DISTILLATION

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TRAY SPACING there is adequate space for the liquid and vapor
NOMENCLATURE
to separate from each other.
The vertical distance between adjacent trays AD Downcomer entrance area
varies between 450 and 900 mm in the columns RECOMMENDED CS Vapor load
L Liquid volumetric flowrate, or moles of
generally employed in the chemical process DOWNCOMER VELOCITIES liquid in kettle
industries (CPI).
Spacing involves a tradeoff between column • Minimally foaming liquids: 0.12–0.21 m/s LW Length of outlet weir
height and column diameter: with greater tray • Liquids with medium foaming tendency: 0.09– QL Liquid load
spacing, the column height increases while the 0.18 m/s QD Downcomer load
required diameter decreases. In most cases, the • Highly foaming liquids: 0.06–0.09 m/s uS Superficial vapor velocity
two effects cancel each other from an economic ρ Density
standpoint. There are, however, additional con- DOWNCOMER AREAS, GENERAL SUBSCRIPTS
straints that govern tray spacing; the relevant CLEARANCES V Vapor
guidelines appear in the Table.
L Liquid
Multiple passes are used when the liquid load • For the cross-sectional area of the
is relatively high for a single pass. The capaci- downcomers,values less than 5 to 8% of the • The distance that the downcomer extends
ties of the tray and the downcomer rise, and the column cross-sectional area should not be downward within the seal pan should be about
pressure drop across the tray becomes smaller. specified the same as the clearance between downcomer
However, the tray efficiency declines because the • For single pass trays, the downcomer width bottom and pan floor
liquid path becomes shorter; the latter effect may should not be less than 10% of the column • The distance between bottom tray floor and
also complicate the provision of tray manways diameter seal pan floor should be 150 mm greater than
(discussed in more detail below). Trays contain- • The downcomer clearance should be less than the normal tray spacing
ing more than two liquid passes are prone to the outlet weir height
liquid and vapor maldistribution because of non-
DOWNCOMER SEALING TRAYS
symmetrical panels. If possible, trays having odd
numbers of passes should not be used.
In general,to achieve a proper downcomer seal, ρV
the bottom edge of the downcomer should be Vapor load: C S = uS
GUIDELINES FOR about 10 mm below the top edge of the outlet ρL − ρV
SELECTION OF TRAY PASSES weir. (This statement is more of a guideline than
Liquid load: QL = L
a rule). According to another guideline, the
downcomer clearance should be selected such
LW
• Set the number of passes such that liquid loads
do not exceed 70 m3/h per meter of weir that the liquid velocity under the downcomer
length does not exceed 0.45–0.50 m/s. The best down- Downcomer load: QD = L
• After the number of passes has been selected, comer clearance can only be specified by the AD
check the path length. If that length works out tray vendor.
to be less than 400 mm, the installation of inter- ���������������
nal manways is not feasible. If employment of OUTLET WEIRS
multiple passes becomes mandatory, it may be
The purpose of an outlet weir is to keep the liquid
necessary to adjust the column diameter in order
level on the tray at the intended value. Proper
to arrive at the minimum path length of 400 mm
functioning of a weir is especially important if the
• To avoid short liquid paths, adhere to the follow-
tray operates in the froth regime, the most com-
ing guidelines: for column diameters of 1,200
mon flow regime for distillation in the CPI.
to 2,100 mm, a maximum of two passes; for
• Weir heights in the froth regime are therefore
diameters of 2,100 to 3,000 mm, a maximum
restricted to 50–80 mm.
of three passes; for diameters above 3,000 mm,
• The preferred weir height for columns operat-
use four passes at most
ing in the spray regime is 20–25 mm.
• Weir loadings should fall within the range of
DOWNCOMERS 15 to 70 m3/h per meter of weir length.
Downcomers are conduits having circular, seg- PRESSURE DROP
mental or rectangular cross sections that convey ������������� ���������� ����������
liquid from a tray to the one immediately below. For trays to function reasonably close to their best FIGURE 1. Of these three types of downcomers,
Various types appear in Figure 1. The version efficiency point, the dry-tray pressure drop must the segmental version is the one in widest use at
most often found in process plants is the straight, be roughly equal to the hydraulic-tray pressure chemical process plants
segmental vertical downcomer. It is simpler and drop. Guidelines for seal pans (Figure 2):
less expensive than sloped downcomers. On the • To forestall problems due to solids accumula-
other hand, the sloped versions make the best use tion, the clearance between the seal pan floor
of the column cross-sectional area for downflow and the bottom downcomer should exceed the
— they maximize the active area on the lower of clearance normally employed under the tray
the two trays, and at the top of the downcomer, ����
downcomers. It should be at least 50 mm ����
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GUIDELINES FOR SELECTION OF TRAY SPACING ��
Description Tray Spacing, mm Comments �
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Column diameters larger > 600 The tray support beams restrict crawling ��� ���
than 3,000 mm space available; hence the large tray spac-
ing
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Column diameters between 600 This spacing is sufficiently wide to allow a ��� ����
1,200 mm and 3,000 mm worker to freely crawl between trays
Column diameters between 450 Crawling between the trays is seldom re- ����������
750 mm and 1,200 mm quired, because the worker can reach the ������������������
column wall from the tray manways
Fouling and corrosive service > 600 Frequent maintenance is expected ���������������������������
Systems with a high foaming At least 450 mm, but pre- Required to avoid premature flooding FIGURE 2. Note the adverse effects of improper
tendency ferably 600 mm or higher clearance (too large or too small) for the down-
Columns operating in spray At least 450 mm, but pre- Required to avoid excessive entrainment comer feeding Tray #11
regime ferably 600 mm or higher
Columns operating in froth < 450 Lower tray spacing restricts allowable vapor Reference
regime velocity, thereby promoting froth-regime Mukherjee, S., “Tray Column Design: Keep Control of
operation the Details,” Chem. Eng., September 2005, pp. 52–58.