Selection of distillation column

Table 5.1 : Comparison between tray and packed column

Tray Column Packed Column

Variable liquid/vapour loads Small diameter column (< 0.6 m )
Low liquid rates – Large number of stages Lower pressure drop
High liquid residence time Less liquid entrainment
Suitable for fouling liquids Suitable for foaming and corrosive services
Easier to clean High liquid/gas ratio application
Better predictability Better for vacuum system

As a rule of thumb, trays are always used in columns of large diameters and towers that have
more than 20 to 30 stages. Packed columns provide a narrower operating range compared to
tray columns:

 For too low liquid flow rate: the wetting of the packing material may not be enough.

 For too high liquid flow rate: the treatment in plate columns is often more economic.

Moreover,

 If solid particles are present in the liquid: the cleaning of a packing section is much
too complicated and expensive compared with the plate discharge.

 Working under stressed conditions of temperature variations and pressure: the

packing elements are easily breakable.

However packed column are the best options when:

 Costs: packed column tends are less expensive than plate column for small column
diameter (<0.6 m).

 Corrosive chemicals handling: cheap ceramic packing material, or other chemicals

resistant packing element can be easily used.

 For foaming liquid: handling of foaming liquid in packed column is more appropriate
because of the relatively low degree of agitation by the gas.

Selection of Plate Design

Table 5.2 : Comparison of the common conventional tray

Factors Sieve Tray Valve Tray` Bubble-cap tray

Capacity High High Moderately high
Efficiency High High Moderately high
Turndown ~50% ~25-30% 10%
Entrainment Moderate Moderate High
Pressure drop Moderate Moderate High
Cost Low ~1.2 times of sieve ~2-3 times of sieve
tray tray
Maintenance Low Low to moderate Relatively high
Fouling Tendency Low Low to moderate High
Corrosion Effects Low Low to moderate High
Design Information Well-known Proprietary but readily Well-known
available
Main Application Often used when Used when high Extremely low
turndown is not turndown is required liquid flow &
critical leakage must be
minimised

From Table 5.2 , the valve tray is more suitable and was selected to be used in cumene
production equipments. A series of trails and error are to be carried out to determine the correct
design of a plate.

Distillation Column 1 , D-101

The operating pressure of the distillation column D-101 is Po= 1.3 bar , and operating
temperature of T = 113℃. The maximum allowable stress for carbon steel SA-283 C, S =
13800 psi.

24 inch of tray spacing was selected for the tray column. The tray tower diameter was
calculated based on the equation in Product & Process Design Principles (Seider et al., 2004).
 1
2
4𝐺
𝐷𝑇 = [ ]
𝐴
(𝑓𝑈𝑓 )𝜋(1 − 𝐴𝑑 )𝜌𝐺
𝑇

Where

1
𝜌𝐿 − 𝜌𝐺 2
𝑈𝑓 = 𝐶 ( )
𝜌𝐺

𝐶 = 𝐶𝑆𝐵 × 𝐹𝑆𝑇 × 𝐹𝐹 × 𝐹𝐻𝐴

Vapor phase Liquid Phase

𝑙𝑏 𝑙𝑏
Vapor flow rate, G = 529382.80 ℎ𝑟 Liquid flow rate, L = 596549.12 ℎ𝑟
𝑘𝑔 𝑙𝑏 𝑘𝑔 𝑙𝑏
Density, ρg = 4.2581𝑚3 = 0.265𝑓𝑡 3 Density , ρL = 801.9334 𝑚3 = 50.06𝑓𝑡 3
𝑑𝑦𝑛𝑒
Surface Tension = 19.5722 𝑐𝑚

𝐿 𝜌𝑔 0.5
FLG = (𝐺 )×( 𝜌𝐿 )

529382.80 0.265 0.5

= (596549.12)×(50.06)

= 0.0645
 Figure 5.1:Flooding correlation for sieve, valve, and bubble-cap trays (Seider et al.,2009).

CSB at FLG=0.0645 and 24 inch tray spacing is 0.38 ft/s = 1368 ft/hr

𝜎 0.20 19.5722 0.20

FST = (20) = ( ) = 0.995
20

Foaming factor, FF = 1 , while non-foaming system is used

Hole-area factor, FHA = 1 , while valve trays are used

C = CSB.FST.FF.FHA = (1368)(0.995)(1)(1) = 1361.16 ft/hr

Reasonable Distillation Column diameter:

𝜌𝐿 −𝜌𝐺 0.5 50.06−0.265 0.5

Uf = 𝐶 ( ) = 1361.16 ( ) = 18658.60 ft/hr
𝜌𝐺 0.265

Since FLG = 0.0645

 𝐴𝑑
= 0.1
𝐴𝑇

Hence ,

4(596549.12) 0.5
DT = [(0.8×18658.6)𝜋(1−0.1 )0.265] = 14.606 ft

Height of the tower :

Number of plates = 35

Plate spacing = 24 in

Minimum space requirement for the top part of the tower = 4ft

Minimum space requirement for the bottom part of the tower = 10ft

1
Height of Tower = (35 × 24 × 12 ) + 4 + 10 = 84 𝑓𝑡

Thickness of shell , ts

The calculations are based on Product and Process Design Priciples Textbook and Pressure
Vessel Handbook.

a. Wall Thickness , tp
𝑃𝐷 𝐷𝑖
𝑡𝑝 =
2𝑆𝐸 − 1.2𝑃𝐷

tp = Thickness of shell in inches

PD = Design Pressure or maximum allowable working pressure

S = Stress value of material in psi

E = Joint efficiency = 0.85

Di = Inside diameter, inches

Po = 130 kPa = 18.8549 psig

PD = 𝑒𝑥𝑝(0.60608 + 0.91615[ln{𝑃𝑜 }] + 0.0015655[ln{𝑃𝑜 }]2 ) = 27.388 psig

From Pressure Vessel Handbook, the stress value of carbon steel SA-283 Grade C is 13800 psi.

Hence,

12𝑖𝑛
27.388(14.606× )
1𝑓𝑡
𝑡𝑝 = = 0.28 in
2(13800)(0.85)−1.2(27.388)

Necessary thickness to withstand wind load or earthquakes, tw

0.22(𝐷𝑜 + 18)𝐿2
𝑡𝑤 =
𝑆𝐷𝑜 2

Where,

Tw = Necessary thickness in inche to withstand wind load or eqrthquakes

Do = External diameter in inches

L =Vessel height in inches

S = Maximum allowable stress in psig

Assuming the wall thickness as 0.5 in ,

Do = Di + (0.5×2)

= 14.606×12 + (0.5 × 2 )

= 176.272 in

0.22(176.272+18)(84×12)2
𝑡𝑤 = = 0.101 in
13800(176.272)2
Thickness of bottom of column in inches , tb

𝑡𝑏 = 𝑡𝑝 + 𝑡𝑤
= 0.28 + 0.101 in
= 0.381 in

Average thickness , tv

𝑡𝑝 + 𝑡𝑏 0.28 + 0.381
𝑡𝑣 = = = 0.3305 𝑖𝑛
2 2

Thickness of shell , ts

𝑡𝑠 = 𝑡𝑣 + 𝐶𝐴

CA = Corrosion allowance = 0.125 in

𝑡𝑠 = 0.3305 + 0.125 = 0.4555 in

Weight of column

𝑊 = 𝜋(𝐷𝑖 + 𝑡𝑠 )(𝐿 + 0.8𝐷𝑖 )𝑡𝑠 𝜌

W = Weight of reactor in lb
Di = Internal diameter of column in inches
t = Thickness of shell in inches
L = Length of the column in inches
ρ = Density of carbon steel = 0.284 lb/in3
 𝑊 = 𝜋(14.606 × 12 + 0.4555)(84 × 12 + 0.8 × 14.606 × 12) × 0.4555 × 0.284
= 82001.26 lb

Cost Estimation for D-101

The purchase cost of D-101 can be calculate using formula from Product and Process Design
Principles (2004) :
𝐶𝑝 = 𝐹𝑀 𝐶𝑉 + 𝐶𝑃𝐿

FM = Material factor of carbon steel = 1.0

CV = Cost of empty column
CPL = Additional cost for platforms and ladder

The weight of D-101 is 82001.26 lb

Cv = 𝑒𝑥𝑝(7.2756 + 0.18255[ln{𝑊}] + 0.02297[ln{𝑊}]2 )

= $ 215696.21

From the calculation above , the internal diameter and length of D-101 are 14.606 ft and 84
ft .
𝐶𝑃𝐿 = 300.9(𝐷𝑖 )0.63316 (𝐿)0.80161
= 300.9(14.606)0.63316 (84)0.80161
= $ 57316.32

𝐶𝑝 = 𝐹𝑀 𝐶𝑉 + 𝐶𝑃𝐿

𝐶𝑝 = 1.0 × $ 215696.21 + $ 57316.32

= $ 273012.53

The base cost for tray distillation column is calculated by using formula below:
 𝐶𝑇 = 𝑁𝑇 𝐹𝑁𝑇 𝐹𝑇𝑇 𝐹𝑇𝑀 𝐶𝐵𝑇

NT = number of trays = 35
FNT = factor for number of trays (1.0 due to trays more than 20)
FTT = factor for types of tray (1.0 when it is valve tray)
FTM = factor for material of construction (1.0 when it is carbon steel)

Calculation :
𝐶𝐵𝑇 = 468 exp(0.1739𝐷𝑖 )
= 468 exp(0.1739 × 14.606)
= $ 5933.98

𝐶𝑇 = 35 × 1.0 × 1.0 × 1.0 × 5933.98

= $ 207689.3

𝐶𝐸2018
𝐶𝐵𝑀 = (𝐶𝑃 + 𝐶𝑇 ) × × 𝐹𝐵𝑀
𝐶𝐸2013

603
= (273012.53 + 207689.3) × 567 × 4.16

= $ 𝟐𝟏𝟐𝟔𝟔𝟖𝟑. 𝟔𝟎
The Design Specification for Distillation Column 1 (D-101) is shown in Table 5.3:

Table 5.3: Design Specification for Distillation Column 1 (D-101)

Specification Value
Length, L 1008 in (84 ft)

Inner Diameter, Di 175.272 in (14.606 ft)

External Diameter, Do 176.272 in

Design Pressure, PD 27.388 psig

Allowable Pressure, S 13800 psi

Density of carbon steel, ρ 0.284 lb/in3

Weld Efficiency, E 0.85

Corrosion Allowance, CA 0.125 in

Calculated Shell Thickness, ts 0.4555 in

Weight, W 82001.26 lb (37195.14 kg)

Total Cost $ 𝟐𝟏𝟐𝟔𝟔𝟖𝟑. 𝟔𝟎