Hydrodynamic Simulations of Seepage Catalytic Packing Internal for Catalytic Distillation Column

Abstract

A seepage catalytic packing internal (SCPI) consisting of catalyst containers with avert-overflow baffles and corrugated metal sheets was developed for a catalytic distillation column. Models used for predicting the pressure drop of the SCPI and the height of liquid above the catalyst bed were built by using a commercial CFD package CFX13.0. Simulation strategies, flow geometry, and boundary conditions of SCPI were described in detail. Taking into account the structure of the corrugated metal sheets indirectly, the porous media model was used to acquire the dry pressure drop of the SCPI. Pseudo single phase formulation was utilized to process two-phase flow simulation for irrigated pressure drop determination. The Euler–Euler two-fluid model was employed to simulate the height of liquid above the catalyst bed and aid in designing the height of catalyst containers with avert-overflow baffles. The dry pressure drop (SCPI-I, SCPI-II), irrigated pressure drop (QLS = 14.06, 23.44 m3/m2/h), and height of liquid...