Process Condensers

A properly designed Graham Condenser between the process and vacuum producing equipment will yield significant advantages. The use of a process vacuum condenser can permit significant reduction in the size of the vacuum producing equipment. A condenser can recover for reuse valuable product that�s carried from the process with non-condensable gases. It can reduce the amount of wastes produced by the vacuum system and lower the process operating cost. Graham Process Condensers can be designed for a wide variety installation: direct contact or surface type, mounted horizontally or vertically, freeze condensation or conventional condensation type.

Matching the Process Vacuum Condenser with vacuum producing equipment is the best way to meet the process objectives. Graham manufactures both the Process Condenser and the vacuum producing equipment. This single-source responsibility provides a unitized system that is matched to the process.

Advantages

Having all major components built by Graham means there is a single point of contact for the engineering, manufacturing, testing, and after-market support. Project schedule is maintained because the control over manufacturing of all major components is by Graham. Product quality and operational reliability are insured because the equipment is engineered and built by individuals who understand how the entire system operates and how it integrates into the larger process.
Advantages of Graham Process Condensers:

● Proven Experience
● Single Source of Supply
● Comprehensive Product Testing
● Ongoing Research and Development
● Operating Efficiency Enhancements
● Global Technical Support

Applications:

Some of the applications where you may see the Graham Process Condenser being efficiently utilized are:

● Crude oil vacuum distillation
● Plastics, resins, and fibers
● ECOfreeze (unique condenser technology)

Crude oil vacuum distillation

Refinery vacuum installation processes may elect to use a process condenser ahead of an ejector system. This will depend on the operating pressure of the process and the volatility of the overhead process vapors.
Graham has proven installation experience and has provided numerous systems throughout the world where vacuum condensation ahead of an ejector system is used. The overhead load from a distillation vessel is a mixture of complex hydrocarbons, steam, and a large volume of non-condensable gases. The application is sophisticated due to the complex vapor-liquid equilibrium calculations and the design of the process condenser must minimize pressure drop. By keeping pressure drop to a minimum, condensation efficiency is maximized and the size and operating cost of the energy-intensive ejector system are kept to a minimum.

Plastics, resins and fibers

In the manufacture of plastics, resins, and fibers, or other petrochemical processes, there often is a requirement for a process vacuum condenser between the vacuum vessel and vacuum producing equipment. These applications often involve high vacuum with large volumes of condensable vapors that are to be condensed in the process condenser. Normally, non-condensable gas flow rate is not too significant, but the challenge is to minimize pressure drop and maximize hydrocarbon condensation. The loading may contain hydrocarbons that have high freeze point temperatures and the tube wall must be maintained above the freeze point.
Graham has specialized designs where the vacuum condenser will mount directly atop the vacuum vessel. This minimizes pressure drop, thus improving condensation in the condenser and reducing the size of vacuum producing equipment.

Ecofreeze system

ECOfreeze

Removing process vapors entirely in the process condenser and before they can enter the vacuum producing equipment offers significant advantages. The Graham ECOfreeze System has two process condensers; one operates in an ice-building mode, while the other undergoes a defrosting. By trapping the process vapors in the condenser as a solid it results in the vacuum equipment handling non-condensable gas only. This will significantly reduce the size of the vacuum producing equipment and minimize wastes produced by the vacuum system.

For more detailed information, download:

Freeze Condensing Vacuum Systems for Deodorization
Graham ECOfreeze brochure