INFLUENCE OF EFFECTIVE INTERFACIAL-AREAS IN THE OPERATION AND CONTROL OF PACKED DISTILLATION-COLUMNS

The different types of packings commonly used in distillation columns possess different wetting characteristics due to their shape and the nature of their surfaces. The way interfacial area is created, renewed, and maintained in these different geometries has a marked effect on the efficiency of the packings, as well as on the response of the column to different operating conditions. This paper explores the effect of the interfacial area behavior of different packings on the way the distillation column responds to varying loads. Implications for the design of control strategies are discussed as well. Experimental data obtained previously were used to establish the basis for the analysis. The data clearly show that different geometries and surface treatment characteristics have a strong influence on the amount and rate of change of interfacial area with column loading.