SECTION 2

DISTILLATION & TOWER INTERNALS

2.1
 DISTILLATION
Basic Concepts

Fractionator Simulation

Contacting Devices

Tray Hydraulics

Tower and Internals Sizing

Debottlenecking

2.2
 Distillation (or Fractionation) is the oldest but
still the largest and most important single
refining process

Prepares feed for other refining processes

Separates products from other refining processes

Largest energy consumer in the refinery

2.3
 BASIC CONCEPTS

CONVENTIONAL DISTILLATION COLUMN

2.4
 DISTILLATION COLUMN TERMS

Rectifying section: Section of tower above the feed point. Heavy

components are condensed out of the vapor in
this section

Stripping section: Section of tower below the feed point. Light

components are stripped out of the liquid in
this section

Reflux: Liquid from the overhead condenser that is

returned to the top of the tower. The reflux
ratio is the reflux rate divided by the overhead
product rate

2.5
 COMPONENT DEFINITIONS
Key Components: Major feed components between which a
desired split is to be made.
Light Key: Least volatile major component whose
concentration increases up the tower
Heavy Key: Most volatile major component whose
concentration increases down the tower
Other Components:
Light Non-Key: Components more volatile than the light key
component which end up almost exclusively in
the overhead product
Heavy Non-Key: Components less volatile than the heavy key
component which end up almost exclusively in
the bottoms product
Intermediate Key: Components whose relative volatility are
intermediate between the light and heavy keys
and distribute between the top and bottom
products
2.6
 RELATIVE VOLATILITY

Separation by distillation takes place by virtue of inequalities

in volatilities. Relative volatily a is used to express this
inequality.

Component Ki a = Ki /KC
A KA KA /KC
B KB KB /KC
Key Component C KC 1.0
D KD KD /KC

KA PA/ Vapour Pressure Component A

aAC = KC PC/ PA/PC Vapour Pressure Component C

2.7
McCABE - THIELE DIAGRAM

2.8
 McCABE - THIELE DIAGRAM LINES
Line What the line Slope Point through
describes which line passes

Equilibrium curve Focus of all equilibrium -- --

points

Rectifying section Rectifying section L/V (xD) if total condenser

component balance component balances (<1) (yD) if partial condenser
(operating) line

Stripping section Stripping section L/V (xB)

component balance component balances (>1)
(operating) line

q-line Focus of points of q Horizontal line when feed is

intersection of rectifying all vapor.
and stripping q-1 Vertical line when feed is all
component balance lines liquid.

45 diagonal line 1. Focus of points 1.0 (0,0) and (1.0,1.0)

where x=y
2. At total reflux it
represents the
component balance lines

2.9
EFFECT OF REFLUX ON REQUIRED STAGES

2.10
MINIMUM REFLUX - INFINITE STAGES

2.11
TOTAL REFLUX - MINIMUM STAGES

2.12
STAGES VERSUS REFLUX

2.13
LOCATION OF OPTIMUM REFLUX RATIO

2.14
C3-nC4 SEPERATION: EFFECT OF REFLUX
RR = 2.3 : 1 RR = 5.2 : 1
C3=71.4% C3=76.0%

9 9

68.2% 53.3% 66.4% 58.8%

10 10

65.9% 49.8% 57.5% 47.7%

11 11

62.0% 47.3% 46.1% 39.0%

12 12

43.3% 29.3%

2.15
Fractionation as a concept is simple - only 3 basic laws

1. More reflux -------------------> more separation

2. More trays -------------------> more separation

3. Lower pressure -----------> more separation

2.16
 FRACTIONATOR SIMULATION

Basis for design needs to be defined:

Feed rate and composition

Desired separation e.g. recovery and purity

Conditions for Feed, Products, and Utilities

2.17
 BASIC STEPS IN FRACTIONATOR SIMULATION

Select operating conditions for tower

Determine key components which represent the desired separation

Calculate minimum stages and minimum reflux ratio (using short cut
distillation techniques)

Specify operating reflux ratio and the number of theoretical stages (using
Gilliland or similar correlation)

Perform tray to tray tower calculation using computer simulation

program (PROVision)

Optimize reflux, stages, feed preheat and feed location with additional
computer runs

2.18
 TOWER OPERATING PRESSURE
Select pressure with due consideration to:

Disposition of vapour distillate

If the overhead is to be totally condensed, temperature of
available cooling medium. If cooling water at 35C is used, the
minimum pressure for bubble point distillate would be that
corresponding to the pressure at a bubble point of about 45C.
Bottoms temperature for selected pressure:
+ Too high a bottoms temperature could result in cracking and
discoloration of product
+ Temperature of heating medium for reboiler
+ Too close an approach to critical temperature will give poor
separation (should be at least 28C below TC)

2.19
 TOWER OPERATING TEMPERATURE

Temperatures are fixed by virtue of specifying the tower

operating pressure

Estimate temperatures to assist tower simulation:

Bubble point calculation on distillate at separator pressure gives

reflux temperature for total condenser. If not a total condenser, flash
calculation on distillate will give separator temperature for required
vapour product

Bubble point calculation on bottoms gives bottoms temperature

2.20
 TOWER FEED TEMPERATURE

Consider feed temperature:

If not specified, start design with feed at bubble point

temperature and then optimize

Aim to balance tower loadings above and below feed to take

advantage of available column diameter

Minimise cost of column refluxing (overhead condenser may

represent a water or refrigeration consumer) and cost of
column reboiling by exchanging feed with overhead vapour or
bottoms product

2.21
 ESTIMATING ACTUAL REFLUX RATIO AND
ACTUAL NUMBER OF STAGES

General Rule of Thumb

R ACTUAL = (1.15 to 1.35) x R MIN

Use Gilliland correlation to calculate actual theoretical stages

for selected reflux ratio. Use safety factor of 10% or 3 trays,
whichever is larger.

2.22
 TOWER SIMULATION BY PROVISION

Input data to be specified:

Tower feed rate and feed composition

Vapor-liquid equilibrium data method

Theoretical model of tower

Fractionation specifications

Variables to achieve specifications

Tower pressure and initial estimates

2.23
 FEED COMPOSITION

Real components
C1 to C6

Representation of hydrocarbons by pseudo-components

C6+ hydrocarbons defined by pseudo-components

Pseudo-components are narrow fractions characterised by VABP
and gravity
Pseudo-components are generated by Quest/Distex from plant
data (feed distillation curve and feed gravity)

2.24
 THEORETICAL MODEL OF TOWER

Number of Stages

Light ends fractionation : DPM Section III - I Table 2

Heavy hydrocarbon fractionation : Fluidity curve, DPM
Section III - I Figure 8

Type of Condenser

Feed Location

2.25
 CONTACTING DEVICES
CROSS-FLOW vs COUNTERCURRENT

2.26
AVAILABLE CONTACTING DEVICES

Crossflow - Trays
Sieve
Valve
Jet
Bubble Cap

Counterflow - Packing and Sheds

Random Packing - Pall rings, IMTP, etc.
Structured Packing - Gempak, Flexipac, etc.
Grid
Sheds/Baffle Trays

2.27
 CONTACTING DEVICE SELECTION

Reduce investment cost

Debottleneck throughput or improve product specification

Save energy via lower pressure drop or higher efficiency

Improve flexibility or turndown

Provide reliable construction/easy maintenance

2.28
TYPES OF TRAYS

2.29
 SIEVE TRAYS

Most widely used fractionation internal

Low cost

Excellent data backup via FRI and commercial experience

2 - 3 to 1 turndown

Non-proprietary

2.30
 VALVE TRAYS
Greater turndown than sieve trays, up to 5 to 1, due to self-
adjusting open area for vapor flow

Marginally higher cost

Proprietary designs for valve trays from vendors. Nutter

and Koch (Glitsch) offer valve trays nearly equivalent in
performance

Nutter also offers a fixed open valve type (V-Grid). Less

flexible than valve tray, but no moving parts (like sieve tray)

2.31
TYPES OF VALVE

2.32
VAPOUR AND LIQUID FLOW PATTERNS THROUGH
SIEVE AND V-GRID TRAYS
Vapour Flow Liquid Flow
(Side View) (Top View)

2.33
 JET TRAYS

Directional tabs punched at 20 degree incline from tray deck.

Vapour flow helps propel liquid across tray

Developed in-house in the 1950s

High liquid load capacity

Tray efficiency generally about 20% lower than sieve tray

Used mainly for pumparounds in pipestills, FCC fractionators, etc.,

so that these sections do not govern tower diameter

2.34
 BUBBLE CAP TRAYS

Standard tray device until 1950s, now nearly obsolete.

Still found in a few older vacuum pipestills

High investment cost, otherwise performance

characteristics similar to sieve trays (better turndown)

Maintenance and installation difficult

2.35
BUBBLE CAP TRAYS

2.36
 TRAYS - SUMMARY OF CHARACTERISTICS
Tray Type Capacity Efficiency Cost Per Unit Area Flexibility* Remarks
Sieve Medium to High. Equal to Lowest of all trays Medium. 3/1 First choice for most
high. or better than with downcomers. can usually be applications; extensive
other tray achieved. design data available
types.
Valve Medium to High. As good Medium. About 10% High. Possibly Not recommended for
high; as good as sieve trays. greater than sieve up to 5/1. moderate to severe
as sieve trays. trays. fouling services.
Nutter Medium to High. As good About the same as Medium. Good alternative to
V-Grid high; as good as sieve trays sieve trays. Slightly higher sieve trays. Increases
as sieve trays. than sieve run lengths in fouling
trays. services.
Jet Highest at low Low to Low to medium. Low. 1.5 or 2/1. Consider only when
pressure and medium. About 5 % higher liquid rate exceeds 4.0
high liquid than sieve trays. gpm/in. of diameter per
rates pass.
Bubble Cap Medium to Medium to High. At least twice Medium to Use for high flexibility
high, except high. the cost of sieve high 5/1 or where fouling of valve
low to medium trays. slightly higher. trays may be a problem.
at high liquid
rate.
UOP MD, Very High. Low to Medium High. Paying for Low. (<2/1) Can be installed on very
ECMD proprietary know- low tray spacings.
how. Consider for revamps
where no other device is
acceptable. Not
recommended for
fouling services.
*Ratio of maximum to minimum vapor loads at which tray efficiency remains above about 90% of its design value.

2.37
 PACKING

Pall rings most popular packing since late 1960s.

Newer random packings, i.e. IMTP, Nutter rings, and CMR, now
provide higher capacity than pall rings.

More recently available structured packings provide significantly

higher capacity and efficiency.

Packing costs are usually higher than trays.

Low pressure drop is an important advantage, especially in

vacuum distillations.

2.38
RANDOM PACKING

2.39
CMR PACKING

2.40
STRUCTURED PACKING

2.41
PACKING SELECTION DIAGRAM FOR IMPROVING TOWER PERFORMANCE

RANDOM PACKINGS STRUCTURED PACKINGS

Pt. Packing Types Pt. Packing Types Pt. Packing Types
No. No. No.
1. 1 Pall Ring 4.5 FLEXIPAC 2.5Y
#25 IMTP 1. FLEXIPAC 1Y
#1.5 CMR GEMPAK #4A(3)
MELLPAK 500Y 5. GEMPAK #1A (3)
INTALOX Structured 3T
2. 1.5 Pall Ring MONTZ B1-125
#40 IMTP 2. GEMPAK #3A(3)
MELLPAK 350Y INTALOX Structured 4T
#1 Nutter Ring
#2 CMR MONTZ B1-300
FLEXIPAC 1.4Y 6. FLEXIPAC 3Y
FLEXIPAC 1.6Y MELLAPAK 125Y
3. #1.5 Nutter Ring INTALOX Structured 1T INTALOX Structured 5T
#2.5 CMR MONTZ B1-100
3. FLEXIPAC 2Y
4. 2 Pall Ring GEMPAK #2A (3) 7. FLEXIPAC 4Y
#50 IMTP MELLAPAK 250Y GEMPAK #0.75 AT
#2 Nutter Ring Base MONTZ B1-250
#3 CMR
4. GEMPAK #1.5A (3)
5. #2.5 Nutter Ring INTALOX Structured 2T
MONTZ B1-200
6. #70 IMTP
#3 Nutter Ring
#4 CMR 2.42
 WHEN TO USE PACKING

In Existing Towers

To Increase Throughput
To Improve Product Yield or Purity

In New Towers

Vacuum Distillation
Low Pressure Towers (Not Moderate to High
Pressure Towers)

2.43
PACKING IMPROVES PERFORMANCE TWO WAYS

2.44
ANCILLARY TOWER INTERNALS NEEDED IN
PACKING INSTALLATIONS

2.45
TYPICAL LIQUID
DISTRIBUTORS
Narrow Channel
Distributor

2.46
OTHER PACKED TOWER INTERNALS

2.47
 GRID

High open type of stacked packing, used mainly for

deentrainment in wash zones.

High resistance/tolerance to fouling.

Glitsch Grid only type of grid available from 1965 to

mid - 80s. Now Nutter and Koch provide
competitive devices.

2.48
 GRIDS

High Capacity, Low Efficiency

Fouling, Coking, Heat Transfer Services

2.49
TYPICAL VACUUM PIPESTILL

2.50
 SHEDS

Two configurations available

Baffles extending from wall to wall.
Disc & Donuts.

Provide highest resistance to fouling of any device.

Offer high capacity, but very poor efficiency.

Used extensively in FCC fractionator slurry pumparounds,

asphalt strippers, condensibles blowdown drums.

2.51
SHEDS/DISC AND DONUTS

2.52
 COUNTERCURRENT DEVICES - SUMMARY OF
CHARACTERISTICS
Device Capacity Efficiency Cost Per Unit Flexibility Remarks
Area
Packing (Pall Medium. Medium to High. Medium to low, > 3/1 Good for P
Rings, Metal depending on Service. Mainly
Intalox, Nutter material of used in vacuum
Rings.) construction. pipestills and in
various high liquid
rate absorbers.
Structured Medium to Medium to very High at least two >3/1 Best efficiency per
Packing very high high depending on times dumped unit of P.
Flexipac; Montz, depending on size used. packing cost.
Gempak; size
Mellapak,
Intalox
Structured.
Glitsch Grid Very high Poor as Medium to high. Low: less than 2/1 Good for high
Flexigrid fractionation vapor-low liquid
Snapgrid device. Good for service to minimize
entrainment effect of
removal and heat entrainment. Used
transfer in wash zones of
heavy hydrocarbon
fractionators where
moderate coking
occurs.
Sheds and Disc Very high. Poor as Medium Low >1.5/1 Used in severe
and Donuts fractionation fouling service; e.g.
device. slurry pumparound
in cat fractionator.

2.53
TRAY HYDRAULICS
Pressure Drop
Dry Tray Pressure Drop
Clear Liquid Height

Downcomer Filling
Downcomer Sealing
Downcomer Velocity
Downcomer Choking
Entrainment
Jet Flooding
Froth/Spray Transition
Weeping

2.54
 FRACTIONATION TRAY HYDRAULICS

Total vapor handling limitations

Governed PRIMARILY by vapour and liquid rates and overall
tower geometry (e.g. tower diameter, tray spacing, free area)
High tower loadings can result in excessive entrainment
from one tray to the tray above (jet flooding).
Tower geometry should be set to limit jet flooding to less
than about 90% to maintain tray efficiency.
Several flow regimes also possible depending on L/V ratio +
geometry.
+ Froth--continuous liquid phase with discrete vapor bubbles is
the desired regime.
+ Spray--high vapour rate (usually coupled with low liquid rate)
results in continuous vapour phase, excessive liquid
entrainment and poor efficiency.

2.55
 VAPOR HANDLING LIMITATIONS:
ENTRAINMENT, JET FLOODING

Entrainment: Liquid Carried to Tray Above

Jet Flooding:

Excessive Entrainment Overloads Downcomers

Dense Froth Fills Inter-tray Space

Efficiency Deteriorates

2.56
GENERATING ENTRAINMENT

2.57
JET FLOODING: IMPACT ON ENTRAINMENT
AND TRAY EFFICIENCY

2.58
VAPOR HANDLING LIMITATIONS: FLOW REGIMES

Froth: Discrete bubbles, continuous liquid phase

Spray: high vapour rate, continuous vapour phase

Liquid broken in droplets, blowing

Reduced vapour-liquid contact, low efficiency
Suppress the spray by larger open area, smaller holes, valves.

2.59
FROTH VERSUS SPRAY REGIME

2.60
LIQUID HANDLING LIMITATIONS

Two downcomer (D.C.) functions:

Transfer the liquid to tray below
Disengage vapor from liquid

Downcomer limitations:
Inlet velocity
Residence time
%Filling

2.61
VAPOUR RECYCLE INCREASES TRAY VAPOUR LOAD

2.62
DOWNCOMER INLET CHOKING

2.63
DOWNCOMER FILLING

2.64
PRESSURE BALANCE FOR A TWO PASS SIEVE TRAY

2.65
 WEEPING, DUMPING

Weeping

Liquid flow through vapour openings

Low dry tray pressure drop
+ Low vapor rates, large hole area
Sharp efficiency decline at high rates, when weeping
exceeds 20% of liquid

Dumping

All liquid through vapour openings

Very low efficiency

2.66
EFFECT OF WEEPING ON EFFICIENCY

2.67
 PERFORMANCE DIAGRAMS

Boundary conditions that limit tower throughput.

Each internal device (trays, packing) has a calculable

Performance Diagram.

Design Practices Manual can be used for most cases

EMRE has access to FRI correlations and other data to

assist for any internals not covered by DPM.

2.68
TYPICAL TRAY PERFORMANCE DIAGRAM

2.69
 EFFECT OF TOWER LOADING ON TRAY
EFFICIENCY VALVE TRAY VERSUS SIEVE TRAY

2.70
 TOWER AND INTERNALS SIZING

See procedures in DPM Section III

For sieve trays: See DPM Section III - B

1. Calculate a trial tower diameter with assumed tray spacing

2. Size downcomers and set other tray details
3. Calculate % of jet flood
4. Calculate tray hydraulics
5. Repeat steps 1 - 4 if first trial unsatisfactory
6. Calculate flexibility
7. Balance the tray design
8. Calculate efficiency

2.71
MAIN TRAY DESIGN VARIABLES

Tray diameter, spacing

Number of tray passes

Downcomer area, type

Active area, open (hole) area

Weir height, D.C. clearance

2.72
SINGLE PASS TRAY

2.73
TWO PASS TRAY

2.74
TRAY NOMENCLATURE - SINGLE PASS TRAYS

2.75
TRAY NOMENCLATURE - TWO PASS TRAYS

2.76
PASS ARRANGEMENT ON MULTIPASS TRAYS

2.77
STEPPED VERSUS SLOPED DOWNCOMERS

2.78
STRAIGHT, MODIFIED ARC, AND ARC-TYPE
DOWNCOMERS

2.79
 SIEVE TRAY DESIGN PARAMETERS

TYPICAL ALLOWABLE RANGE

Tray Spacing, mm 300-750 200-900
Number of Passes 1 or 2 1-4
Outlet Weir Height, mm 50 0-100
Downcomer Clearance, mm 38 25+
38+(Fouling Service)
Hole Size, mm 13 3-25
19-25 (Fouling Service)
Hole/Bubble Area Ratio, % 6-10 3.5-15
Bubble/Tower Area Ratio, % 40-90 40-90

Outboard Downcomer Rise -- Chord Length at Least 65% of

Tower Diameter
Inboard Downcomer Width -- Inlet Width: 200 mm min.
Outlet Width: 150 mm min.
2.80
KEY TRAY PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS

Jet Flooding

Downcomer Filling (D.C. Flooding)

Downcomer Inlet Velocity (Inlet Flood)

Dry and Total Tray Pressure Drop

Pressure Drop Under the Downcomer

gpm/in. Weir or gph/ft Diameter

Tray Flexibility

2.81
 TURNDOWN

Primary problem is weeping.

Causes loss of efficiency resulting in poor fractionation.
Fractional weepage up to 20% can usually be tolerated. If
efficiency not critical, can be estimated to see if higher
weeping percentage is okay.
If weeping is severe, can cause loss of drawoff or
pumparound.
Simplest cure is blanking, but may result in spray regime at
maximum loading.
Operational cure is to over-reboil, but operating cost per
unit throughput also increases.

2.82
EFFECT OF LIQUID RATE ON SIEVE TRAY TURNDOWN

2.83
DOWNCOMER SEALING TECHNIQUES

2.84
 DESIGN CONTINGENCY

Design strategy is to apply contingency to insure 90% chance of

successful operation.

Examples
Tray flooding 90% of predicted
Packing flooding 85% of predicted for Hydrocarbons
80% of predicted for Aqueous
Tray efficiency Point efficiency debited 10%
Packing HETP Predicted divided by 0.85

2.85
 TRAY PROGRAMS
PRO/II PEGASYS
Sieve X X

Valve X X

Jet X X

Bubble Cap X X

Multi-pass X

Packing X X

THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE:

- Designs
- Ratings for existing internals
- Hydraulic limitations
- Efficiency calcs
- Direct contact heat transfer calcs
2.86
OTHER TOWER INTERNALS

Tray pass transitions

Wire mesh deentrainment screens

Tower inlets

Tower drawoffs

Reboiler drawoffs/returns

2.87
 DEBOTTLENECKING
Purpose
To increase throughput capacity.
To adapt an existing tower to a new service requiring
increased loadings.

Always consider process alternatives first.

When coupled with scheduled turnarounds, incremental

cost of improvements is minimized.

Extent of debottleneck often guided by amount of

investment.

2.88
SIEVE TRAY DEBOTTLENECKING STRATEGY

2.89
 CHEAP WAYS TO DEBOTTLENECK

Reduce weir height to lower downcomer filling.

Increase downcomer clearance or add shaped lip to lower

downcomer filling if D.C. head loss is high.

Change tray decks if more hole area or larger holes are

needed.

2.90
 MORE EXPENSIVE DEBOTTLENECKING
BUT ALSO MORE EFFECTIVE

Change downcomers to sloped or modified arc.

Increase number of passes.

Convert to higher capacity trays (MVG, NYE).

Higher cost items:

Increase tray spacing and add straight side if needed.
Convert to packing or grid.
Use UOPs MD tray if heavily liquid loaded.

2.91
 APPLICATION GUIDELINES FOR
DEBOTTLENECKING FRACTIONATION TOWERS

Multipass trays

MVG trays

Nye tray inserts

MD trays

Random/structured packing

2.92
 ENHANCED CAPACITY TRAY OPTIONS
Vendor Tray Type Comments
Glitsch Mini-Valve Limited ExxonMobil experience.

Nye Enhanced downcomer.

Liquid rates >4 GPM / inch of weir
Best suited for high pressure applications

Superfrac Enhanced downcomer (chordal to modified-arc)

Developing first ExxonMobil applications

Koch Engineering Bi-Frac Fixed mini-valve.

Best suited for low pressure applications.
No ExxonMobil experience.

Max-Frac Enhanced downcomer with valve tray decks and

louvers at downcomer outlet.
Limited ExxonMobil experience.

Norton Triton Enhanced downcomer (chordal to modified-arc

having slotted outlet at bottom).
No ExxonMobil experience

Nutter Engineering Mini V-Grid (MVG) Fixed mini valve.

Best suited for low pressure applications
ExxonMobil experience

UOP Multiple Downcomer (MD) 1960s technology

ExxonMobil experience

Enhanced Capacity Multiple MD with slotted sieve decks and other

Downcomer (ECMD) improvements
Limited ExxonMobil experience

2.93
ENHANCED CAPACITY TRAY OPTIONS

2.94
ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF UOP MD TRAY

2.95
SCHEMATIC OF MD TRAY OPERATION

2.96
MD AND ECMD TRAY UNIT CELLS

2.97
 DEBOTTLENECKING PACKED TOWERS

Increase size of packing if lower efficiency can be

tolerated.

Convert to structured packing if efficiency is to be

maintained.

Check liquid distributor hydraulics and modify if

needed.

2.98
 APPLICATION GUIDELINES FOR DEBOTTLENECKING
FRACTIONATION TOWERS (1,2)
Pressure Relative Capacity Increase @ Constant Separation Efficiency
Psia
0 - 20% 20 - 30% 30 - 40% 40 - 60%
L Under 2-Pass Tray, MVG 4-Pass Tray
O 50 4-Pass Tray
W Nye Tray Random Packing Structured Structured
See Note (3) Random Packing Structured Packing Packing Packing
Structured Packing

M 50 2-Pass Tray 4-Pass Tray MD Tray

O 4-Pass Tray
D to Nye Tray MD Tray Random Structured
E MD Tray Packing Packing
R
165 Random Packing Random Packing
A
T Structured Packing Structured
E Structured Packing
Packing
H 2-Pass Tray
I Above 4-Pass Tray 4Pass Tray MD Tray
G 165 MD Tray
H Nye Tray MD Tray Random
MD Tray Packing
Random Packing Random Packing
NOTES:

1. Internals are listed in order of increasing approximate total erected cost (TEC). Carbon steel is assumed for all trays and stainless steel for packing.
The cost of MD trays and random packing are generally very close. However, if stainless steel MD trays are required, random packing will generally be
less expensive.
2
2. Structured packing is not recommended for pressures greater than 165 psia or liquid loading greater than 20 gpm/ft (in distillation).

3. Multipass trays and Nye trays are not recommended for applications in the spray regime, which is typical of many systems operation below 50 psia.
Contact your Fractionation Specialist for alternative trays for this regime.

Reference: ER&E Report EE.76E.91

2.99
 DISTILLATION - VENDOR INFORMATION
KOCH-GLITSCH

Ceramic Flexigrid Flexmax Structured

High Capacity Gauze Cascade

Random
Structured Structured Mini-Rings

2.100
 DISTILLATION - VENDOR INFORMATION
GLITSCH / NUTTER

Glitsch
Glitsch
Ballast Tray

Nutter Cartridge Nutter Random Nutter Nutter

Trays Packing Internals Snap-Grid
2.101
 DISTILLATION - VENDOR INFORMATION
NORTON / NORPRO

Norton Norton Norton Random

Internals Internals Packing

Norton Ceramic Norton Norton Plastic Norton Random

Packing Trays Packing Packing
2.102
 DISTILLATION - VENDOR INFORMATION
SULZER

Sulzer Sulzer Sulzer Sulzer Tower

Absorption Distillation Towers Internals

Sulzer Sulzer Graham Vacuum

Mellapak Mellaring Ejectors
2.103
 DISTILLATION - USEFUL WEB SITES

Sulzer Chemtech http://www.sulzerchemtech.com

(Nutter)

Norton (Norpro) http://www.nortoncppc.com

Koch-Glitsch http://www.koch-glitsch.com

Montz http://www.montz.de

UOP http://www.uop.com

Graham Ejectors http://www.graham-mfg.com

2.104
 GLOSSARY
Active area The tray deck area where the liquid-vapour contacts take
place.
Antijump baffle Tower internal device placed over the inlet of an inboard
downcomer in order to prevent liquid from one side from
jumping to the other side. See figure in the text.
Arc downcomer A type of downcomer. See figure in downcomer
configuration section.
Baffle sections Horizontal or low-angle contacting devices creating
cascades of liquid for contact with rising vapour. There
are two basic types of baffle sections: sheds, and disks
and donuts. See the figures in the text.
Blank tray Tray used to collect liquid from higher trays or packing.
Blank trays do not provide vapour-liquid contact. A
synonymous term is chimney tray.
Bubble cap tray A type of tray. The vapour goes through risers and
inverted caps making contact with the liquid when leaving the caps.
See the figures in the text.
Cartridge tray Prefabricated tray and downcomer assembly. See figure
in text.
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 GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)
Chimney tray Tray used to collect liquid from higher trays or packing.
Chimney trays do not provide vapour-liquid contact. A
synonymous term is blank tray.
Choking Accumulation of froth bridged over the inlet of a
downcomer, slowing down the transfer of liquid to the trays
below.
Chordal downcomer Vertical straight downcomer across a chord of the tower
cross section. Synonymous with straight downcomer. See
Figure Downcomer Configuration section
Column A vertical vessel containing contacting devices such as
trays or packing, used to perform separations such as
distillation or extraction. A synonymous term is tower.
Counter-current Devices in which the liquid flow is truly countercurrent to
the devices vapor flow.
Cross-flow devices Devices in which liquid flows horizontally across a flat
plate.
Debottlenecking Removal of a process or equipment constraint.
Demisting Elimination of entrained liquid droplets at the top of a
packed bed or a trayed tower.
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 GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)
Disc & donuts A type of baffle section. See the figures in the text.
Downcomer area The cross-sectional area of downcomers.
Downcomer clearance The vertical distance between the bottom of the
downcomer and the tray deck.
Downcomer contraction Pressure drop of the liquid passing under the downcomer.
pressure drop
Downcomer filling Height of liquid in the downcomer. It is often expressed in
inches of clear liquid or a percent (clear liquid) of the tray
spacing.
Downcomer flooding Overloading of the tray interspace with liquid, caused by
high downcomer filling.
Downcomer rise The horizontal radial distance between the center of the
chord of a straight outboard downcomer and the vessel
wall.
Downcomer seal Hydraulic seal of the downcomer outlet. See figures in the
text.

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 GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)
Downcomers Tower internals that allow the tray liquid to pass to the
tray below.
Dry tray pressure drop Part of the pressure drop that is not related to the
presence of the liquid on the tray, that is, the pressure of
the vapor through the contacting device.
Dumped Packing Packing type, consisting of small (2-in. is typical) devices
with large open space, placed in the tower (dumped) in
random orientation. A synonymous term is random
packing.
Dumping Weeping of all the liquid, so that no liquid flows over the
weir.
Entrainment Liquid carryover by the vapour to the tray above.
Flexibility Refers to capacity related flexibility. See Turndown.
Flooding Overloading of the tray interspace with liquid. Frequently,
the term refers to jet flooding.
Flow regimes The movement of liquid and vapour on a tray.

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 GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)
Free area The tray cross-sectional area available for vapour flow.
Froth A flow regime in which vapor passes through a liquid on the
tray as discrete bubbles of irregular shape.
Grids Countercurrent contacting devices fabricated in panels and
installed in an ordered manner. In contrast to structured
packing, grids provide wide clearances. See the figures in
the text.
Hole area The open area provided within the bubble area to permit
vapour to enter, contact and pass through the liquid on the
tray.
Inboard downcomer Downcomer positioned by the vessel wall.
Jet Flooding Overloading of the tray interspace with liquid, cause by
excessive entrainment.
Modified arc downcomer A type of downcomer. See Figure in Downcomer
Configuration section.
Multiple downcomer tray Proprietary type of tray. See Figure in Downcomer
Configuration section.
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 GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)
Outboard downcomer Downcomer positioned by the vessel wall.
Packing Devices that provide countercurrent vapor-liquid contact
in distillation columns.
Percent jet flood The ratio, expressed as a percent, of the vapor velocity
(%flood) between the trays. V, divided by the maximum vapor
velocity that will not cause flooding.
Plates Contact points of all the vapour and liquid in a column,
such as it occurs on column trays. The term theoretical
plates is used to indicate that equilibrium is reached at
the contact point between all the vapor and all the liquid.
The actual plates reflect the obtained tray efficiency. A
synonymous term is stages.
Pumparound Heat removal from a stream pumped from a tray to a
higher tray.
Random packing Packing type, consisting of small (2-in. is typical) devices
with large open space, placed in the tower (dumped) in
random orientation. A synonymous term is dumped
packing.
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 GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)
Seal pan Tower internal device placed over the inlet of an inboard
downcomer in order to prevent liquid from one side from
jumping to the other side. See figure in the text.
Sheds A type of baffle section. See Figure in the text.
Sieve tray A perforated plate type of tray.
Sloped downcomer A type of downcomer. See Figure in Downcomer
Configuration section.
Spray A flow regime in which a gas get issuing from the orifice
shatters some liquid into droplets.
Stages Contact points of all the vapour and liquid in a column,
such as occurs on column trays. The term theoretical
stages is used to indicate that equilibrium is reached at
the contact point between. The actual stages reflect the
obtained tray efficiency. A synonymous term is plates.
Stepped downcomer A type of downcomer. See Figure in Downcomer
Configuration section.

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 GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)
Straight downcomer Vertical straight downcomer across a chord of the
tower cross section. Synonymous with chordal downcomer.
See Figure in Downcomer Configuration Section.
Structured packing Countercurrent contacting devices fabricated from thin
crimped sheets of metal and installed in layers having
a fixed orientation. See the figures in the text.
Superficial velocity Velocity based on the tower diameter rather than the
cross-sectional area available for flow.
Support ring Horizontal ring welded to the tower walls that are used
to support a tray.
Tower See column.
Tray loadings Tray vapour and liquid rates.
Tray pass number The number of individual paths of liquid on a tray.
Tray spacing The vertical distance between two trays.
Tray turndown The ration of maximum to minimum tray loadings in a
range over which acceptable performance is achieved.
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 GLOSSARY (CONTINUED)
Truss Tray support beam.
Turndown Operation at reduced capacity.
Ultimate capacity The largest vapour load a tower can handle, as predicted
by the Stokes law on droplet entrainment.
Valve tray A type of tray with contacting devices that can be opened
and closed. See the figures in text.
Waste area Any area in the active area that is farther than 3 in. from
the edge of a contacting device.
Weeping Liquid flow through the tray openings.

Weir A vertical strip at the inlet or outlet of a tray used to

maintain liquid height on the tray or a liquid seal at the
outlet of the downcomer. See figure in text.

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