Pour Point Density Estimations for Packed Columns with Structured Packings

Abstract

In the chemical processing industry (CPI), structured packings are widely used for distillation and absorption columns. To achieve the desired mass transfer performances of structured packings, it is crucial to distribute the liquid uniformly across the top of the packed bed. It is equally important to have an adequate number of pour points across the entire column cross section. A study on the pour point density required for liquid distributors employed in a packed column was conducted. This paper presents a simple method of estimating the required pour point densities for a packed bed with the structured packings. The effects of structured packing geometric parameters and process conditions on the requisite pour point densities are discussed in this paper. The method provides insights of the effect of packing geometries on the pour point density and can be used as the guidelines of liquid distributor preliminary designs.