Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Vol. 47, Nos. 56, September, 2011 (Russian Original Nos.

56, MayJune, 2011)

CONTACT MASS EXCHANGER TO INCREASE OUTPUT OF ACTIVE TOWER UNITS

A. V. Dmitriev,1 O. S. Makusheva,2 K. V. Dmitrieva,2 and A. N. Nikolaev2

A procedure is proposed for calculation of the optimal dimensions of the cells of a regular packing developed with a vortical gas-liquid flow structure.

It is possible to improve the output of in-service heat-and-mass exchangers by increasing their diameter, resulting in a pronounced increase in specific metal content, and complicating fabrication, transport, and assembly. Moreover, operating effectiveness is diminished due to nonuniform flow distribution over the cross section of the tower units. An increase in the velocity of the carrying flow above the limiting value (12 m/sec) will give rise to rapid carry off of liquid, and flooding of the units [1]. Straight-through vortical contact units, regular packings of increased carrying capacity, etc. are being developed and incorporated into existing and newly created productions for the building of heat-and mass exchangers with small clearance dimensions and high effectiveness. As analysis of the most promising of designs of regular packings developed in recent years indicates, each new design solution yields an insignificant gain in carrying capacity, and also in hydraulic resistance, and to an even lesser decree in effectiveness. Basically, however, the designs are becoming all the more complex. Packings that permit structuring of the liquid flow over the section of the tower units, reduce the influence of the near-wall effect, and organize the largest phasecontact surface are coming into ever-increasing use. An alternate version of the design of regular packings for film heat-and-mass exchangers has been proposed by Dmitriev et al. [2]. The packing has low hydraulic resistance, since the gas flow is moved without energy consumed in overcoming various obstacles. No liquid is displaced along the radius of the unit, and, consequently, units with the proposed packing may have a rather large diameter, increasing their carrying capacity without reducing mass-exchange efficiency. Vigorous carry off of liquid begins, however, when the travel speed of the gas flow exceeds 3 m/sec. The problem of splash-away from the surface of the liquid film during its combined movement with a gaseous flow is solved within the structure of the regular packings [3] by establishing partitions in the hexagonal cells. The flowing liquid is uniformly distributed around the perimeter of the channels, and the drops that are sheared away from the liquid film by the gaseous flow fall back onto the film under centrifugal force, intensifying heat and mass exchange. Interacting with the gaseous flow, the liquid acquires a convoluted motion. Tower units with the developed packing exhibit a lower specific metal content than their modern analogies (Fig. 1), and lower hydraulic resistance. Owing to the absence of stagnant zones, the specific phase-contact surface with the optimal structural cell dimensions may exceed the specific surface of the packing when the surface of the drops is considered.
1 2

Research Center for Power Engineering Problems, Kazan Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kazan, Russia. Kazan State Technological University, Kazan, Russia. Translated from Khimicheskoe i Neftegazovoe Mashinostroenie, No. 5, pp. 1921, May, 2011.

0009-2355/11/0506-0319 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

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The absence of small straight-through sections eliminates their clogging; the packing therefore ensures effective operation when contaminants are present in the gaseous or liquid flow. The design of the packing is simple, does not include components built with high precision, and, consequently, its net cost will be minimal. The low specific metal content of the packing permits its fabrication from durable corrosion-resistant materials, rendering its use possible for operation in aggressive media. A total lack of transverse mixing is an advantage of the packing; this significantly increases the effectiveness of the processes that are taking place within the packing. It should also be pointed out that there is no near-wall effect in the developed packing, as a result of which the requirement that it be sectioned over the height of the units is dismissed. An important characteristic of the packing is its wetting surface, which depends on the length of the side of the hexagonal cell. To create the smallest volume, and, as a consequence, low hydraulic resistance, it is necessary to build a cell with a minimal side length. This dimension is limited by two basic conditions carrying capacity and wetting. The minimal side length of a cell of the packing is determined from the first condition S a S L + SG + Sn , where Sa = D2/4 is the cross-sectional area of the unit, m2; D is the diameter of the unit, m; S L = 6n b f (1)

is the cross-sectional area of the liquid flow, m2; n is the number of cells; SG = Gm /(GWavg) is the cross-sectional area of the unit, m2; Sn = 3bnn is the cross-sectional area of the packing wall, m2; and n is the wall thickness of the packing, m. In the limiting case, inequality (1) is written as f Gm D2 = 6n b + 3b n n . + W 4 3 G avg The phase-contact area L F= m KL where NL = is the number of transfer units. On the other hand, the phase-contact area 2 F = 6 b f Hn . 3 Comparing (3) and (4), it is possible to derive Lm = 6HK L n 2 f . b NL 3 (5) (4)
x1

(2)

x0 x1

x x* ,
dx dx

(3)

x0

x x*

Denoting the ratio Lm /Gm by l, Eq. (2) is written as f 6HK L n D2 2 = 6 n b f + 3b n n . + lN W b 4 3 3 L G avg 320 (6)

Fig. 1. Comparison of packings with respect to specific surface Fsp and free volume n (data obtained from [4]): 1) regular packings for Propak tower (Mellapak type); 2) metallic Ring-P; 3) regular packing with increased carrying capacity; 4) metallic cascade rings (Ring-C); 5) Sepring M; 6) metallic Ring-1; 7) stepped rings.

The number of cells can be determined from the ratio of the areas n= Thus, Eq. (6) is written as f 2 HK L 3b2 = 2 f b + lN W 2 3 L G avg or 2 f 2 HK L 3 2 b 2 f + n + b + 2 lN L GWavg 3 2 f + b n b 3 2 HK L f = 0. lN W L G avg (8) D2 2 . 4 3 3b2 (7)

(9)

It is obvious that Eq. (9) is parabolic. Consequently, the minimum side length of a cell of the packing is determined from the equality 2 HK L (10) 3 bmin 2 f + n + = 0. lN L GWavg We can ultimately write bmin = HK L Gm 2 f + n + . N L GWavg Lm 2 3

(11)

On the other hand, the minimum side length of a hexagonal cell from the wetting condition can be calculated with allowance for the kinetic energy of the liquid film and the surface-tension energy on the interphase boundary. According to Hobels investigations, which are presented in [5], Lm L 3 B 6bn 4 2 A
35

(12) 321

Fig. 2. Dependence of minimal side length of cell on ratio of mass flow rates, wetting conditions, and height of unit (Wavg = 2 m/sec) when is : 1) 30; 2) 45; 3) 60; when H is: 4) 3 m; 5) 7 m; 6) 11 m; ) wetting; ) carrying capacity.

Fig. 3. Dependence of minimal side length of cell on ratio of mass flow rates and average flow velocity ( = 60, H = 7 m) when Wavg is: 1, 3) 1 m/sec; 2, 4) 2 m/sec; 3, 6) 3 m/sec; ) wetting; ) carrying capacity.

where 2 A= L L 24.2 g
1/ 3

B = (1 cos ); and is the contact wetting angle. The thickness of the film of flowing liquid and wall is many times smaller than the side length of a cell, and, consequently, Gm D2/4WavgG. In that case, it is possible to write L Gm 3 B b 3 Wavg G Lm 2 A 12 322
3/5

(13)

For small ratios of the flow rates of the liquid and gaseous phases (Lm /Gm < 5), the side length of a cell is determined by the wetting conditions. It should be pointed out that in the majority of cases, tower units are used when Lm /Gm > 5, and, consequently, the dimensions of a packing cell under operating conditions will be determined by the carrying capacity (Figs. 2 and 3). If the minimum side length of a cell of the packing, which is calculated on the basis of the wetting conditions, is larger than the minimum side length of the cell, as computed from conditions of minimum carrying capacity, it is possible to select a packing with a convoluted gaseous flow in which uniformity of film distribution will depend on the angle of twist of the gas. This study was performed with financial support from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation within the framework of implementation of the Federal Targeted Program on Scientific and Teaching Staff for an Innovative Russia for 20092013 (State contacts for research Nos. 02.740.11.0062, 02.740.11.0685, and 02.740.11.0753) and Russian Federation Presidential Grant No. 02.120.11.322-MK.

REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. A. I. Skoblo et al., Processes and Equipment for Oil and Gas Refining: University Textbook [in Russian], NedraBiznestsentr, Moscow (2000). A. V. Dmitriev, O. S. Makusheva, N. A. Nikolaev, and M. G. Garipov, RF Patent No. 87103 for a useful prototype, MPK B 01 J 19/32, Regular packing for film heat-and-mass exchangers, publ. Sep. 27, 2009, Byull., No. 27. O. S. Makusheva, A. V. Dmitriev, and A. N. Nikolaev, RF Patent No. 96786 for a useful prototype, MPK B 01 J 19/00, Contact device for heat-and-mass exchange, publ. Aug. 20, 2010, Byull., No. 23. Website of Technologies & Investments Co., http://www.ti.net.ua. P. G. Udyma, Film Evaporators [in Russian], Mosk. Energet. Institut, Moscow (1985).

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