Stripper Design

By;
Muhammad Usman Anjum
2018-CH-30

University of Engineering & Technology Lahore 1

Table of Content

1. Introduction
2. Stage Calculation
3. Calculation of Diameter & Height of Column
4. Calculation of Weeping Point
5. Calculation of Pressure Drop
6. Downcomer Design and Entrainment Check
7. Tray Layout, Number of Holes and Column Pressure Drop
8. Instrumentation & Costing

2
Introduction
Stripper;

Stripping columns are used to remove volatiles from water such as volatile

hydrocarbons (e.g., benzene, toluene and xylene), volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons
from water. We are using

Significance of Equipment;
Stripper column is the final equipment in our process flow-sheet. The feed to
stripper column is a mixture of ethyl acetate, ethanol and water. Whereas our
required product is 98% Ethyl Acetate. So the required separation is being brought
about by stripping column.

3
Selection of Tray Type Coulmn
Sieve Tray

Sieve Tray has been selected because of the

following reasons:
• Light weight
• Low pressure drop
• Maintenance clean easy
• Cheapest
• They can easily handle wide range of
flowrates
• Their fundamentals are well-established

5
Material Balance
Feed, Top & Bottom
Component Mass Flow (kg/h) Mole Flow (kmol/h) Mole Frac
Ethyl Acetate 254.62 2.889 0.5789
TOP Water 27.73 1.539 0.3085
Ethanol 25.89 0.562 0.1126

Component Mass Flow (kg/h) Mole Flow (kmol/h) Mole Frac

Ethyl Acetate 879.61 9.983 .816
FEED
Water 30.24 1.679 .137
Ethanol 25.89 .562 .045

Component Mass Flow (kg/h) Mole Flow (kmol/h) Mole Frac

BOTTOM Ethyl Acetate 625 7.093 .980
Water 2.51 .1393 .0192
6
Stages Calculation
Minimum Stages & Reflux
13

71C
Using Fenske’s Equation
12

EA
EtOH
H2O 11

= 9
70C
Pressure=1 bar

37% 78C
Taking 60% plate efficiency; HX-02

Actual no. of plates=9/.60 = 15

EA
63%
EtOH Stripper HX-03

Where LK=Ethyl Acetate H2OC

14
15
EA
HK=Water
W

Tank-03 8
Diameter & Height Calculation
Vapor and Liquid Load

Lm = Ln = F = 12.22
Vm = Lm – W = 12.22-7.23 = 4.99

Vapor Load Liquid Load

= 0.03982 m3/s
= 0.00038 m3/s

= 0.03914 m3/s = 0.00035 m3/s

11
Diameter and Height Calculation
Liquid Vapor Factor & Flooding Velocity

TOP BOTTOM

= 0.138 = 0.14

For Tray Spacing = 0.45m

KT =4.3 x 10-2 KB =4x 10-2

Flooding Velocity

𝑢 𝑓 ,𝑇 =𝐾𝑇
ρ𝑉√
ρ 𝐿− ρ 𝑉= 0.69 m/s 𝑢 𝑓 . 𝐵=𝐾𝐵
√
ρ 𝐿− ρ𝑉= 0.67 m/s
ρ𝑉
12
Diameter and Height Calculation
Net Vapor Velocity & Area

TOP BOTTOM

Design for 85% Flooding at Maximum Flowrate

T = (0.85)(0.69) = 0.58 m/s B = (0.85)(0.67) = 0.56 m/s

Net Area Required

= 0.0391/0.58 = 0.06861 m2 = 0.0398/0.56 = 0.07110 m2

13
Diameter and Height Calculation
Cross Sectional Area & Diameter

TOP BOTTOM

Cross Sectional Area

0.07967/0.88 = 0.07967 m2 0.06865/0.88 = 0.07801 m2

Diameter

DT= 0.3152 m DB= 0.3185 m

So, diameter of column is taken as 0.32 meters

14
Diameter and Height Calculation
Height of Column and Plate Design

So, Height of column is would be

( 15 – 1 )( 0.45 ) + ( 0.32) =6.62 6.62 meters

Provisional Plate Design

AC = 0.08063
Ad = 0.12Ac = 0.00967m2
Net Area An = Ac – Ad = 0.07009 m2
Active Area Aa = Ac – 2Ad = 0.06129 m2
Hole Area = Take 10% as first trial
= 0.1 x 0.06129 = 0.006129 m2
15
Diameter and Height Calculation
Plate Design

Now weir length from figure 11.3 Coulson and Richardson Vol 6
Ad / Ac = 0.00967/0.08063 = 0.1199
From graph
lw /Dc = 0.76
by putting value of Dc
lw = 0.2432 m

Take weir height = 40 mm

Hole diameter = 5mm
Plate Thickness = 5mm
16
Calculation of Weeping Point
Plate Design
Vapor Velocity at Weeping Point is

Let hw = 40mm
Weir Liquid Crest

Minimum Liquid Rate = = 0.2944 Kg/s

17
Calculation of Weeping Point
Continued
Minimum Liquid Rate = 0.2944 Kg/s

As we know

how =

= 9.63 mm liquid
As
hw + how = 40 + 9.63=59.63mm liquid
18
Calculation of Weeping Point
Continued

Since
hw + how = 59.63 mm liquid
From Figure 11.30 Coulson & Richardson Vol 6

So K2 = 29.9

h = = 6.6 m/s

Actual minimum vapor velocity = min vap rate / Ah = = 6.67 m/s

“So minimum operating rate will be above weep point”
19
Calculation of Pressure Drop
Dry Plate Drop
As the Vapor Velocity through hole

h = = 6.67 m/s
From Figure 11.34 Coulson & Richardson Vol 6
For plate thickness/hole
= 0.1 then Co = 0.88

Dry Plate Drop

hd = = 10.64 mm liquid

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Calculation of Pressure Drop
Residual and Total Plate Drop
Residual Head
hr = = 15.04 mm liquid

Total Drop
= 10.64 + 59.62 + 15.04 = 84.72mm liquid
Total Plate Pressure Drop

= 9.81 x 10-3 x 84.72 x 831 = 690.64 Pa

or = 0.00690 bar Acceptable
21
Downcomer Design & Entrainment Check
Downcomer Design

hap = hw – 10 = 30 mm
Area under apron As this is less than
Aap = hap x lw = 0.32 x 40 x 10-3 = 0.0128 m2 Ad = 0.08063 m2
so
= = 0.2193 mm

Backup in Downcomer

= 40+9.63+ 84.72+.2193= 134.56 mm or 0.134m

22
Downcomer Design & Entrainment Check
Residual Time

0.177 < ( plate spacing + weir length )

0.12 < 0.5 x ( 0.45 + 0.24 )
0.12 < 0.345
So it is Acceptable
Check Residual Time

= 3.66 s 3.66 > 3s which is Satisfactory

23
Downcomer Design & Entrainment Check
Entrainment Check
uv = = 0.5m/s

Percent Flooding = x 100

= 74.6 %
Flv = 0.14
From Figure 11.29 Coulson & Richardson Vol 6
No chances of Flooding
As the per cent flooding is well below the design
figure of 85, the column diameter could be reduced,
but this would increase the pressure drop. ϕ = 0.003 < 0.1
24
Tray Layout, Number of Holes & Column Pressure Drop
Tray Layout
From Figure 11.36 Coulson & Richardson Vol 6

= = 0.75

then Θ = 960

Angle subtended by edge of plate = 180 – 96 = 840

Mean length unperforated edge strip

= ( 0.32 – 40x 10-3 ) π x = 0.41029 m

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Tray Layout, Number of Holes & Column Pressure Drop
Continued
Area of unperforated edge strip = 40 x 10-3 x 0.41029 = 0.01641 m2
Mean length at calming zone = weir length + width of unperforated edge
= 0.24 + 40 x 10-3 = 0.28 m
Area of calming zone = 2(0.28 x 40 x 10-3 ) = 0.0224 m

Total area of perforations = active area – unperforated edge strip

= 0.06129 – 0.01641 = 0.04515 m2
= = 0.1

From Figure 11.33 Coulson & Richardson Vol 6

= 2.8 Satisfactory within ( 2.5 – 4 )

26
Tray Layout, Number of Holes & Column Pressure Drop
Number of Holes and Column Pressure Drop
Area of Hole = 1.946 x 10-5

Number of Holes =

= 314.95

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Design Specification
Specification Sheet
Item = Stripper
Function: To separate Ethyl Acetate from feed mixture, Operation: Continuous
Design Data:
Parameter Values Parameter Values
Type of Column Tray Column Material of Carbon Steel
Construction
Tray Type Sieve Hole Diameter 5 mm
No of Trays 15 Weir Length 0.2432 m
Height of Column 7.07 m Pressure Drop 0.0069 bar
Diameter of 0.32 m Tray Thickness 5 mm
Column
Tray Spacing 0.45 m Active Area 0.06129 m2
Flooding 74.6 %
28
Instrumentation
General Consideration
Objective:
In stripper column control any of following may be the goals to achieve
1. Over head composition
2. Bottom composition
3. Constant over head product rate
4. Constant bottom product rate
Manipulated Variable:
Any one or any combination of following may be the manipulated variables
1. Steam flow rate to reboiler
2. Overhead product withdrawn rate
3. Bottom product withdrawn rate
4. Water flow rate to condenser.

29
Instrumentation
General Consideration
Load or Disturbances:
Following are typical disturbances
1. Flow rate of feed
2. Composition of feed
3. Temperature of feed
4. Pressure drop of steam across reboiler
5. Inlet temperature of water for condenser

Controller Scheme:
Overhead product rate is fixed and any change in feed rate must be absorbed by changing
bottom product rate. The change in product rate is accomplished by direct level control of the
reboiler if the stream rate is fixed feed rate increases then vapor rate is approximately
constant & the internal reflux flows must increase.

30
Instrumentation

31
Mechanical Design
Stripper Column

Vessel Thickness
Material of Construction; Column Design Specification;

Carbon steel, for carbon steel Operating pressure=1bar

Design stress =f= 95N/mm2 Taking 10% above the operating
Tensile strength=360N/mm2 pressure=1.1bar
Joint factor=1 Operating temperature=70C
Diameter of vessel=320mm Design temperature=100C
Operating pressure=0.1N/mm2
Insulation , mineral wool=75mm thick (Coulson) e= = 1.69mm

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Mechanical Design

Wight Loads
Dead Weight of Vessel
Wv=Total weight of shell
Cv= a factor for weight of nozzle, man ways and internal support
Dm= mean diameter of vessel=(Dc+t)m
Hc= Height of column, m
t=wall thickness, m

Dm=(.32+.007)=0.327m Cv=1.2
Hc=6.62m

Wv=240*Cv*Dm*(Hc+.8Dm)*t*10^3
=240*1.2*.327*(6.62+0.8*.327)*.007*10^3=4.83 KN
Mechanical Design
Weight of Plate
Area of plate=0.08063m^2
Weight of plate=1.2*0.08063=0.0967 KN
Where 1,2 is factor for contacting plated
including liquid load in KN/m^2
Thus, for 15 plates = 15*0.0967=1.45KN
Weight of insulation
Weight of insulation= volume of insulation**g
Mineral woo was chosen as insulation material
Density of mineral wool= 130 kg/m^3
Thickness= 75 mm
Volume of insulation=*Di*Hv*thickness of
insulation=3.14*.32*7.07*.075=.54m^3
Mechanical Design

Weight of insulation= 0.54*130*9.81=0.69 KN

Double this to allow for fittings= 1.38 KN

Total weight =Wv+Wp+Wi

= 4.83+1.45+1.38 =7.66 KN
Cost Analysis

Cost Estimation
Material of construction ,carbon steel
Height of column =6.62m
Corresponding to this column height the total cost = $10200
Diameter of the column=0.32m
Corresponding to this column diameter the total cast per tray= $250
=15*250=$3750
Wall thickness = 7mm=.007m
corresponding to this wall thickness the total cost = $1100

Installation cost corresponding to diameter = $1000

Total column cost= $16050+37500+1100+1000= $55650

Stripper Column Design

38