Column

Internals
Erection and
Checking
Presented by
MB Adoni, Crude Maintenance
Columns
Why do we use column?
Column is a metal cylinder fitted with perforated horizontal
plates/packings used for heat and mass transfer between fluids
Types of heat transfer equipment:
Cooler Cools using water or air, without phase change
Chiller Refrigerates below that obtainable with water
Condenser Condenses vapour/vapour mixture
Steam heater Uses steam for heating
Steam generator Produces steam from water
Reboiler Uses steam/hot fluid to heat, for distillation column
Heat and mass transfer :
Columns: Trayed Columns and Packed Columns
Trayed
1]Fixed valve

2]Sieve Tray

3]Bubble Cap

4]Floating valve
Packed
Columns
1]Berl Saddle

2]Nutter Ring

3]Raschig ring

4]Pall ring

5]Cascade Ring

6]Intalox metal
packing
Type of valves in the trays
Type of Packing in the column
Column internals
Tray support Ring:

Tray support beam:
Tray support are welded to the column shell with a pad plate in between. Beams are of standard I
section or T section
Packing support grid and assembly
Down comer and weirs
Vapor distributors (vapor horns)


Vapor horns have been utilized primarily for two-phase inlets of refinery
fractionators. These devices are designed to provide both bulk phase separation
of the vapor and liquid as well as initial distribution of the feed vapor.
Erection and Mechanical Requirement
Column attachments such as support rings, support lugs and drip rings are designed
by the internals Supplier and supplied and installed by the column Manufacturer.
Each internal part connected to a column attachment or the column wall (support
beam, schoepentoeter, tray etc.) should have a connection suitable for the expected
thermal expansion, e.g. bolted connections should be applied with a slotted hole.
The location and type of connection shall be determined by the internals Supplier.
Column internals shall be fastened to support rings and beams in such a way that
they can be easily mounted and dismounted.
ACCESS TO THE COLUMN FOR INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL
A top flange or a top dome with a top flange should be provided to allow passage of
column internals. Columns with a diameter smaller than 1.0 m should be designed
with a top flange. For columns with a diameter larger than 2.0 m, a top dome with a
top flange should be considered. For columns with a diameter between 1.0 and 2.0 m,
the most economical of the two options should be chosen. A top dome should have a
diameter of at least 1.0 m, but no more than 1.5 m or half the column diameter. The
height of a top dome shall be at least twice the top dome diameter.
Manholes should be provided for other column internals. The internal diameter of
manholes should be at least 610 mm, but in any case shall not be less than 460 mm.
SPARES FOR ERECTION
Of the following component parts an excess percentage of each size and type shall be
furnished to serve as spares during erection:
Valves, bolts, nuts, clamps, wedges, washers, etc.minimum 10%; with not less than 4
piecesJointing materials (gaskets, packing)minimum 25%, with not less than 1 piece
MECHANICAL REQUIREMENTS
3.2.1 Loads
Unless otherwise stated on the data requisition sheet or in the order, fractionating trays and
supports shall be designed to withstand a maximum operating load in an upward and downward
direction of 2 000 N/m2 at maximum working temperature evenly distributed over the entire
fractionating tray surface.
Apart from the requirements above, the fractionating trays shall be capable of absorbing the
loads expected during installation and maintenance. These loads shall be taken as 1 000 N
downward (equivalent to the weight one man working on the assembly).
3.2.2 Deflections
For sieve, valve, bubble cap and grid trays the maximum downward and upward deflection
under operating load shall not be more than 1/800 of the internal column diameter with a
maximum of 6 mm.
3.2.3 Levelness
The tilt of fractionating trays and gravity liquid distributors shall not exceed 0.3% of the
column diameter or 6 mm, whichever is the smaller. Local depressions and bulges in panels
shall not exceed 6 mm from the nominal plane.
Fractionating tray supports
Stacked trays shall be installed in columns with a nominal diameter of
up to 800 mm.
For columns with a nominal diameter of 800 mm and above, support
rings shall be welded to the column wall
Panel supports
The panels of normal calming section trays shall be self-supporting, the height
reinforcement rims not exceeding 100 mm
Beams
Minimum material thickness shall be 3 mm.
Liquid and vapour communication on trays shall not be restricted by the
supporting beams of the tray above. The total height of any support beam shall
not exceed one half of the tray spacing.
On trays equipped with conventional downcomers the main support beams shall
be parallel to the direction of liquid flow.
:
Draining
Except for trays with seal pans or inlet weirs, drain holes are not required on
sieve or valve trays. Each seal pan should have at least one drain hole with a
diameter of 10 mm to permit draining of the liquid hold-up. Drain holes in
recessed seal pans shall be located downstream or on the tray side of the
downcomer so that any vapour passing through the holes will not by-pass the
tray above. Inlet weirs shall have a 13 mm hole at the base to drain into the
tray. Seal pans underneath normal Calming Sections shall have a drain hole of
6 mm diameter.
Erection
Beams are inserted through the manhole and are erected as per the schematic
given below. Leveling can be done by adding shims if required
Mock up of the tray is carried outside the column prior to shifting the
tray panels. After checking the mock up at site tray panels are lifted and
erected inside the column. The mock up of the tray assembly is shown
below. The trays are usually assembled from bottom to top

After mock up , the loose parts of the trays are taken inside the column and
assembled inside the column as per the mock up sequence. Their levels ,weir
heights ,deformations and fasteners are checked as per specification