Distillation Column Internals Design & Hydraulics analysis.

Process: Natural Gas sweetening using DEA (amine)

Complied by Sukalp Lamture, sukalp.cheme@gmail.com
Process Flow diagram:

Simulation Flowsheet (Aspen HYSYS):

Column Under design condition: Amine regenerator (T-101).

Feed : Regen Feed

Feed Temperature = 92 deg C

Feed Pressure = 5.516 Bar(a)

Feed flowrate (Std Ideal liq flow): 48.67 m^3/hr

Feed Composition:

Methane 1.29559804617798e-004

Ethane 3.65352423555822e-005

Propane 1.00951073334571e-005

i-Butane 5.08392576269693e-008

n-Butane 2.43386263343885e-007

i-Pentane 1.25057051130515e-003

n-Pentane 1.34877455127938e-003

n-Hexane 3.91214131238189e-003

n-Heptane 2.68839676993352e-002

Nitrogen 1.84762696250206e-007

CO2 5.62814142834423e-002

H2S 2.33729503601378e-002

H2O 0.280528592696938

DEAmine 0.606244919442656

Real Stages: 20 (including Reboiler & Condenser)

Operating Pressure = 2 bar (abs)

Operating Temperatures:

Top stage: 82 Deg C

Bottom stage: 136 Deg C

Problem Statement (Project Scope):
Select appropriate internals design, packing and layout for the acid gas stripper (Amine
regenerator), Evaluate the design on the basis of following parameters:
1. Dry Tray pressure drop, Hydraulic tray pressure drop, Total tray head
2. Jet flood, Down comer flooding
3. Weeping tendencies
4. Turndown ratio
5. Down comer exit velocity
6. Active area and Tray layout
7. Exit velocities
There are no restrictions on Type of packing or tray layout. Only caveat being the design MUST
be feasible for manufacture by vendors.
The Column internals must comply with following operating conditions:
1. Startup (10 – 20% loadings)
2. Reduced Loadings (50% capacity)
3. Excess Loading (20% excess of specified loadings)

Solution:
Here we shall be utilising following software:
1. Aspen HYSYS V9 (Proprietary / university license)
2. Koch Glistch software KG Tower. (Proprietary / personal license)

Column reflux ratio is taken as 0.7

The design basis of the column is selected 1.2x operating loading. Whereas, Design
specifications are considered to be 1.5x operating loads.
Specifications
1. System factor – 0.85
2. Max Jet flood – 85%
3. Max down comer flood – 85%
4. Total tray head < 8 mm Hg
5. Down comer exit velocity < 0.46 m/s
Solving Algorithm:

Complete Heat & Material balance by

solving steady state simulation.

Define the internal sections of the

column inside internals tab of HYSYS
distillation column. Select a
preliminary Column diameter, Tray
spacing (manually calculated or guess
values are fine too) & tray type as
“Bubble Cap”

Analyse the design by Export the hydraulics

checking the hydraulics plots. loadings to the distillation /
Check for warnings, messages tower design software
& also operating point & its (Sulsim or KG tower) through
zone. HYSYS’s internals manager.

Iterative loop

Define different operating sections /

Try the diameter, down add more sections, Select tray type
comer & weir dimensions in tower & enter tray tower
HYSYS’ internals environment. Select packing
environment.
Find Minimum tower diameter &
down comer area (%)

Change the internals type,

try Valve trays for better Finalize design& verify
flexibility. Iterate till a with vendors &
economically optimum & stakeholders/ forward
feasible design is achieved. for drafting.
Snapshots:
1. Column specifications:

2. KG Tower software:
Valve Trays:
Ballast V1:

Courtesy of Aspen HYSYS.

Courtesy of Koch Glitsch.

Results of KG Tower Simulation:
2 Pass Tray layout:

Courtesy of Koch glitsch.

Results of the optimum design
Hydraulics plots (HYSYS):
Stripper Column Worksheet:

Inference:
The above results indicate the inlet, outlet conditions at the specified column internals. There is
total separation of acid gases from the amine solution while No entrainment of Amine in acid
gases.

References:
1. Distillation design, Henry Kister
2. Unit operations in chemical engineering, Mccabe & Smith
3. Chemical Engineering design, Sinnott, Towler.
4. Introduction to KG Tower, Koch Glistch LP.