Column Efficiency – What to Expect and Why
Mark Pilling
© 1999, Mark Pilling
Prepared for Presentation at 4th Topical Conference on
Separations Science and Technology, November 1999
Session T1006 – Distillation Hardware and Application I
Introduction
This paper will deal with efficiencies of process columns in a practical manner for the average engineer rather than the distillation expert. Process wise, the focus will be mainly on distillation, although stripping and absorption processes will also be discussed. With respect to internals, the focus will be on trays, although references to packing and HETP will be made.
Much research has been done to predict and understand efficiencies in process columns over the years. However, even with this excellent work, nagging uncertainties still exist regarding what efficiencies can be expected, especially in processes that are not well proven. Due to the fact that most column designs are a balance of efficiency, capacity, and energy consumption, an improvement in the certainty of tower efficiency would lead to improvement in the process design and the design of the internals for the column.