JPH0335538B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a rotary valve that distributes one fluid in multiple directions and collects fluids from multiple directions. Such a rotary valve is used, for example, to simultaneously distribute fluid to the adsorption chambers and collect fluid from the adsorption chambers in an adsorption separation device using a simulated moving bed consisting of a large number of adsorption chambers.

<Conventional technology> The adsorption separation technology using the above-mentioned simulated moving bed was published in
This is typically shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 15681 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-27569, and will be briefly explained below.

The adsorption separation device described above basically consists of three zones: a desorption zone, a concentration zone, and an adsorption zone. Each zone is filled with an adsorbent and consists of one or more adsorption chambers connected in series. It is configured.

The functions of each band are as follows.

Adsorption zone: A fluid mixture is brought into contact with an adsorbent to selectively adsorb strongly adsorbed components and extract roughinate containing weakly adsorbed components and a desorbent described below.

Concentration zone: The adsorbent that has selectively adsorbed strongly adsorbed components in the adsorption zone is attached to the extract and/or highly purified strongly adsorbed components extracted from the desorption zone, improving the purity of the strongly adsorbed components on the adsorbent. let

Desorption zone: The strongly adsorbed components concentrated on the adsorbent are expelled by the desorbent, and the extract containing the strongly adsorbed components and the desorbent is extracted.

An example of an adsorption separation system using a pseudo moving bed in which the above-mentioned operations in each zone are repeated continuously and the desorbent is apparently moved in a direction countercurrent to the flow of the fluid will be described with reference to FIG.

A plurality of adsorption chambers 2 to 9 filled with adsorbent
are continuously connected by connecting pipes 10 to 17 to form a circulation path. The extraction of fluid from the adsorption chamber and the supply of fluid to the adsorption chamber are performed through connecting pipes 10 to 17 that connect the adsorption spaces and connecting pipes 18 to 25 that connect the rotary valve 100. By rotating the rotary valve at a certain angle, the fluid supply pipes (desorbent supply pipe 26, raw material mixture supply pipe 28) and extraction pipes (extract extraction pipe 27, roughinate extraction pipe 29) are adsorbed. Adsorption separation is carried out using a pseudo-moving bed in which the adsorbent moves sequentially along the chamber and apparently moves upward in contrast to the downward flow of the fluid. In the state shown in Fig. 2, adsorption chambers 2 and 3 constitute a desorption zone, adsorption chambers 4 and 5 constitute a concentration zone, adsorption chambers 6 and 7 constitute an adsorption zone, and adsorption chambers 8 and 9 constitute a desorption zone. It plays the role of collecting the desorption agent and circulating it to the desorption zone.

The present invention relates to an improvement of a rotary valve having the function as explained in FIG.

The rotary valve for implementing the above technology was published in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 58-
It is known from the publication No. 134286. This rotary valve will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a known rotary valve cut along the rotation axis, FIG. 4 is a Y-Y arrow view in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a Z-Z arrow view in FIG. 6
The figure is a Y′-Y′ arrow view in FIG. 3, and FIG. 7 is a Z′-Z′ arrow view in FIG.
has a rotor 40 and a first disk 4 in its cylinder 90.
1 and a second disk 42. Disc 4
1 and 42 are fixed to a cylinder 90. The rotor 40 is located between the first disk 41 and the second disk 42, and is intermittently rotated by a fixed angle by a rotating shaft 39 at fixed time intervals.

Further, a coiled spring 91 is provided between the second disk 42 and the cylinder 90 substantially concentrically with the rotating shaft 39 to press the rotor 40 and the second disk 42 toward the first disk 41. , to prevent fluid from leaking from these contact surfaces. Further, the second disc 42 is provided with a through hole 92 through which the rotating shaft 39 passes.

End face 40a of the rotor 40 (first disk 41
A rotating shaft 39 is attached to the end surface (the end surface that contacts the end surface 41a)
Annular grooves 50 and 51 are provided concentrically with the inner annular groove 50, and an opening 60 communicating with the inner annular groove 50 is formed in the first disk 4.
1. Further, an opening 61 communicating with the outer annular groove 51 is provided in the first disk 41. A raw material mixture supply pipe 28 is connected to the opening 60, and a roughinate extraction pipe 29 is connected to the opening 61.

Further, the first disk 41 is provided with a plurality of (eight in the illustrated case) apertures 70 to 77 located outside the annular groove 51 . These openings 70 to 77 are arranged at equal intervals on a circumference concentric with the rotating shaft 39. And the openings 70, 71, 7
Connecting pipe 1 for 2, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77
8, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
are connected to each other (see Figure 4). Further, an opening 62 is provided at the center of the first disk 41 coaxially with the rotating shaft 39, and an extract extraction pipe 27 is connected to the opening 62.

On the other hand, an annular groove 52 is provided on the end surface 42a of the second disk 42 (the surface that contacts the end surface 40b of the rotor 40) concentrically with the rotating shaft 39. Also, the second
The disk 42 is provided with an opening 78 that communicates with the annular groove 52, and a desorption agent supply pipe 26 communicates with the opening 78 through the outer shell 90.

The rotor 40 is further provided with a plurality of communication holes. That is, in the states shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the rotor 40 has the inner annular groove 5.
0 and the opening 74 of the first disk, and a U-shaped communication hole 80 that communicates with the opening 6 of the first disk.
A U-shaped communication hole 82 (sixth
), a U-shaped communication hole 81 (see FIG. 6) that communicates between the outer annular groove 51 and the aperture 76 of the first disk, and the aperture 70 of the first disk and the aperture 76 of the first disk. A communication hole 85 that communicates with the annular groove 52 provided in the second disk.
and.

Thus, in the states shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, four passages through which fluid passes are formed within the rotary valve 100. That is, (a) passage A by opening 78 - annular groove 52 - communication hole 85 - opening 70; (b) passage B by opening 72 - communication hole 82 - opening 62; (c) passage B by opening 72 - communication hole 82 - opening 62; The above four passages are: hole 60 - annular groove 50 - communication hole 80 - aperture 74 (d) a passage D (aperture 76 - communication hole 81 - annular groove 51 - aperture 61). be.

Therefore, when the rotor 40 is rotated 1/8 turn in the direction of the arrow (see Figures 2 and 3), the passages A, B, C, and D are switched, and the following passages are created. is formed.

(a) Passage by opening 78 - annular groove 52 - communication hole 85 - opening 71, (b) Passage by opening 73 - communication hole 82 - opening 62, (c) Opening 60 - Passage by annular groove 50 - communicating hole 80 - opening part 75; (d) Passage by opening part 77 - communicating hole 81 - annular groove 51 - opening part 61.

Thereafter, in the same manner, when the rotor 40 is intermittently rotated by 1/8 rotation in the direction of the arrow, the passage in the rotary valve is switched each time, and the supply and extraction of fluid to and from the adsorption chambers 2 to 8 are sequentially transferred. Adsorption separation is carried out using a pseudo moving bed in which the adsorbent apparently moves upward while the fluid flows downward.

In order to repeat these processes efficiently, efforts are made to minimize fluid leakage from the contact surface between the rotor and the disc. That is, the aforementioned spring 91 is pressed more strongly against the rotor 40 and the second disk 42 toward the first disk 41 side.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, such conventional rotary valves still have disadvantages in practical use. That is, a coiled spring is provided between the second disk and the outer shell almost concentrically with the rotating shaft to press the rotor and the second disk toward the first disk, and from the contact surface of these. Although attempts are made to prevent fluid from leaking, the reality is that leakage cannot be prevented.

The first problem is that the contact surface is open to atmospheric pressure. For example, when a fluid passes through eight adsorption chambers with an internal pressure drop of 2 kg/cm ² per adsorption chamber filled with adsorbent, the pressure loss accumulates, so the connecting pipe 18 shown in FIG.
A pressure of more than Kg/cm ² will be applied, so if 18
When a pressure of Kg/cm ² is applied, 2 Kg/cm ² is applied to the connecting pipe 17 after one cycle. Therefore, the openings 70, 71, 72, 73, 7 of the rotary valve shown in FIG.
4, 75, 76, 77 have 18, 16, 14, 12, 10,
This means that pressures of 8, 6, and 4 Kg/cm ² are generated. This is extremely inconvenient from the point of view of preventing fluid from leaking at the contact surface during rotation, and it is desirable to keep the pressure as low as possible.
However, in adsorption separation using such a simulated moving bed, pressurization of the fluid is essential to form a liquid flow.

The second problem is that the contact pressure on the contact surface remains constant. If the rotor is rotated while being continuously pressed by a strong spring both when it is stationary and when it is rotating, the contact surfaces of the rotor and disk will wear out quickly and leaks will occur. In this case as well, the surface pressure on the contact surfaces is desired to be as low as possible. However, if the surface pressure of the contact surface is made low, leakage cannot be prevented.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive research aimed at providing an improved rotary valve to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks, and as a result, have arrived at the present invention.

That is, the rotary valve of the present invention is a rotary valve having a passage through which pressurized fluid passes, and includes a plurality of non-rotatable discs that include a part of the passage in the rotary valve, and a rotary valve that is rotatable between the discs. In a rotary valve in which a small diameter rotor for passage switching is installed in a cylinder,
The disks are provided in close contact with the inner surface of the cylinder, and at least one of the disks is provided so as to be able to reciprocate minutely within the cylinder, and is formed between the rotors of the cylinder and is pressed against the inner surface of the cylinder.
A hollow cylindrical space that weakens the adhesion of the rotor is used as a pressure chamber, and a hollow cylindrical space and/or a cylindrical space formed between the disk and the cylinder by closing the end opening of the cylinder. It is characterized in that the space is a pressure chamber.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the rotary valve of the present invention. The Y-Y arrow view, Z-Z arrow view, Y'-Y' arrow view, and Z'-Z' arrow view in Figure 1 are shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7. Since it is the same as the figure, below,
The explanation will be made with reference also to FIGS. 4 to 7.

The rotary valve 100 is configured by providing disks 41 and 42 and a rotor 40 within a cylinder 90. Disk 41,
42 are each provided with a portion of the passage in the rotary valve, that is, openings 60 to 62, 70 to 78, and an annular groove 52, which are connected to the annular groove 5 provided in the rotor 40.
0, 51 and communicating holes 80 to 82 and 85, respectively.

A rotor 40 is provided between disks 41 and 42,
It is connected to a rotating shaft 39 and is arranged so as to be rotatable intermittently by the rotating shaft 39 at regular intervals. One end of the rotating shaft 39 is connected to the rotor 40, and the other end is connected to a drive source. The end opening portion of the cylinder on the driving source side of the rotating shaft 39 is closed by a partition wall 101 .

It is necessary that the disks 41 and 42 are provided in close contact with the inner surface of the cylinder 90, and that the disk 42 can be reciprocated minutely within the cylinder. That is, the rubber O-ring 104 is installed so that the disk 42 can move minutely along the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft while maintaining close contact between the side surface of the disk 42 and the inner surface of the cylinder 90 inside the cylinder like a piston. Provided via.

Thus, the disk 42, cylinder 90 and bulkhead 101
The hollow cylindrical space formed by this is a highly sealed space, and is referred to as the pressure chamber 102. The pressure chamber 102 is provided with a pressure adjustment port 105 and is connected to a pressure source via the pressure adjustment port 105.
The pressure chamber 102 is filled with oil, and due to hydraulic pressure,
The pressure can be adjusted and the pressure can be changed instantly.

The rotor 40 is configured to have a smaller diameter than the disks 41 and 42. A hollow cylindrical space is formed by the rotor 40 and the cylinder 90. This space is disk 41, 42
The side surface of the cylinder 90 is fixed by the rubber O-ring 104.
Since the pressure chamber 103 is provided in a tightly sealed manner, it becomes a highly hermetically sealed space, which is referred to as a pressure chamber 103. A discharge port 106 is provided in the pressure chamber 103 . The pressure chamber 103 is filled with a mixture of fluids flowing through the adsorption chambers 2-9.

Since the fluid flowing through the rotary valve 100 is pressurized, some amount leaks into the pressure chamber 103 from the contact surface between the disc and the rotor. Due to the leaked liquid, pressure chamber 1
03 is constantly kept under pressure. Pressure chamber 10
By pressurizing 3, a force is applied in the direction of pushing the disks 41 and 42 apart, and a force is applied in the direction of weakening the close contact between the disk 41 and the rotor 40 and the close contact between the disk 42 and the rotor 40. Pressure chamber 103
In order to maintain the pressure at a substantially constant value, a pressure gauge and a relief valve (both not shown) are connected via the discharge port 106.
are connected, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 103 can be adjusted by automatically opening and closing the relief valve. In order to prevent the mixed liquid in the pressure chamber 103 from flowing back into the opening, the pressure in the pressure chamber 103 is set so that the pressure in the pressure chamber 103 has the lowest cumulative pressure loss among the fluids that flow or reach the opening in the rotary valve. It is necessary to adjust the pressure to the same pressure as the fluid or to a lower pressure. For example, when fluid passes through an adsorption chamber with an internal pressure drop of 2 Kg/cm ² per adsorption chamber, and when a pressure of 18 Kg/cm ² is applied to the connecting pipe 18, the fluid flows or reaches the opening of the rotary valve. The fluid with the lowest pressure among them is the fluid with a pressure of 4Kg/cm ² that passes through the connecting pipe 25, so the pressure chamber 1
03 is adjusted to and maintained at a slightly lower pressure of 3.5 Kg/cm ² .

The openings provided in the disk 41 are arranged at equal intervals on a circumference concentric with the rotating shaft 39. And the openings 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 7
Connecting pipes 18, 19, 20, 2 are connected to 5, 76, 77.
1, 22, 23, 24, and 25 are connected, respectively (see FIG. 2). Further, an opening 62 is provided at the center of the first disc 41 coaxially with the rotating shaft 39, and an extract extraction pipe 27 is connected to this opening 62.

On the other hand, an annular groove 52 is provided in the end surface 42a of the second disk 42 (the surface connected to the end surface 40b of the rotor 40) concentrically with the rotating shaft 39. Also, the second
The disk 42 is provided with an opening 78 that communicates with the annular groove 52, and a desorption agent supply pipe 26 communicates with the opening 78 through the outer shell 90.

The rotor 40 is further provided with a plurality of communication holes. That is, in the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 to 7, the rotor 40 has a U-shaped communication hole 80 that communicates the inner annular groove 50 with the opening 74 of the first disk. , a U-shaped communication hole 82 (see FIG. 6) that communicates the openings 62 and 72 in the first disk, and an annular groove 51 on the outside and the first
A U-shaped communication hole 81 (see FIG. 6) that communicates with the aperture 76 of the first disk and the aperture 7 of the first disk.
0 and the annular groove 52 provided in the second disk are provided.

Thus, in the states shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 7, four passages through which fluid passes are formed within the rotary valve 100. That is, (a) passage A by opening 78 - annular groove 52 - communication hole 85 - opening 70; (b) passage B by opening 72 - communication hole 82 - opening 62; (c) passage B by opening 72 - communication hole 82 - opening 62; The above four passages are: hole 60 - annular groove 50 - communication hole 80 - aperture 74 (d) a passage D (aperture 76 - communication hole 81 - annular groove 51 - aperture 61). be. While these four passages are being formed, the pressure chamber 102 is kept in a pressurized state (for example,
14Kg/cm ² ).

Next, when the rotor 40 is rotated 1/8 turn in the direction of the arrow (see FIGS. 1 and 2), the passages A, B, C, and D are switched, respectively. Only during this rotation, the pressurized state of the pressure chamber 102 is relaxed,
(for example, 10 Kg/cm ² ), making it easier for the rotor 40 to rotate.

At the same time when the rotation ends and four other passages are newly formed, the pressurization state of the pressure chamber 102 is strengthened to the same degree as before the rotation (for example, 14 kg/cm ² ), thereby preventing leakage when at rest. In this way, by sequentially repeating the formation and rotation of the passage and instantaneously changing the pressure in the pressure chamber 102 each time, the rotor can be rotated while effectively preventing fluid leakage.

The material of the rotary valve of the present invention is not particularly limited, but
The rotor itself or the contact surface of the rotor is preferably made of a material that has self-lubricating properties. Materials suitable for this are:
Examples include Teflon, Teflon-impregnated glass cotton, fluorinated graphite, polyacetal resin, polyamideimide resin, or nylon or polyester resin. Furthermore, the rotor and/or disk may be made of ceramics.

In the above description, the partition wall 10 is provided by closing the end opening portion of the cylinder with the partition wall 101.
1. Although the case where the hollow cylindrical space formed between the disk 42 and the cylinder 90 is used as the pressure chamber 102 has been described, as shown in FIG. The scope of the present invention also includes a pressure chamber that is a hollow cylindrical space that is self-sealable.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a device in which the pressure chamber 102 is a cylindrical space and a device in which there are two pressure chambers 102 are also included within the scope of the present invention.

<Function> In the present invention, the disks 41 and 4 are placed inside the cylinder 90.
2 is inserted like a piston with the rotor 40 sandwiched between them, so that one pressure chamber 10 of the cylinder 90
Press fluid into disk 2 like a hydraulic cylinder to create disk 4.
2 can be pressurized.

Therefore, the contact pressure between the disks 41 and 42 and the rotor 40 is uniformly applied, and concerns about fluid leakage can be largely eliminated. In addition, the degree of pressurization can be adjusted much more quickly and easily than with springs, and when the rotor is intermittently rotated, it can even be instantaneously set to low pressure only during rotation, and high pressure at other times.

Furthermore, since a hollow cylindrical pressure chamber 103 is provided between the small diameter rotor 40 and the cylinder 90, if the pressure chamber 103 is filled with the same fluid as the fluid used and pressurized, the fluid tends to ooze out from the contact surface. Fluid leakage can be effectively prevented.

Furthermore, if the pressures of the plural communication passages in the disks 41 and 42 are slightly different, and in order to prevent the fluids flowing through them from mixing, simply set the pressure chamber 103 to the pressure of the lowest passage. However, it is possible to efficiently prevent fluid from leaking from the contact surface, and at the same time to prevent fluid from mixing between the communication paths.

<Examples> The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to Examples.

Example 1 In Fig. 1, the diameters of disks 41 and 42 are both
420mm, diameter of rotor 40 is 365mm, disk 41,4
The common center circle diameter of the opening part and the communication path in 2 is 300 mm,
Rotor 40 with opening hole diameter and communicating path diameter of 40 mm
Eight pieces were arranged equally on the center circle diameter.

36.4 m ³ /h of fluid was allowed to flow through the eight communicating passages. The pressure of the fluid passing through the first communication passage was 18Kg/cm ² , and the pressure of the fluid passing through the last communication passage became 4Kg/cm ² while successively causing a pressure loss of 2Kg/cm ² . So the cylinder 90
A relief valve was connected to the pressure chamber 103 of the rotor 40, and the pressure was adjusted so that 3.5 kg/cm ² was constantly applied. Further, the pressure chamber 102 was connected to a pressure regulating device so that the pressure could be changed instantaneously from 10 kg/cm ² when the rotor was rotating to 14 kg/cm ² when the rotor was stationary using hydraulic pressure. As a result, when fluid was circulated at a flow rate of 36.4 m ³ /h, the amount of leakage was 14.2 ml/h, and leakage could almost be prevented.

On the other hand, when the conventional atmospheric pressure open rotary valve shown in FIG. 3 was used, the amount of leakage was 1500 ml/h when fluid was passed at a flow rate of 3.2 m ³ /h. That is, by using the rotary valve of the present invention, the amount of leakage could be reduced to 1/1200.

<Effects of the Invention> According to the rotary valve of the present invention, fluid can be removed from the contact surface between the disk and the rotor without interfering with the smooth rotation of the rotor and without causing damage to the contact surface between the disk and the rotor. leakage can be almost completely prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the rotary valve of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an adsorption separation device, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a conventional rotary valve, and FIG.
Figure 5 is a Y-Y arrow view in the figure, Figure 5 is a Z-Z arrow view in Figures 1 and 3, and Figure 6 is a Z-Z arrow view in Figures 1 and 3.
Y'-Y' arrow view, Figure 7 is the same as Figures 1 and 3.
The Z'-Z' arrow view and FIGS. 8 to 10 are sectional views showing other embodiments of the rotary valve of the present invention, respectively.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A rotary valve having a passage through which a pressurized fluid passes, including a plurality of non-rotatable discs that include a part of the passage in the rotary valve, and a passage switch rotatably disposed between the discs. In a rotary valve in which a small-diameter rotor for use is provided in a cylinder, the disk is provided in close contact with the inner surface of the cylinder, and at least one of the disks is provided so as to be able to reciprocate minutely within the cylinder. A hollow cylindrical space formed between the rotors and which weakens the close contact between at least one of the disks and the rotor by pressurization is used as a pressure chamber, and by closing the end opening of the cylinder, the disk and the rotor are closed. A rotary valve characterized in that a hollow cylindrical space and/or a cylindrical space formed between cylinders is used as a pressure chamber.