Chemical Engineering & Technology, Vol.43, No.2, 365-374, 2020
Experimental Investigation of Droplet Entrainment in the Feed Section of Distillation Columns
Droplet entrainment was investigated in the feed section of distillation columns for multiple feed inlet devices under different flow conditions. Entrainments from two-phase flow regimes were measured in the feed section of a column with an air and water system. A new feed inlet device named demister flash box was developed. Measurements with two-phase flow regime in the feed pipe indicated that the demister flash box had the lowest entrainment. Experiments with a surfactant in water due to low surface tension demonstrated that the entrainment was higher compared to water. In addition, entrainment determinations with high droplet flow rate from a spray nozzle in feed were conducted. The results indicated that the V baffle had the lowest entrainment.
Keywords:Distillation column;Droplet entrainment;Feed inlet device;Feed section;Two-phase flow regime