Experimental plate efficiency and pressure drop data were obtained on the n-octane-
toluene system in a 5 plate, 6 in. diam. column at atmospheric pressure. Hole sizes of
1/16, 1/8, and 3/16 in.; 5.68 and 12.5% free areas; xeir heights of 1, 2, and 3 in.; and
plate spacings of 6, 12, 18, and 24 in. were studied. Reflux ratios of one, two, four, five,
ten, and total were utilized to determine the effect on efficiency.
It was found that hole diameter, free area, plate spacing, and a wide range of reflux
ratio had relatively small effect on efficiency and pressure drop; however weir height and
lower reflux showed relatively larger effects on both variables.
Efficiencies and pressure drops were lower than those predicted from published corre-
lations particularly at low flow rates.
Mechanical design features of the and encompassed the variables, reflux tion of plate operation. The dimensions
plates and column and vapor and liquid ratio, and plate spacing which were not of the column and ranges of variables
rates are important variables in estab- studied previously. Data of the effect of studied are given in Table 1. Free area
lishing distillation column performance. weir height were obtained in the range of and downcomer area are in percentage
Efficiency correlations in the literature usual commercial practice, and additional of the column superficial area.
(9,12) include the effects of some physical tests on the effects of hole size and free Plate spacing was varied in multiples
properties but in general do not include area were carried out. of 6 in. by using glass pipe sections of
the effects of design features and vapor As a matter of interest the effect of appropriate lengths. Downcomers were
and liquid rates. Gerster and co-workers composition on efficiency data previously constructed of 1% in. O.D. copper
(4, ii, 6, 7 ) have related gas film and reported (17) was recalculated after tubing. The upper ends of the down-
liquid film efficiencies in terms of liquid carefully resmoothing the relative vola- comers extended % in. above the plates
retention in the froth on both bubble cap tility data of Berg and Popovac (1). The and were machined to allow replaceable
and perforated fractionating plates. The trend showing increasing efficiency with circular weirs of various heights to be
systems studied involved water, water increasing toluene concentration as pre- used. The bottoms of the downcomers
vapor, air, and water, oxygen, and air. viously reported was substantiated at extended to within in. of the plates
The plate diameters were 13 in. and 13 low toluene concentrations. However the below. Plate inlet weirs and splash baffles
ft. Experimental data on the effects of change in efficiency seems to be less than were not used.
design and operating variables by using previously reported, and efficiency seems Plate layout is shown in Figures 2 and
single systems of constant physical to be essentially independent of com- 3. A larger hole spacing was used for the
properties are needed before techniques position in the midrange of concentra- plates of smaller free area, so that
of general applicability for estimating tions. Similar results on the influence of
plate efficiency can be developed. The composition on plate efficiency have been
effect of design and operating variables reported by Wijk and Thijssen (WO), TABLE1. DIMENSIONS
OF COLUMN
AND
on efficiency undoubtedly depends to Volland ( l o ) , and Langdon and Keyes VARIABLES
some extent on system physical prop- ( 1 1 ) . At low concentrations of either
Column Diameter, in. 6
erties. Extensive data on a single system component or near an azeotrope the Plate Spacing, in. 6, 12, 18, 24, 30
can serve to establish the relative low diffusional driving force seems to Number of Plates 5, 5, 3, 2, 2
importance of the variables and can serve
as a basis from which to evaluate the
result in reduced efficiency. Column
terminal concentrations were maintained
Plate Thickness, in.
Weir Height, in.
w%, 1, 2, 3
results of less extensive work on other at the same level for each test in this Hole Diameter, in. 1/16, W,3/16
systems. work to eliminate any effect of composi- Hole Pitch/Diameter
This investigation covers wide ranges tion on efficiency. Ratio 2, 3
of most of the important design and Percentage Free Area
operating variables on the system n-oc- of Holes 5.68. 12.5
EQUIPMENT Percentage Downcomer
tane-toluene. Results of an earlier part Area 7.1
of this program where column diameters The column was constructed of 6 in. Reflux Ratio,. LID
. . 5, 10, total
1,, 2., 4,
of 1.02, 1.83, and 3 in. were used have I.D. glass pipe with accessory equipment Vapor Rate
been reported (17, 18).This investigation (Figure 1). Openings in the insulation Fh. Hole F Factor 1 to 15
was carried out in a 6 in. diam. column were provided to permit visual observa- G,’lb./hr.-sq. f t . 100 to 1400
PROCEDURE
The n-octane-toluene binary system
was used throughout this investigation
as the test system. The materials and
analytical techniques have been described
(17, 18).
Results of preliminary column tests
showed that steady-state operation could
be reached 90 min. after column startup
CONTROL PANEL
or 30 min. after a subsequent change in
Fig. 1. Distillation column and its accessories. operating conditions. To insure stead-
state operation 2% hr. were allowed
after column start up, and 1 hr. was
substantially the same effective plate
area was covered by perforations in each
case. The holes were drilled on equi-
lateral triangular pitch in all cases. . 50
4 I
30
COLUMN INSIDE DIAMETER 7
b- 20
z
W
u
a 50
W
a
>- 40
u
z
W 30
u
U
20
-I
4"112 50
W
2 40
30
20 I 1 I 1 I 1
HOLES
10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
(z* - k) 1 -
L [l
- + (a - l ) k ] ( a - 1)(X, - k) defined trend of efficiency with plate
[. - 7 L
1 + (a - l)k2 I spacing over the range of vapor rate
and liquid rate tested is apparent. The
40
30
I- 20
z
w
u
m 50
w
a
40
G
0
z
W 30
u
lL
20 I
J
d
[L
50
w
>
0 40
1
30
20 I I I I I I I
& H OI L E S
10
I
F FACTOR T H R O U G H HOLES, ( F T / S E C ) ( L B / C U F T ) ~
on the order of 3% on increasing plate for perforated plates than for bubble cap time. His work shows that bubble plate
spacing from 3.94 to 7.88 in. Higher plates because the higher velocity be- efficiency is much more influenced by
spacings were not tested. It seems likely tween bubble caps tends t o throw the plate spacing than perforated plate
that little or no change would have been liquid upward. He attributes the decrease efficiency.
found for spacings above 7.88 in. in perforated plate efficiency with in- It may be concluded that for some
As a matter of interest Kirschbaum creasing vapor rate in the stable operating systems including n-octane-toluene plate
noted that entrainment is much lower range to decreased vapor-liquid contact spacing above 6 in. is not an important
50
20
I0
6 HOLES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
F FACTOR THROUGH HOLES, ( FT/SEC) ( LB/CU F T ) ~
F FACTOR T H R O U G H HOLES, ( F T / S E C ) ( L B / C U F T ) ~
$ WEIRS
o HOLES A HOLES TOTAL
L/D
- - _ _ _ - -
0
.
2"WElRS 3"WEIRS
0
+ HOLES
10
5
A
0 .
A A
b
40
30
i- 20
z
w
0
a 50
w
a-
40
>-
0
z
w 30 /
I I h
2 /
IL
LL
w
20
-I I WEIR HEIGHT 2"
2
a
50
W
2 40
30
20
10
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Fig. 9. Effects of free area and reflux on Fig. 10. Effect of free area at various column
efficiency. mass velocities.
investigated the effect of free area and Nandi (9) noted no effect of free area on Pressure Drop
found it to be slight. Both Volland and efficiency a t vapor rates high enough to The effects of plate variables on pres-
Foss and Gerster indicated that plates insure effective plate operation. Um- sure drop are in some ways similar to
of about 7 to 8% free area yield slightly holtz's tests on efficiency variation with their effects on efficiency. Pressure drop
higher efficiencies than plates of other free area were carried out in a 1.83 in. results for the 12.570 free-area plates are
free areas. Umholtz (17') and Karim and diam. column with a in. weir height. shown in Figure 11 for various weir
IL 20
W
;1 8
I-
lI.
16
m
W
I
u 14
z
-
a* I 2
0
IL
0
w lo
IL
2
g08
W
a
a 06
W
I-
?
a
04
5
m 0 o0 2 4 6 28 10 I2 14 16j
F FACTOR T H R O U G H HOLES, ( F T / S E C ) ( L ~ / C UF T ) ~
with efficiency and do not include other column superficial cross sectional 226 (1957).
area 18. Umholtz, C. L., and Mathew Van .
system, operating, and design variable Winkle, Petroleum Rejiner, 34, 7, 114
effects. L I D = external reflux ratio with the (1955).
Possibly lower efficiencies could be reflux rate divided by the distil- 19. Volland, G., Chem. Fabrik, 8, 5 (1935).
encountered here because of the weeping late rate in moles/mole 20. Wijk, W. R., and H. A. C. Thijssen,
of liquid through the holes, particularly n = number of theoretical stages rc- Chem. Eng. Sci., 3, 153 (1954).
at low vapor rates and for the larger quired t o accomplish a given Manuscript received December 30, 1957; revision
free-area plates, possibly because no separation received M a y 5. 1958; paper accepted M a y Bd, 1958.