Loading and flooding points

3/ Sherwood and Lobo method:

A useful graphical correlation for flooding rates was first
presented by Sherwood and later developed by Lobo for
random – dumped packing, as shown in figure 4-17, P224 in
which:
0.2
U G2 .S B   G   L  L' G
   is plotted against
e 3 .g   L   w  G' L
Where:

UG: is the velocity of the gas, calculated over the whole cross-
section of the bed.
SB: is the surface area of the packing per unit volume of bed.
L': is the mass rate of flow per unit area of the liquid.
G': is the mass rate of flow per unit area of the gas.
µw: is the viscosity of water at 293k approximately (1m N.s/m2)

Suffix G refers to the gas and suffix L refers to liquid.

Wetting rate Lw
A useful measure of the effectiveness of wetting of the available
area is the wetting rate Lw defined as:

L U L
Lw  
ALSB S B

G '
L'
UG  , U L 
G L

The area inside the curve represents possible conditions of

operation.

1
The generalized pressure drop correlation

The generalized pressure drop correlation by Eckert has been

developed as a practical aid to packed tower design and
incorporates flow rates, physical properties of the fluid, a wide
range of packing and pressure drop on one chart presented in
dimensionally consistent form, as shown in figure 4-18,
p226.The broken line representing flooding lies above the top
curve in fig.4-18, and hence the correlation may be used with
safety in design procedures. The packing factor ( F ) which is
employed in the correlation is a modification of the specific
surface of the packing which is used in fig.(4-18). Values of
( F ) are included in Table(4-3)for all packing.

2
 G ' 2 . F . L0.1 L'  G 
0 .5

Plotted against  
 G  L   G g G '   L 

Sawistowski has shown that the curve in figure (4-17) may be

converted to straight line by plotting:

U 2 .S     0.2  '
ln  G3 B  G  L   against ln  L ' G 
 e .g   L  w   G L 
U 2 .S     0.2  '
1
4
1
8
  
ln  G3 B  G  L   =  4 L'   G   
 e .g   L  w   G    
   L
If GF is the gas flow rate under flooding conditions in the
column, then:

G F  U G . G . A

3
 0 .2 1/ 8
 G 2 S  1   L   1/ 4
 L '    G 
ln  F2 3 B       4   
 A e g  G L 
 w    G'   L 

Ex: A column 0.6 m diameter and 4m tall, packed with 25mm

ceramic Raschig rings is used in a gas absorption process carried
out at atmospheric pressure and at 293K.If the liquid and gas
can be assumed to have the properties of water and air, and their
flow rates are 6.5 kg/m2.s and 0.5 kg/m2.s respectively, What
will be the pressure drop across the column? How much can the
liquid rates are increased before the column floods? Viscosity of
gas 1.8 ×10-5 N.s/m2

Solution:
P .M .wt 101 .325  29
G    1 .206 kg / m 3
R .T 8 .314  293

G' 0 .5
U g    0 . 415 m / s
G 1 . 206

1/ Carman's method:
R1
2
 5 Re  1  0 . 4 Re  0 .1
U 1
U
Re 1 
S 1  e 

From table (4-3) gives

S B  S 1  e  = 190 m-1

1 . 206  0 . 415
Re 1   147
190  1 .8  10  5

R1
 5 147 1  0 .4 147  0 .1
 U 12
=0.2767

4
 R1 e3 p
 .
 U 12 S 1  e   U 12 L

From table (4-3)

e = 0.71

0 . 2767 
0 . 71 3 .
p
190 1 . 206  0 . 415 2  4
2
= 122.037 N/m

The above value of pressure drop must be multiplied by (1.8) to

allow for the effect of the liquid flow from fig. (4-23)

Δp = 122.037×1.8
=219.667 N/m2

2/ Morris and Jackson's method:

'
L'
U L  L
Lw  
S B S B

'
L'
U L  L 6 . 5 / 1000 5 3
Lw     3 . 4  10 m / m .s
SB SB 190

From fig. 4-25, number of velocity heads lost

N=1445
Using
1
p  . N .  G .U G2 . L
2
1
p   1445  1 . 206  0 . 415 2  4
2
= 600.3 N/m2

5
3/ The generalized pressure drop correlation method:

From table 4-3 give

F=160

The y-axis:

G ' 2 . F . L0.1 ( 0 . 5 ) 2  525  (1 . 0 ) 0.1

 
 G  L   G g 1 . 206 (1000  1 .206 )  9 .81

The X-axis:

0 .5
0 .5
L '   G 
 6 . 5  1 . 206 
   
G '   L 
 0 . 5  1000 

From fig. (4-18), Pressure drop =15mm water/m of packing

Δp = 15×4
= 60 mm H2O
= 588 N/m2

Flooding condition:
0.2
U G2 .S B  G  L 
   
.415  190  1.206
2
 0.112
e3 .g   L  w  9.81 0.71  1000
3

U 2 .S     0.2 
ln  G3 B  G  L    4.49
 e .g   L  w  

1 1
 L'  4
 G  8
 4 . 49   4  '   
G  
 L 

L' 4 1000 L'

 '  1.123 
G 1.206 G '

6
L'  0.5  1.59  28.8
= 22.9 kg/m2.s