Plate efficiencies

1. Types of plate efficiency

(2)Murphree efficiency E
(1) Overall efficiency ET
MV, EML

y*n is in equilibrium
with xn.

x*n is in equilibrium
with yn.
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(3) Local efficiency Eo

y* is in equilibrium with x.

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2. Determining the plate efficiencies (pp.175~176)
*Factors influencing plate efficiency:
(1) Physical properties; (2) Types and structures of
columns; (3) Operating conditions.
*Calculations:
(1) AIChE approach to local efficiency;

H=Henry’s law constant

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 3-1-1 Types of trays
•Describe the constructions, operating principles, and
characteristics of several frequently used trays, for
examples, sieve-trays; bubble-cap trays; valve-trays; etc.
•[Comparing the turndown ratio; plate efficiencies;
pressure drops; fabricating cost; production capacity of
these 3 kinds of trays.]

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3-1-3 Design of Valve tray columns
•Understanding the meanings of symbols in
Figure 3-10. [p.158]

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6
=height of weir, m
=height of clear liquid over weir, m
=spacing between downcomer bottom and tray, m
=horizontal distance between downcomer and unde
rflow weir, m
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=height of underflow weir, m
=equivalent height of clear liquid, m
=distance between plates, m
=height of aerated liquid, m

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=length of weir, m
=width of straight seg
mental weir, m
=width of defoaming
area, m
=width of installation
area, m
=column diameter, m
=radius of active area,
m
=half the width of acti
ve area, m =distance between centers
of openings of valve trays
of the same row, m
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•Sectional Design:
Usually the column diameter will not change
along the direction of column height, in order for
the convenience of fabrication, installation, and
maintenance/repairs, except for the great changes
of vapor and liquid flow rates.
In practice, because of great differences of vapor
and liquid flow rates between rectifying section
and stripping section, the column is separated into
two sections when designing.

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•[Sectional Design]
When designing a column, take the average flow
rates, average physical properties, and average
operating conditions of every section; adjust the
capacity performance chart to the optimum
turndown ratio; check the cross sections of maximum
and minimum flow rates to make sure the two limit
operating points fall into the satisfactory operation
zone.

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•Design and calculation procedures:
•(1) Calculation of column height;
(2) Calculation of column diameter;
(3) Design of down-comer/overflow area;
(4) Design of active area;
(5) Checking the performance of fluid mechanics;
(6) Adjusting the capacity performance chart.

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•Conditions given for the design:

Vapor and liquid flow rates:

Physical properties:

Operating parameters:

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(1)Liquid density:
Average density, such a
s rectifying section:
(2) Density of vapor mi
xture:
Average density, such a
s rectifying section:

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(3)Latent heat of va
porization of liquid
mixture:
(4) Surface tension
of liquid mixture:
(5)Average temper
ature and pressure,
such as rectifying s
ection:

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1. Calculation of technological parameters of valve t
ray columns
(1)Column height
Effective height of the column:
NT
Z  H T  N P  H T ......(3  1)
ET
Question: How to determine HT properly?
（ p.154~155 ）

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 (2)Column diameter

4VS
D ......(3  2)
u
u （0.6 ~ 0.8）umax

umax is determined by excessive froth entrainment o

r flooding.

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According to the settling principle, the maximum
permissible vapor velocity is derived as follows:

C=capacity factor

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Firstly, estimate the column diameter D, select HT an
d hL, get C20 from Fig.3-8 and

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(3)Downcomer
1)Weir
•Function of weir: Making sure there is certain li
quid layer on the plate, and making sure the liqui
d flow uniformly.
•Length of weir lw: Decided by liquid flow rate an
d types of downcomers.
•Single downcomer: lw/D=(0.6~0.8); two downco
mers: lw/D=(0.5~0.6)

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•Height of weir hw ： hw = hL – how
Selecting the liquid layer height on plate hL, and
calculating hOWhw
(Straight segmental weir: how>6mm ；

When how<6mm ， selecting saw-tooth-like segm

ental weir.)

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2)Basic design principle of width Wd and cross secti
onal area Af of straight segmental weir: Making sur
e that there is enough residence time for liquid in t
he downcomer to avoid vapor bubble entrainment.
After getting Af from lw/D, check:
Af HT
 ,  (3 ~ 5) s ?
LS
3)Spacing between downcomer bottom and tray: h0

Design principle: lessening local resistance of liquid

flow ; possessing the function of liquid seal, at the sa
me time avoiding the blockage of downcomer.
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4)Underflow weir and liquid accumulator 进口堰
及受液盘
•Setting underflow weir for large columns. [p.158,
Fig.3-10]
Functions: 1) liquid seal; 2)Uniform flow of liquid
on plate.
•For column diameter D>800mm, using liquid acc
umulator. [p.161, Fig.3-14]
Functions: Side-stream drawoff; liquid seal; buffe
ring 缓冲 . Liquid accumulator does not apply to t
he easily polymerizing materials and suspending s
olids.

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 (4)Layout of plate
•Four areas.
•Purpose of defoaming area: Avoiding weeping i
n liquid inlet and defoaming.
installation area

Downcomer
area
Active
area

Defoaming area
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 (5)Number of floating valves and their arrangement
(Design of vapor paths)

•Select Fo (For valve tray, Fo=9~12)

Number of floating valves

•Arranging floating valve openings graphically, and c

ounting the actual number of valve openings; then ch
ecking Fo .

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2. Performance examination of fluid mechanics (pp.
163~167)
•Auxiliary equipment:
Condenser and its heat transfer area Fc (m2)
Reboiler and its heat transfer area Fh (m2)
Flow rate of cooling medium Wc (kg/h)

Flow rate of heating medium Wh (kg/h)

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•Operation of columns:
(1) Basic requirements: Vapor and liquid counter-flo
w along the column height direction, and cross-flow o
n plate. Vapor and liquid mixes well on plate and wit
hout detrimental operations.
(2)Phenomena, judging and regulations:
1)Temperature of reboiler decreases, and column pre
ssure decreases too.
Possible reason: Weeping.
Measures for avoiding weeping: Increasing vapor vel
ocity; Setting defoaming area at the inlet of liquid.

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2)Temperature on the top of column increases
Possible reasons: Excessive froth entrainment.
Measures for avoiding excessive froth entrainment: Dec
reasing vapor velocity; letting HT, or D  u .

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3)Column Pressure increases sharply.
Possible reason: Flooding.
Several causes of flooding and corresponding measures:
a. Vs is too large and leading too great flow resistance.
The measure can be decreasing vapor velocity.
b. Easily bubbling materials: Letting Af  or HT .
d. Af too small: Letting Af  or HT .
e. spacing between downcomer bottom and tray is too s
mall or blockage of downcomer happens: Cleaning dow
ncomer or letting h0.

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