Category Archives for Reboiler
Loss of Once-Through Thermosyphon Circulation
There are several common causes of loss of circulation. The common symptoms of this problem are • Inability to achieve normal reboiler duty. • Low reflux drum level, accompanied by low tower pressure, even at a low reflux rate. • … Continue reading
Kettle Reboilers
Reboilers are sometimes inserted into the bottom of a tower. These are called “stab-in” reboilers. It is not a terribly good idea, because it makes it more difficult to fix a leaking or fouled reboiler without opening the tower itself. … Continue reading
Forced-Circulation Reboilers
Figure 7.6 shows a once-through forced-circulation reboiler. Such a reboiler differs from a thermosyphon reboiler in that it has a pump to force circulation, rather than relying on natural or thermosyphon circulation. This extra pump seems rather wasteful—and it is. … Continue reading
Excessive Thermosyphon Circulation
In a once-through reboiler, the liquid flow coming out of the reboiler is limited to the bottoms product. In a circulating reboiler, the liquid flow coming out of the reboiler can be extremely high. If the reboiler return nozzle is … Continue reading
Circulating vs. Once-Through Thermosyphon Reboilers
We said before that it was wrong to return the effluent from a oncethrough reboiler with a vertical baffle to the cold side of the tower’s bottom. Doing so would actually make the once-through thermosyphon reboiler work more like a … Continue reading
Circulating Thermosyphon Reboilers
The important differences between a once-through thermosyphon reboiler and a circulating thermosyphon reboiler is critical. Figure 7.4 shows a circulating reboiler. In this reboiler • The reboiler outlet temperature is always higher than the tower-bottom temperature. • Some of the … Continue reading
Once-Through Thermosyphon Reboilers
Figure 7.2 shows a once-through thermosyphon reboiler. The driving force to promote flow through this reboiler is the density difference between the reboiler feed line and the froth filled reboiler return line. For example: • The specific gravity of the … Continue reading
How Reboilers Work
Four types of reboilers are : • Once-through thermosyphon reboilers • Circulating thermosyphon reboilers • Forced-circulation reboilers • Kettle or gravity-fed reboilers There are dozens of other types of reboilers, but these four represent the majority of applications. Regardless of … Continue reading