Sump with weir and Themosyphon Reboiler Modeling Approach

Unisim Separator with weir allows you to connect all feed stream to only one side and this approach
works well for sump with weir flow configuration shown in below fig. 1

Thermosyphon Reboiler configuration Type -1

Fig. 1. Configuration of sump with reboiler where liquid+ vapor from reboiler goes same reboiler
sump.

Modeling approach for above configuration (fig.1) is very simple. No need of modeling two separate
separators to represent the reboiler sump and product sump. Separate fragment is included for this type
configuration (Refer fragment)

Thermosyphon Reboiler configuration Type -2

Modeling approach for configuration shown in below fig. 2 is quite tricky and we have to use two
separators with spreadsheet to configure virtual weir. .
Fig. 2 Configuration of sump with reboiler where liquid+ vapor from reboiler goes to product sump
(Once through circulation type).

Fig. 3 Unit operation arrangement for modeling column bottom sump with weir and thermo-
syphon re-boiler.
Modeling approach

1. Flow to the re-boiler is determined by the difference in static head between the liquid in the sump
and the two-phase mixture in the heat exchanger and the resistance of the circuit

2. An average density across the heat exchanger is used to calculate the heat exchanger static
head using the following formula:-

Where:-

ρvap= Density of the vapour phase at the reboiler outlet

ρliq= Density of the liquid phase at the reboiler outlet

x = the mass fraction of vapour at the exit of the heat exchanger

ρ = Average mixed density across the heat exchanger

3. The resulting circulation flow rate is then:-

Where:-

Q = Volumetric flow rate

K = Constant. Calculated from conditions on the datasheet to provide correct reboiler

circulation rate at exchanger rated conditions.

ΔP = Pressure difference across the exchanger as a result of the differences in static

head between the liquid in the sump and the mixed reboiler flow

4. The reboiler side vessel is also connected to the vessel representing the product sump. Flow
from the reboiler side to the product side is calculated using the Francis Weir equation:-

Where:-

Q = Volumetric flow rate

 Cd= Discharge constant

Iw= weir length

h = Height of liquid over weir

Fig. 4 Spreadsheet calculations of weir flow and thermosyphon reboiler

5. Weir and reboiler circulation flows are calculated in the “Bottom Sump” spreadsheet using design
data and current process conditions

Weir flow calculations

Cell B3: Base Elevation imported from the Reboiler Sump

Cell B4: User input of the weir height
Cell B5: Liquid level imported from the Reboiler Sump
Cell B6: Liquid level imported from the Product Sump
Cell B7: User input of the weir length
Cell B8: Liquid mass imported from the Reboiler Sump
Cell B9: Liquid volume imported from the Reboiler Sump
Cell B12: User input of gravity
Cell B13: User input of the discharge coefficient
Cell B16: Height of Reboiler Sump liquid level above weir (B5 – B4)
Cell B17: Height of Product Sump liquid level above weir (B6 – B4)
Cell B18: Height of liquid above weir (B16 – B17)
Cell B20: Liquid density (B8 / B9)
Cell B22: Intermediate calculation (2/3 * B13 * (2 * 9.81) ^0.5 * B7 * B18 ^1.5
 Cell B23: Weir flow (IF (B17>0,-B20 * B22, B20 * B22))
Cell B25: Weir flow exported to Reboiler Sump liquid out (=B23)

Thermosyphon calculations

Cell F3: Liquid density (=B20)

Cell F4: Exchanger inlet density imported from inlet stream
Cell F5: Exchanger outlet density imported from outlet stream
Cell F6: Exchanger outlet vapour mass fraction imported from outlet stream
Cell F7: Base Elevation imported from the Reboiler Sump
Cell F9: User input of the exchanger outlet piping length
Cell F10: User input of the exchanger tube length
Cell F12: User input of the thermosyphon circulation resistance
Cell F16: Sump static head (B12 * F3 * (B3 + B5 - F7) / 100000)
Cell F18: Intermediate calculation (F5 * F4 / (F6 * (F4 - F5)))
Cell F19: Intermediate calculation ((F5 + F6 * (F4 - F5)) / F5)
Cell F20: Exchanger average density (F18 * In (F19))
Cell F22: Exchanger static head (B12 * (F20 * F10 + F5 * F9) / 100000)
Cell F24: Thermosyphon DP (F16 - F22)
Cell F25: Thermosyphon volume flow (F12 * F24 RT 2) /* Resistance (k) x square root of static
dp
Cell F26: Thermosyphon (@IF (F6>0.01 AND F24>0, (F4 * F25)*3600, 100)) /* protection
when vapor fraction is zero and Tysphon Dp is negative then minimum circulation 100.
Cell F28: Thermosyphon flow exported to exchanger inlet stream (=F26)

Procedure to configure product sump and reboiler sump

1. Calculate the total volume of sump based on column diameter and height of sump (from bottom
TL to bottom tray).

2. Divide total calculated volume into product sump volume and reboiler sump volume. If weir is at
the center of column then product sump volume will be 50% of total volume and if weir is off
center then use following equation.

Where,

 D is the diameter of the Sump

 L is the height of the sump (from bottom TL to bottom tray).
 h is distance between weir and either side of sump
 V volume of the reboiler sump
Fig. 5 Re-boiler side compartment and product side compartments detail diagram.

3. Excel sheet is provided for calculating volume of the product sump and weir sump.
4. Enter calculated Volume of the each sump in respective Unisim separator (shown in fig. 1) and
enter height of the sump. Unisim will calculate diameter of each sump and it is equivalent to
hydraulic diameter of each sump.
Know where to enter data is thermosyphon spreadsheet

Tune K value to get desired flow

across re-boiler (Process side)

Fig. 6 Data entry in themosyphon reboiler spread sheet.