Design and Construction of a Novel Oldershaw-type Distillation Column for Measurement and Scale-up of Tray Efficiencies

Advancing the chemical engineering fundamentals

Distillation, Absorption & Extraction (T2-10P)

Prof Mohammah Mehdi Montazer-Rahmati
University of Tehran
Department of Chemical Engineering
Department of ‍Chemical Engineering , Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, Enghelab avenue, Tehran, Iran
Islamic Republic of Iran

Mr Hosein Shafaghieh
University of Tehran
Chemical Engineering
Separation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering
Islamic Republic of Iran

Mr Mehdi Amouei
Uiniversity of Tehran
Department of Chemical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran

Keywords: Distillation column, trays, efficiency, scale-up, predictive models

Abstract

A new bench-scale, glass distillation column was designed and constructed in this work. This column is quite flexible with adjustable tray spacing and could be used to study various types of systems both foaming and non-foaming, each requiring different tray spacing. Tray efficiencies were measured in this three-inch diameter glass distillation column for two binary systems at total reflux. The results were compared with those obtained for a one-inch diameter Oldershaw-type column and differed by about ten percent because of different sizes and different mixing patterns on the trays. The efficiencies were also compared with the efficiencies obtained from an industrial column.The efficiencies could be used for lower-bound estimates of the efficiencies of such columns.

See the full pdf manuscript of the abstract.

Presented Tuesday 18, 13:30 to 15:00, in session Distillation, Absorption & Extraction (T2-10P).