Rotary Valve

UOP’s Rotary Valve Insures Sorbex Unit Reliability and High On-Stream
Factor

The Sorbex™ family of processes utilize stationary, multi-bed adsorbent chambers in

a unique process configuration to simulate moving bed, counter-current extraction.
Key to the exacting performance of the process is the use of UOP’s Rotary Valve that
sequences and directs the flows of feed, desorbent, and extract in and out of the
multiple adsorbent beds. The UOP Rotary Valve is a hydraulically driven, rotating
plate device that replaces the need for multiple separately controlled valves. The
Rotary Valve is supplied by UOP in a variety of sizes to meet process and unit
capacity requirements.

The UOP Rotary Valve is key to the economic efficiency of the various Sorbex
processes for three fundamental reasons:

 Process Performance – The RV allows maximum product purities and

recoveries by optimal flow control throughout the unit, and due to optimal piping
layouts with a single valve, minimizing liquid inventories outside the adsorbent
beds
 Process Reliability and on-steam factor. The UOP RV provides greater overall
reliability relative to individual valves and shorter time to on-spec product
following unit restarts
 Lower Operating Costs – The UOP RV results in lower maintenance costs
relative to banks of individual valves, and due to the process efficiency of the
close-coupled RV and adsorbent chambers, lower desorbent circulation rates and
resultant utility consumption
The UOP Rotary Valve works in conjunction with the UOP proprietary Adsorbent
Chamber Control System to monitor and control unit operation and to respond to
dynamic changes in flow-rate or feedstock composition. On-spec, on-line, all-the-time
performance drives unit profitability. Performance and operability have been proven
with over a hundred commercial installations since the Sorbex process was first
commercialized.