TRAYS

Column Internals

• Column internals are

installed in distillation • They promote an intimate
columns to provide better contact between both
mass and heat transfers phases.
between the liquid and • The type of internals
vapour phases in the selected would determine
column. the height and diameter
• These include trays, of a column for a
packings, distributors and specified duty because
redistributors, baffles and different designs have
etc. various capacities and
efficiencies
Tray Column

• Tray Columns utilize a • The vapour must overcome

pressure and
temperature differential
• On the tray the vapour and
to separate the products.
• For most tray columns,
the weir holds a liquid
level of each tray
• Liquid enters from the
down-comer of the tray
above.
this liquid head to move up
the column.
liquid are contacted
becomes bubble or froth
where the mass transfer
takes place and then above
the tray they are separated
where froth flows over the
outlet weir and vapour with
the light volatile compound
is disengaged
• The trays are used to bring the rising vapour
and falling liquid into intimate contact.
• Tray towers do the same job as packed towers
but they are very much more efficient in the
separation process than packed towers and,
they are also more costly
 Types of Tray

• Each tray should be designed so as to give as efficient a

contact between the vapour and liquid as possible,
within reasonable economic limits
• There are various types of tray in use and the type
selected depends upon the degree of product purity
required, the type of fluids, fluid velocity and other
process parameters of the system
 Valve tray
 Sieve tray
 Bubble cap tray
 Valve tray

• In valve trays, perforations are covered by liftable

caps.
• Vapour flows lifts the caps, thus self creating a
flow area for the passage of vapour.
• The lifting cap directs the vapour to flow
horizontally into the liquid, thus providing better
mixing
 Advantages
• Excellent liquid/ vapour
contacting.
• Higher capacity.
• Can handle higher
loadings.
• Low-pressure drop than
bubble cap
 Sieve tray
Is simply a metal plate
containing drilled holes
through which the rising
vapour can pass into the
liquid flowing across the tray
o They have comparable
capacity as valve trays
• Advantages:
• Simple construction Low
entrainment,
• Low maintenance cost
• Low fouling tendency
Disadvantage
Less-flexible to varying loads than
other two types
Because of their efficiency, wide operating range, ease of
maintenance and cost factors, sieve and valve trays have
replaced the once highly thought of bubble cap trays in
many applications
 Bubble cap tray
• A bubble cap tray has riser or chimney fitted
over each hole, and a cap that covers the riser.
• The cap is mounted so that there is a space
between riser and cap to allow the passage of
vapour.
• Vapour rises through the chimney and is
directed downward by the cap, finally
discharging through slots in the cap, and
finally bubbling through the liquid on the tray.
Advantages Disadvantages
• Moderate capacity • High entrainment
• Can provide • High fouling
excellent turndown tendency
• High cost
• High pressure drop
Comparison between Common Conventional Trays

S.No Factors Sieve Tray Valve Tray Bubble-Cap Tray

1
Capacity High High Moderately High
2
Efficiency High High Moderately High
3
Entrainment Moderate Moderate High
4
Pressure Drop Moderate Moderate High
5 20-50% more than
Cost Low sieve tray High
6 Low Low to moderate High: Tends to
Fouling tendency collect solids
• Each tray has 2 conduits, one on each side, called
‘downcomers’.
• Liquid falls through the downcomers by gravity from
one tray to the one below it.
• A weir on the tray ensures that there is always some
liquid (holdup) on the tray and is designed such that
the holdup is at a suitable height
• Being lighter, vapour flows up the column
and is forced to pass through the liquid, via
the openings on each tray.
• The area allowed for the passage of vapour
on each tray is called the active tray area
• As the hotter vapour passes through the
liquid on the tray above, it transfers heat to
the liquid. In doing so, some of the vapour
condenses adding to the liquid on the tray
 Packings versus Trays

A tray column that is facing throughput problems may

be de-bottlenecked by replacing a section of trays with
packings. This is because
Packings provide extra inter-
facial area for liquid-vapuor
contact
efficiency of separation is
increased for the same column
height
packed columns are shorter than
trayed columns
Packed columns are called
continuous-contact columns
while trayed columns are called
staged-contact columns because
of the manner in which vapour
and liquid are contacted
Pressure drop

• Capacity of tray depend on • There are two main

pressure gradient through components to the pressure
the column, otherwise the drop:
vapour would not flow. 1. The "dry tray" drop caused
• This gradient is normally by restrictions to vapour
expressed in terms of flow imposed by the holes
pressure drop. and slots in the trays and
• Pressure drop controlled 2. The head of the liquid that
the path of vapor through the vapour must flow
the tray above and liquid through
flow
 Height of weir

• The height of weir is • The weir height is

responsible for the determined by the
pressure drop and the requirement of the liquid
separation efficiency of depth on the tray which
a tray. is controlled by the depth
• The height of weir of seal over the vapor
depends on kind of tray. passage.
Downcomer

• The downcomer is a • If the downcomer can

vertical channel that not handle the liquid
connects a tray with the loading, downcomer
next tray below which flooding can be
carries froth and creates achieved that can reduce
residence time which efficiency.
helps the vapour • There are several type
disengage from the froth of down comer
• Downcomer assist the
froth generation
improve efficiency