Distillation process using microchannel technology

US7305850B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Velocys, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Anna Lee Tonkovich · Dublin, US
• Wayne W. Simmons · Longmont, US
• Laura J. Silva · Dublin, US
• Dongming Qiu · Dublin, US
• Steven T. Perry · Galloway, US
• Thomas Yuschak · Lewis Center, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 23, 2004
• Grant date: Dec 11, 2007
• Expiry date: Jun 27, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S62/902
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The disclosed invention relates to a process for distilling a fluid mixture in a microchannel distillation unit, the microchannel distillation unit comprising a plurality of microchannel distillation sections, the fluid mixture comprising a more volatile component and a less volatile component, the process comprising: flowing a vapor phase of the fluid mixture in a first microchannel distillation section in contact with a liquid phase of the fluid mixture, part of the more volatile component transferring from the liquid phase to the vapor phase to form a more volatile component rich vapor phase, part of the less volatile component transferring from the vapor phase to the liquid phase to form a less volatile component rich liquid phase; separating the more volatile component rich vapor phase from the less volatile component rich liquid phase; flowing the less volatile component rich liquid phase to another microchannel distillation section upstream from the first microchannel distillation section; and flowing the more volatile rich vapor phase to another microchannel distillation section downstream from the first microchannel distillation section.