CFD and experimental studies of liquid weeping in the circular sieve tray columns

Sieve trays are widely used in fractionating devices like tray distillation towers existing in separation and purification industries. The weeping phenomenon that has a critical effect on the efficiency of tray towers was studied by a numerical model and some experiments. The experiments were carried out in a pilot scale column with the diameter of 1.22 m that includes two test trays and two chimney trays. Weeping rates and some hydraulic parameters were measured in sieve trays with the hole area of 7.04%. Furthermore, the total weeping rate and weeping rate in inlet and outlet halves of the test tray were determined. It was also used an Eulerian–Eulerian computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method for the present study. The model was able to predict the dry tray pressure drop, total pressure drop, clear liquid height, froth height, and weeping rate simultaneously. Furthermore, the obtained CFD results were in a good agreement with the experimental data in terms of pressure drop and the model properly predicted several hydraulic parameters like the liquid weeping behavior along the tray.     

CFD gas-liquid simulation of oriented valve tray

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has recentlyemerged as an effective tool for the investigation of the hydraulic parameters and efficiency of tray towers. The computation domain was established for two types of oriented valves within a tray and meshed into two parts with different grid types and sizes. The volume fraction correlation concerning inter-phase momentum transfer source was fitted based on experimental data, and built in UDF for simulation. The flow pattern of oriented valve tray under different operating conditionswas simulated under Eulerian-Eulerian framework with realizable k-ε model. The predicted liquid height from CFD simulation was in good agreement with the results of pressure drop and volume fraction correlations. Meanwhile, the velocity distribution and volume fraction of the two phases were demonstrated and analyzed, which are useful in design and analysis of the column trays.     

组合导向浮阀塔板的雾沫夹带实验及CFD模拟

对组合导向浮阀塔板进行了水力学实验，测定了2块直径1m、不同浮阀排布的组合导向浮阀塔板的雾沫夹带和相关水力学数据。根据实验塔板的结构和尺寸参数建立几何模型，采用Fluent 6.3.26软件对板上气液两相流动进行CFD模拟，考察了塔板上的气液两相流动状况。清液层高度和雾沫夹带的模拟结果与实验结果吻合较好，验证了模拟的准确性。对两块不同浮阀排布的组合导向浮阀塔板的雾沫夹带和板上液体反向流进行了分析，结果表明在适当位置用导向能力更强的梯形浮阀代替矩形浮阀可有效降低雾沫夹带率和液体反向流比例，雾沫夹带率的实验值和模拟值分别降低了13.4%和10.6%，液体反向流比例降低了12.8%。研究结果表明，通过CFD模拟可望指导两种浮阀的合理排布和塔板的优化设计。     

组合导向浮阀塔板的CFD模拟及反向流分析

精馏塔板上的气液两相流动对传质效率有重要影响。根据实验数据拟合得到平均气含率关联式,将其加入动量源项,采用Fluent软件对1.2 m直径的组合导向浮阀塔板上的气液两相流动进行CFD模拟,考察了塔板上的气液两相流动状况。清液层高度的模拟结果与实验数据关联式相吻合,验证了模拟的正确性。对塔板上液相的非理想流动进行了分析,通过对反向流进行量化和统计计算出反向流体积分数(即反向流体积占塔板总体积的百分比)。3块不同浮阀排布塔板的反向流体积分数时均值的计算结果表明,梯形浮阀和矩形浮阀的排布方式对反向流影响很大,通过合理排布能够使工业塔板的反向流体积分数时均值从22.0%下降到19.4%,降幅达到11.8%。本研究结果可望对塔板的设计和优化提供指导。     

微分浮阀塔板的研究和应用

应用空气 -水系统 ,在直径 6 0 0 mm的塔内 ,对微分浮阀塔板的流体力学进行了实验研究 ,测定了临界孔速、塔板压降、雾沫夹带率和液体泄漏率。应用空气 -水 -氧气物系 ,测定了微分浮阀塔板的传质效率。并与 F1型浮阀塔板进行了对比实验研究。实验结果表明 :微分浮阀塔板比 F1型浮阀塔板具有更好的流体力学和传质性能 ,并对实验数据进行了关联 ,获得了计算临界孔速、塔板压降、雾沫夹带率和泄漏点孔速的关联式 ,可用于微分浮阀塔板的设计计算。文中还介绍了微分浮阀塔板的工业应用情况     

Experimental study and modeling of weeping rate in rectangular large-scale valve trays

Weeping is an important hydraulic parameter that needs to be considered for valve trays and for calculations in the distillation field. Therefore, the accurate prediction of weep rate is crucial for the optimal design of valve trays. First, the effects of gas and liquid loads and weir height on weep rate, tray pressure drop, and actual bubbling area were studied in a 1.5 m × 0.61 m cold simulator. Second, the weep modes on the valve tray were analyzed in detail. A theoretical model was then derived to calculate weeping. The model showed a clear relationship between the weep rate and the fractional bubbling area. The experimental data showed that the weir height substantially affected the orifice coefficient of the liquid passing through the valve. Finally, the relation between weir height and orifice coefficient was obtained by fitting the experimental data. The agreements were good, and the maximum deviations were approximately 25%.     

垂直筛板和T形排列条形浮阀塔盘的初步研究

在φ300mm的实验塔中,用水-空气系统对“T”形排列条形浮阀塔盘及“VST”塔盘的流体力学性能及氧解吸效率做了实验研究。得出了塔板压降、泄漏、夹带、液层阻力降以及降液管中清液层高度的初步关联式。 在相同实验条件下与F_1型浮阀塔盘的数据对比、分析的基础上,发现了VST和T形排列条形浮阀塔盘的分离效率和板压降与F_1型浮阀塔盘相当,而操作范围要比F_1型浮阀宽。     

Applications of pressure balance in large scale distillation tower (Ⅰ)A new approach to estimating gas distributions on large scale valve trays

针对目前缺乏有效的大型塔板气速分布测试方法的现状,利用塔板压降的加和模型和塔板压力平衡,推导出沿塔板液流方向上不同区域的局部气速模型。在6400 mm×800 mm大型双溢流、16分区空气/水冷模试验塔上对所推导出的公式进行验证。结果表明,该模型依据塔板压降和持液分布数据能够对塔板上的气相分布进行很好的表征和量化。     

塔板压力平衡的应用(Ⅰ)一种推算塔板气相分布的新方法

针对目前缺乏有效的大型塔板气速分布测试方法的现状,利用塔板压降的加和模型和塔板压力平衡,推导出沿塔板液流方向上不同区域的局部气速模型。在6400 mm×800 mm大型双溢流、16分区空气/水冷模试验塔上对所推导出的公式进行验证。结果表明,该模型依据塔板压降和持液分布数据能够对塔板上的气相分布进行很好的表征和量化。     

Computational fluid dynamic simulation of MVG tray hydraulics

The flow pattern and hydraulics of a Mini V-Grid valve (MVG) tray is predicted by using computational fluid dynamics simulation. A 3-D CFD model in the Eulerian framework was used. The simulation results for MVG tray are compared with that of sieve tray. The sieve tray geometry and operating conditions are based on the Solari and Bell’s sieve tray [1]. The MVG tray differs from that of Solari and Bell’s sieve tray solely by the difference in design of available openings for the flow of gas. The simulation results show that the clear liquid height and the pressure drop of MVG tray are lower than that of sieve tray whereas the liquid velocity is higher and contacts of phases are good. The simulation results of sieve tray are in agreement with the experimental data of Solari and Bell [1].     

Numerical and Experimental Study of Catalyst Loading and Body Effects on a Gas‐Liquid Trickle‐Flow Bed

The influence of tortuosity and fluid volume fractions on trickle‐flow bed performance was analyzed. Hydrodynamics of the gas‐liquid downward flow through trickle beds, filled with industrial trilobe catalysts, were investigated experimentally and numerically. The pressure drop and liquid holdup were measured at different gas and liquid velocities and in two different loading methods, namely, sock and dense catalyst loading. The effect of sharp corners on hydrodynamic parameters was considered in a bed with rectangular cross section. The reactor was simulated, considering a three‐phase model, appropriate porosity function, and interfacial forces based on the Eulerian‐Eulerian approach. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation results for pressure drop and liquid holdup agreed well with experimental data. Finally, the velocity distribution in two types of loading and the effect of bed geometry in CFD results demonstrated that pressure drop and liquid holdup were reduced compared to a cylindrical one due to high voidage at sharp corners.     

导向梯形浮阀的升程对其塔板性能影响

为使导向梯形浮阀在工业应用时,选取浮阀升程有可靠的参考数据,针对导向梯形浮阀的升程这一结构参数进行试验研究。采用空气-水系统,在500 mm×500 mm的方形塔内,对不同浮阀的升程对导向梯形浮阀塔板的流体力学进行了实验研究,测定了塔板压降、泄漏和雾沫夹带。并应用空气-水-CO2系统,在不同的升程下测定了斜孔梯形浮阀塔板的传质效率。实验结果表明,导向梯形浮阀塔板的升程对其流体力学和传质性能有显著的影响,并在确定的条件下有最佳值。     

Computational Fluid Dynamics Characterization of High-Capacity Structured Packing

The novel wire gauze structured packing, PACK-860, was characterized by means of numerical methods. The main features of PACK-860 such as height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP) and dry/wet pressure drop were evaluated. The flow structure in this packing was described by numerical simulation. To estimate the amount of HETP and dry/wet pressure drop, three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (3D CFD) modeling with the Eulerian-Eulerian multiphase approach was applied. The average relative errors between the results obtained from CFD simulation and experimental findings for mass transfer efficiency and wet and dry pressure drop were assessed. Numerical observations were found to agree well with the empirical results, proving the reliability of CFD simulations for modeling separation processes.     

十字旋阀塔板漏液性能

在φ1000mm的圆塔内,以空气-水为介质,对十字旋阀塔板的泄漏率进行了测试,考察了液流强度、出口堰高等因素对泄漏性能的影响,并将其与交错十字旋阀塔板、组合导向浮阀塔板和F1型浮阀塔板的泄漏率进行了对比。结果表明:十字旋阀塔板在气速超过临界阀孔气速且液流强度较小时具有很好的漏液性能,经数据关联,获得了十字旋阀塔板漏液点孔速的关联式。     

Experimental and numerical study of stratified viscous oil–water flow

Stratified two-phase flows of oil and water are important to the energy industry, and models capable of predicting this type of flow are primordial. Many studies focus on fluids with low viscosity, but a high viscosity oil in the mixture significantly changes its behavior. We gathered experimental data of pressure drop, volumetric fractions, and flow-pattern data of a stratified liquid–liquid flow with high viscosity ratio. In addition, a wire-mesh sensor provided tomographic views of the flow. The data were compared with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models using OpenFOAM and a one-dimensional model. CFD simulations used an interface capturing method, and turbulence damping was introduced to avoid high eddy viscosity at the interface region. Reynolds Average Navier–Stokes and large eddy simulations were used to account for turbulence, and they showed significant differences. The comparisons showed good overall results for pressure drop, volumetric fractions, and phase distributions between CFD and experiments.     

梯形导向浮阀塔板

对梯形导向浮阀塔板的流体力学和传质性能进行了实验研究，对实验数据进行了关联，获得了计算塔板压降，雾沫夹带和泄漏点速的关联式，可供梯形导向浮阀塔板设计计算之用。     

Overall efficiency evaluation of commercial distillation columns with valve and dualflow trays

The main objective of this work is to establish appropriated ways for estimating the overall efficiencies of industrial distillation columns with valve trays with downcomer and dualflow trays. The knowledge of efficiencies has fundamental importance in the design and performance evaluation of distillation columns. Searching in the literature, a tree of alternatives was identified to compose the tray efficiency model, depending on the mass transfer models, the liquid distribution and vapor flow models on the tray, the liquid entrainment model, the multicomponent mixture equilibrium model, the physical properties models, the height of froth on the tray model and the efficiency definition. In this work, different methods to predict the overall efficiency of distillation columns with valve and dualflow trays were composed and compared with data from three commercial distillation columns under different operating conditions. The models were inserted in the Aspen Plus 12.1 simulator, in Fortran language, together with tray geometrical data, fluid properties and operating data of the distillation columns. For each column, the best thermodynamic package was chosen by checking the temperature profile and overhead and bottom compositions obtained via simulation against the corresponding actual data of industrial columns. A modification in the fraction of holes evaluation that is jetting parameter of the Garcia's hydraulic model of dispersion above the tray was proposed. This modification produced better results than the original model to predict the fraction of holes that are jetting and in the efficiency of dualflow trays and similar results to Garcia model in the efficiency evaluation of valve trays. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010     

Hydrodynamic Characteristics in the Counter‐Flow Total Spray Tray

The capacity of a column is limited by the distribution of gas and liquid, especially in case of large‐diameter cross‐flow trays. In order to solve the bottleneck, a new counter‐flow tray named total spray tray (TST) was put forward. Taking air/water as medium, the hydrodynamic behavior, including the pressure drop, weeping, entrainment, and clear liquid height, was investigated, in comparison with the CTST, which had a higher capacity. Based on experimental data, the correlations of the TST pressure drop were established by regression analysis method. The experimental results show that the TST has a lower wet pressure drop and less weeping. More interestingly, its clear liquid height can be self‐adjusting with the variation of the gas kinetic energy factor, which is beneficial to improving the capacity.     

Efficiencies of Sieve Tray Distillation Columns by CFD Simulation

A 3‐D two‐fluid CFD model in the Eulerian‐Eulerian framework was developed to predict the hydrodynamics and heat and mass transfer of sieve trays. Interaction between the two phases occurs via interphase momentum and heat and mass transfer. The tray geometries are based on the large rectangular tray of Dribika and Biddulph and FRI commercial‐scale sieve tray of Yanagi and Sakata. In this work a CFD simulation is developed to give predictions of the fluid flow patterns, hydraulics, and mass transfer efficiency of distillation sieve trays including a downcomer. The main objective has been to find the extent to which CFD can be used as a design and prediction tool for real behavior, concentration and temperature distributions, and efficiencies of industrial trays. Despite the use of simple correlations for closure models, the efficiencies obtained are very close to experimental data. The results show that values of point efficiency vary with position on the tray because of variation of affecting parameters, such as velocities, temperature and concentration gradients, and interfacial area. The simulation results show that CFD can be used as a powerful tool in tray design and analysis, and can be considered as a new approach for efficiency calculations and as a new tool for testing mixing models in both phases. CFD can be used as a “virtual experiment” to simulate tray behavior under operating conditions.     

Research on valve trays. Hydraulic performance in the air-water system

The entrainment and the pressure drop were studied in a 30 cm distillation column with three valve trays. Three industrial types of valves were investigated using an air-water system. The air rate varied from 100 m³/h to 800 m³/h and the liquid rate from 100 1/h to 1.000 1/h. Four weir heights (4.5, 6.0, 7.5, 9.0 cm) and four plate spacings (30, 37.5, 42.5, 50 cm) were used. Equations for the amount of entrainment and the pressure drop were derived and compared to previous results from the literature.