Crysumat big freeze for exhaust gases

Citation

(1999), "Crysumat big freeze for exhaust gases", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 28 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.1999.12928bad.005

Crysumat big freeze for exhaust gases

Crysumat®: big freeze for exhaust gases

Keywords Messer, Solvents

The Messer Crysumat®-K process reportedly makes it possible to meet the internationally ever stricter emission regulations and to recover process solvents. Boehringer Ingelheim in Germany uses a Crysumat®-K unit to purify the waste gases from a process producing active ingredients. The untreated waste gas contains dichloromethane and other solvents (Plate 2).

The heart of the Crysumat®-K process is a column filled with stainless steel spheres. The spheres are cooled with liquid nitrogen, before passing through the purification zone (condenser/desublimator), where the solvent vapours condense out or freeze onto the surface of the spheres. In the warmer section towards the base of the spheres bed the solvent is collected on the floor of the column. A bucket conveyor returns the clean spheres to the top of the column.

Plate 2 Boehringer Ingelheim in Germany

Crysumat®-K therefore meets the need for a continuous process for freezing out solvents. Before being released to the atmosphere, the low-temperature purified waste gas pre-cools the spheres as they are fed back into the top of the column, ensuring optimum utilisation of the cooling energy.

With liquid nitrogen (boiling point minus 196°C) as the coolant medium, the operating range starts at minus 150°C. As the evaporated nitrogen does not come into contact with the exhaust gas, it can be re-used in other processes for inerting.

Messer already has extensive experience with a range of different process streams and following a site survey can advise on the type of reductions that can be achieved for a given process. To support this activity, there is also a pilot plant which can be used for further process proving trials.

Further details are available from Barbara Stein. Tel: +49 69 69 508 339; Fax.:+49 69 69 508 276; e-mail: barbara.stein@Messer.de