Experimental Hydrodynamics Performance Comparison of Sieve and Centrifugal Tray in a Dividing Wall Column
نویسندگان
1 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, I.R. IRAN
2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, I.R. IRAN
3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, I.R. IRAN
4 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, I.R. IRAN
doi
10.30492/ijcce.2025.2074359.7345چکیده
The Dividing Wall Column (DWC) is a typical example of process intensification, which can reduce total annual cost and energy consumption in the distillation process. This study delves into the hydrodynamics of sieve trays and centrifuge trays within a commercial-scale air-water DWC equipped with a circular downcomer. The experimental liquid loads were 0.5,1, 1.5, and 2 L/min, and gas flow in terms of form 0.2181 until 2.3033 m/s (Kg/m3)0.5. Various factors, including dry and wet pressure drop, froth height, weeping, and entrainment, were examined and compared for both sieve and centrifuge trays. The study found that the dry pressure drop was marginally lower for sieve trays than for centrifuge trays, whereas the wet pressure drop was higher. Furthermore, the weeping rate and entrainment of centrifuge trays were substantially lower than those of conventional sieve trays, by 21% and 11% respectively. These results suggest that centrifuge trays in a DWC offer increased mass-transfer area, improved separation efficiency, and alleviate common issues faced by traditional trays, such as weeping, entrainment, pressure drop, and maldistribution.
