Construction Of Packed Distillation Column

TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Letter of Transmittal
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Abstract
Table of content

CHAPTER ONE
1.0

Introduction

1.1

Historical development

1.2

Definition

CHAPTER TWO
2.0

Literature review

2.1

Theory of distillation

2.2

Types of distillation

2.2.1 Binary distillation

2.2.2 Multi-component distillation
2.2.3 Differential distillation
2.2.4 Rectification distillation
2.2.5 Flash distillation
2.3.0 Distillation column
2.3.1 Types of distillation column
2.4.0 Packing
2.4.1 Random packing
2.4.2 Regular packing
2.4.3 Tower shell
2.4.4 Packing support
2.4.5 Packing restrainer
2.4.6 Entrainment eliminators
2.5.0 Countercurrent flow of liquid and gas through packing
2.5.1 Flooding and loading
2.5.2 Pressure drop for two phase flow
2.5.3 Mass transfer coefficient for packed tower

2.5.4 Liquid hold up

2.6.0 Material of construction
2.7.0 Properties of material construction
2.7.1 Physical property of material construction
2.7.2 Chemical property of material construction
2.7.3 Mechanical property of material construction
2.8

Factors to be considered when selecting a material of construction

2.8.1 Definition of terms in the factors

CHAPTER THREE
3.0

Methodology/Fabrication Procedure

3.1

The column

3.2

The condenser

3.3

The packing

3.4

The boiler pot

3.5

Steam travel pipe

3.6

The stand

CHAPTER FOUR
4.0

Discussion

CHAPTER FIVE
5.0

Conclusion

5.1

Recommendation

References
Appendix I
Appendix II

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
The aim of this project is to construct a packed distillation column. The
separation of liquid mixtures into their several components is one of the major
operations in the chemical and petroleum industries, and distillation, the most
widely used method of achieving this end, is the key operation of the oil
refinery. Throughout the chemical industry the demand for puner products,
coupled with a relentless pursuit of greater efficiency, has necessitated
continued research into the techniques of distillation. The operation is
restricted to situations when components distribute themselves between liquid
and vapour phases. The vapour phase is generated by the addition of heat and
separation is enhanced by the differences in the vapour pressure of the
components, hence their boiling points.
Packed columns are generally used for distillation, gas-absorption and
liquid-liquid extraction. They ensure continuous contact of liquid and gas in
both counter-current and concurrent flows and are essentially, vertical columns
which have been filled with packings or devices of larger surface. The liquid is
distributed over and trickles down through the packed-bed, exposing a large

surface to contact the gas, while the gas or vapor moves upwards countercurrently. In some gas-absorption columns, concurrent flow is used.
The packings for the tower should offer the following characteristics: 1. Provide for larger interfacial surface between liquid and gas.
2. Posses desirable fluid characteristics.
3. Be chemically inert to fluids being processed.
4. Have structural strength to permit easy handling and installation.
5. Represent low cost
6. Should be light in weight.
There are two major types of packings arrangements:
a. Random and
b. Regular packings.
The performance of a packed column is dependent on the maintenance
of a good liquid and gas distribution throughout the packed-bed and this is an
important consideration in packed column design.
A packed distillation column is similar to a plate column with the plates
replaced. Be packed sections but in process industries they are considered more
economically than plate columns for the following reasons: -

a. For columns less than 0.6m (2.0 ft) diameter, packings are usually
cheaper than plates unless alloy-metal packings are required.
b. Acids and many other corrosive materials can be handled in packed
columns because construction can be of ceramic, carbon, or other
resistant materials.
c. Packings often exhibit desirable efficiency drop characteristics for
critical vacuum distillations.
d. Liquids ending to form may be handled more readily in packed columns
because of the relatively low degree of liquid agitation by the gas.
e. Holdup of liquid can be quite low in packed columns, an advantage
when the liquid is thermally sensitive.
Conditions unfavourable to packed columns are:
a. If solids are present in the liquid or gas plate columns can be designed to
permit easier cleaning.
b. Some packing materials are subject to easy breakage during insertion
into the column or resulting from thermal expansion and contraction.
c. High liquid rates can often be handled more economically in plate
columns than packed columns.

d. Cooling coils can be incorporated more readily into plate devices.

e. Low liquid rates lead in complete welting of column packings, thus
decreasing contacting efficiency.
f. Packed columns exhibit narrower operating ranges than cross-flow plate
columns.
However, the packed tower is a cylindrically vertical column operating
with top and bottom flow allowances. Provisions are made for packing support,
packing restrainers, packing entrainment eliminators liquid distributor etc. the
cost and choice of materials of construction are also important considerations
in this project as they go along way to influence the safety and efficiency of the
equipment and also dictate its service-life for distillation in packed towers,
It is normally a practice to increase the calculated height of packing by
40 per cent to allow for liquid maldistribution and wetting problems.

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CHAPTER ONE
1.0

INTRODUCTION

1.1

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
Distillation seems to have been mentioned firstly by a man called

Aristotle (384 322BC), he coined it when he described seawater being

evaporated to make drinking water. The Romans and Alexandrians (from
Alexandria, Egypt) distilled pure wood resin to condense the oil of turpentine
(tarps), which boiled off. These processes make use of air coded condensing
arms (outlet from the boiling vessel), which also allowed the most volatile
component to escape. It was probably the Arabians who first used a watercooked arm, and using this method discovered various oils (natural plant oils,
used mostly as flavouring or perfume) by distilling plant juice. Later the

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chemists, using a distillation apparatus known as an Alembic, were able to

prepare a relatively pure nitric acid and other mineral acids.
The preparation of alcoholic beverages by distillation has taken place
since antiquity. Distillation has taken place since antiquity. Distilled alcohol,
probably discovered in Italy in the early twelfth century, was at first used as a
medicine.
Distillation is a method used in separation of mixture and the separation
of mixture is one of the major processes of the chemical industries and
distillation is the most widely used method of achieving this end.
Thus the basic requirement for a separation of components by distillation
is that the composition of the vapour be different from the composition of the
liquid with which it is in equilibrium. If the vapour composition is the same as
the liquid composition distillation processes will not effect a separation. But in
a case where the vapour composition is greater than the liquid, composition,
and distillation process will effect a good separation and a difficult one is
affected if the vapour composition is less than that of the liquid.
In practice, distillation may be carried out either by two principal
methods. The first method is based on the production of a vapour by boiling

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the liquid mixtures to be separated and condensing the vapour without allowing
any liquid to return to the still. There is then no reflux. The second method is
based on the return of part of the condensate to the still, under such conditions
that this liquid returning is brought into intimate contact with the vapour on
their way to the condenser. It is known as rectification with reflux.

1.2

DEFINITION
Distillation is defined as the process involved in the conversion of a

substance into a vapour that is subsequently condensed to liquid form. The

operation may be employed to separate liquidours from terminated materials or
of pure water from the salt in seawater on in the separation of two or more
liquids having different boiling points as in the separation of gasoline, fuel oil
and lubricating oil form petroleum.
Packed column for gas-liquid contacting are used extensively for
absorption operations and, to a limited extent, for distillations. Usually the
columns are filled with randomly oriented packing material but in some cases
the packing may be carefully positioned. The packed column is
characteristically operated with counter flow of the phase.

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A typical column consists of a cylindrical shell containing a support

plate for the packing material and a liquid distributing device designed to
provide effective irrigation of the packing devices may be added to the packed
bed to provide redistribution of liquid that might channel down the wall.
Several beds may be used in the same column shell.
Many packings are commercially available, each possessing specific
advantages for liquid gas contacting from the aspects of cost, surface
availability, interface regeneration, pressure drop, weight, and corrosion
resistance. The packed bed is usually formed by dumping packing elements
into the column (dumped packing) and allowing them to form a random
arrangement. For most application, the less expensive dumped packings are
used, and typical packing elements. For distillation in packed towers, it is
normally practicable to increase the calculated height of packings by 40
percent.

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