; and   c. A conduit connecting said heat recovery heat exchanger to said indirect acting level control valve.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  additionally comprised of an electronic level sensor, and wherein said valve is an electronically actuated valve that receives a signal from said sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said valve is float actuated and additionally comprised of a housing for said valve and float that is external to said container. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said valve and said float are located internal to said container. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said valve is a float valve comprised of:
 a. A float; 
 b. A rod that rotates inside a cylinder; 
 c. Inlet and outlet ports in said cylinder that connect to inlet and outlet fluid conduits of said valve; 
 d. A mechanical connection between said float and said rod, whereby float movement causes the rod to rotate; and 
 e. An opening in said rod that aligns with said cylinder openings at one float position, and misaligns with them at another. 
 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said container is a mass transfer column. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  additionally comprised of a second indirect acting valve and a second conduit that connects said heat recovery heat exchanger to said second valve. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said heat recovery heat exchanger is at least partly located inside said container.