FLASH DRUM DESIGN

Vertical vessel Horizontal Vessel

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
Installed Units

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN

Deflectors, and Diffusers

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
Demisters

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
Control Schemes

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
Dimensions to decide

D
hV
hL
hf

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
Calculations to make

F = L +V

Fzi = Lxi + Vyi

yi = K i xi

i
xi = 1

i
yi = 1

zi
x =
i V
1+ ( K 1)
F i

y = K z
i i
Ratchford Rice Equation (look for it!!)
i
1 + V ( K i 1)
F

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
Dimensions to decide

D related to vapor velocity.

hV related to vapor velocity.
hL related to level control
hf related to flooding

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
D related to vapor velocity.

Permitted velocity ( L V )
v perm = K
V

A = 1.877478
B = 0.814580
WL L
A+ B ln Flv + C (ln Flv ) 2 + d (ln Flv )3 + E (ln Flv )4 Flv = C = 0.187074
K =e WV V
D = 0.014523
E = 0.001015
Where do these come from ?

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
D related to vapor velocity.
Fvis Fdrag
Fvis = 6 Rd vd Stokes
1
Fdrag = CD AV vd2 drag
2
4
Fg Fg = ( L V ) g Rd3 gravity-Buoyancy
3

= Fg CD ( RD ) V vd = ( L V ) g Rd3
1 4
Fdrag + Fvis Fdrag 2 2

2 3
Fdrag >> Fvis
( L V ) 8 gRd
v perm = K K=
V 3CD

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
Dimensional analysis for drag: Force is dependent on velocity, cross sectional area,
density and viscosity.
f a ( Fdrag , vd , A, V , ) = 0

Two nondimensional numbers:

Fdrag
vd A / CD =
Re = 1
V Avd2
2
Therefore
FD
f b (Re, CD ) = 0
CD = = f c (Re)
1
V Avd2
2
8 gRd
Thus CD is a function of the particle Reynolds number. K=
3 f c (Re)

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
But, what Rd should be used? The criteria is that 5% of the liquid

is entrained.

Thus
W
K =e A+ B ln Flv + C (ln Flv )2 + d (ln Flv )3 + E (ln Flv ) 4 ; Flv = WL L were obtained
V V

fitting experimental data.

4 4 V
Therefore
D= AD =
v perm V
Demisters should take care of 4% (or less) of the 5%.

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
1
hV = 36"+ diameter of feedline
2
Who came up with this rule and why?

What is so magic about 3 ft? (Room for demister?)

1
h f = 12"+ diameter of feedline
2
Again, why 2ft? (Residence Time, Failure Analysis,
Other Control issues?)

V pool
hL = or ~2 minutes residence time.
D2
4
Finally:
L = hV + h f + hL Nozzle size

ChE 4253 - Design I

 FLASH DRUM DESIGN
Final considerations

L
IF < 3 increase Vpool (Why???)
D

L
IF > 5 Use horizontal drum (Why???)
D

Different design protocol: Why?

ChE 4253 - Design I