PACKING MATERIALS AND PACKING FACTOR

PACKED TOWERS
Cylindrical towers Liquid inlet and distributor at the top. Gas inlet and distributing space at the bottom. A supported mass of inert solid space termed as

tower packing/filling in the central section. Cross current fluid flow.

LIQUID INLET

PACKED TOWER (SECTIONAL VIEW)

1. PACKED MATERIALS 2. SUPPORTING GRID 3. LIQUID COLLECTOR 4. LIQUID REDISTRIBUTOR 5. LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR

OUTLINES
Types of packing. Materials used in packing. Problems faced and their solution. Packing factor . Why at all we need to know about packing?????

T YPES OF PACKING
PACKING

RANDOM/DUMPED PACKING

STACKED PACKING

RANDOM PACKING
The tower is first of all filled with water. Materials are dumped from the top of the tower at

random. Provides large specific surface area and low pressure drop . Low cost per unit volume .

RANDOM PACKING INSIDE A PACKED TOWER

STACKED PACKING
Materials are not dumped in random fashion but

in a desired specific relative orientation. Provides less specific surface area and high pressure drop. Provides high cost per unit volume . So, in industries random packing is preferred over stacked packing.

STACKED PACKING INSIDE A PACKED COLUMN

CHARACTERISTICS OF PACKING MATERIALS

Chemical Resistance High capacity Low weight and low liquid hold-up Large active surface area per unit volume Large free volume per unit total volume Miscellaneous. High durability. High corrosion resistance. Low side thrust on tower walls. Low cost

MATERIALS OF PACKING
PLASTICS

METALS

MATERIALS

CERAMIC

CARBON

CERAMIC MATERIALS
Ceramic Intalox Saddles Super Intalox Saddles

Porcelain, stoneware
CERAMIC MATERIALS

Ceramic Raschig Rings

Cross Partition Rings

TABLE DIFFERENTIATING DIFFERENT T YPES OF CERAMIC MATERIALS

Packing Type Ceramic Intalox Saddles Size mm
6 10 13 19 25 38 50 No. 1 No. 2

No. pcs/m3
4150000 1800000 600000 219000 73000 23000 8600 52600 6350

Wt kg/m3
875 810 745 710 680 630 600 570 620

Void Space %
64 67 69 71 72 74 75 75 77

Ceramic Super Intalox Saddles

CERAMIC SADDLE RINGS

CERAMIC SUPER SADDLE RINGS

CERAMIC PALL RINGS

TYPES OF CERAMIC BASED PACKING RINGS

TABLE DIFFERENTIATING DIFFERENT TYPES OF CERAMIC MATERIALS ( CONTD. . . .)

Packing Type
Size mm No. pcs/m3 Wt kg/m3 Void Space %

Ceramic Raschig Rings

6 10 13 19 25 38 50 76x76 102X102 152X102

3000000 872000 378000 109000 47700 13700 5800 1770 954 424

970 990 840 745 680 650 630 750 980 850

60 59 65 69 72 73 74 59 64 69

Ceramic Cross Partition Rings

CERAMIC RASCHIG RINGS

CERAMIC PARTITION RINGS

TYPES OF CERAMIC BASED PACKING RINGS (CONTD. . . )

T YPES OF METAL BASED PACKING MATERIALS

METALLIC PACKING MATERIALS

PALL RINGS

HY-PACK PACKING

RASCHIG RINGS

TABLE DIFFERENTIATING DIFFERENT TYPES OF METALLIC MATERIALS

Packing Type Pall Rings
Size mm No. pcs/m3 Void Space %

16 25 38 50 90 30(No.1) 45(No.1.5) 60(No.2) 90No.3)

207700 49330 13210 5790 1160 29900 9390 3670 1090

94 96 97 96 98 97 98 98 98

Hy-Pak Packing

TABLE DIFFERENTIATING DIFFERENT TYPES OF METALLIC MATERIALS (CONTD. . . )

Packing Type
Size mm No. pcs/m3 Void Space %

Raschig Rings

10 12 16 19 25 32 38 50 75

951030 402590 207700 110900 49330 25675 13210 5790 1860

DATA NOT AVAILABLE

DIFFERENT TYPES OF METAL BASED PACKING MATERIALS

T YPES OF PL ASTIC BASED PACKING RINGS

PLASTIC BASED PACKING MATERIALS

Super Intalox Saddle

Intalox Snowflake

Pall Rings

TABLE DIFFERENTIATING DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLASTIC BASED PACKING MATERIALS

Packing Type Super Intalox Saddles Intalox Snowflake Pall Rings
Size mm No. pcs/m3 Wt kg/m3 Void Space %

No.1 No.2 No.3 50 25 38 50 90

57500* 6400* 1400* 4925* 50220* 14870* 6127* 1171

83 61 50 45 69 82 60 43

90 93 94 95 92 91 93 95

MALLAPAK 250 X/Y

BX GAUZE PACKING

TYPES OF PLASTIC BASED PACKING MATERIALS

TABLE DIFFERENTIATING DIFFERENT TYPES OF CARBON BASED PACKING MATERIALS

Packing Type Size mm
No. pcs/m3 Wt kg/m3

Void Space %

Carbon Raschig Rings

6 13 19 25 38 50 76

3000000 374000 111000 47000 13800 5900 1750

745 440 550 440 550 440 370

55 74 67 74 67 74 78

MELLACARBON 250 Y

DX LABORATORY PACKING

TYPES OF CARBON BASED PACKING MATERIALS

PROBLEMS OCCURING IN THE PACKING COLUMN

CHANELLING - The liquid instead of uniformly

irrigating the material , finds one/more narrow pathways and flows mostly through it, thereby reducing the effectiveness. Chief reason for poor performance of large packed towers. Occurs usually in stacked packed towers.

LIQUID INLET

DISTRIBUTION OF LIQUID UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

PACKED MATERIALS SUPPORTING GRID LIQUID COLLECTOR LIQUID REDISTRIBUTOR LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR

LIQUID INLET

CHANNELING PROBLEM IN PACKED TOWERS

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

PACKED MATERIALS SUPPORTING GRID LIQUID COLLECTOR LIQUID REDISTRIBUTOR LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR

Tray towers vs. packed towers

parameters Ease of cleaning Ease of liquid cooling Liquid\gas ratio handled Cost of corrosion treatment Floor loadings Side stream removal Gas pressure drop
Tray towers Packed towers

low high high easy high

high Less low Difficult low

THANK YOU !!!