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In 2003, Fractionation Research, Inc. (F.R.I.) performed
distillation studies in its 4 ft. [1220 mm] diameter low
pressure distillation column using the para/ortho Xylene system at
three operating pressures. The packing chosen by the F.R.I.
membership for the 2003 test was FLEXIPAC® 1.6Y HC® High Capacity
Structured Packing, which has a surface area of 295 m2/m3, and is
manufactured and supplied by Koch-Glitsch, LP.
The para/ortho Xylene system is one of the standard test mixtures
used by F.R.I. and is also the standard test system used for all
packings in the Koch-Glitsch, Wichita pilot testing laboratory. The
results of the F.R.I. distillation studies closely matched the
expectations of Koch-Glitsch, based on both industrial and
laboratory experience using this packing.
Figure 1 is a presentation of the efficiency results of the
F.R.I. industrial scale column at the three nominal operating
pressures of 100 mmHg, 200 mmHg and atmospheric pressure. The
efficiency in terms of the Height Equivalent to a Theoretical Plate
(H.E.T.P) is plotted as a function of the capacity factor, or CS.
Figure 2 is a presentation of the pressure drop data shown as the
pressure drop per unit of packed height as a function of the F
factor, or FS.
A copy of the F.R.I. report covering the performance of FLEXIPAC
1.6Y HC high capacity structured packing is available from your
Koch-Glitsch representative.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Comparison with Other
Packing
In 1999, a publication by Fitz, Kunesh, and Shariat(1)
presented data from the same F.R.I. column in the para/ortho Xylene
system at two pressures. From this data, we can compare the
performance of Mellapak® 250Y structured packing with that of
FLEXIPAC 1.6Y HC high capacity structured packing. Figures 3 and 4
present the comparison of these packings at the two pressures common
to the two tests, nominal 100 mmHg abs. and atmospheric pressure.
The advantages of the FLEXIPAC HC packing in both capacity and
efficiency are evident.
Fitz, C., Kunseh, J., Shariat, A., "Performance
of Structured Packing in a Commercial-Scale Column at Pressures of
0.02-27.6 bar," Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
Research, Volume 38, Number 2, p. 512
Figure 3
Figure 4
FLEXIPAC® and HC® are registered
trademarks of Koch-Glitsch, LP. Mellapak® is a registered trademark
of Sulzer Chemtech.
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