Structured Packing Sheet with Diversion Windows for Mass Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Corrugated packing sheets in chemical vapor-liquid mass transfer processes suffer from uneven liquid distribution, leading to suboptimal vapor-liquid mass transfer and increased pressure drop due to thick liquid films forming on troughs and crests, which hampers separation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The structured packing sheet with super low pressure drop diversion windows, featuring fan-shaped portions and strategically placed openings on both crests and troughs, reduces the vertical projection area of the diversion windows, allowing for improved liquid flow and vapor-liquid mixing, while maintaining the advantages of prior art packings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If liquid flows downwardly through corrugated packing sheets forming films on troughs, then liquid distribution occurs, but thick films form on troughs and crests resulting in un-uniform liquid distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The packing sheet is segmented into crests and troughs with diversion windows, creating distinct flow paths. Liquid is divided into multiple streams that flow through different channels, preventing concentration in single regions and improving distribution uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The diversion windows are positioned asymmetrically on crests and troughs with opposite orientations. This asymmetric design creates balanced liquid redistribution across the packing surface, ensuring uniform liquid distribution while maintaining efficient vapor-liquid contact.
2Productivity
If diversion windows are formed in crests and troughs to reform liquid flow, then vapor-liquid mass transfer improves, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
Diversion windows are strategically positioned only at specific locations on crests and troughs rather than uniformly across the entire packing surface. This localized modification achieves effective liquid flow reforming and improved mass transfer while minimizing the impact on vapor flow resistance and pressure drop.
3Stability of the object's composition
If liquid flows through troughs maintaining unchanged channels, then flow path stability is maintained, but vapor-liquid mass transfer is unfavorably influenced
Solution Approach 1:
The diversion windows create dynamic liquid flow patterns that adapt to varying liquid loads. Liquid flow paths are no longer fixed but dynamically redistribute through the diversion windows, enhancing vapor-liquid mixing and mass transfer efficiency while maintaining operational stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances vapor-liquid mass transfer efficiency by 5.3% to 11.3% and reduces pressure drop by 7.0% to 19.5% compared to prior art, ensuring more uniform vapor and liquid mixing and lower resistance to ascending vapor.
Implementation Method 1
When liquid flows downwardly, liquid at the troughs flows around the diversion windows and finally arrives at the back portion of the packing. So, the flow state can be reformed
Implementation Method 2
gas rises through corrugated channels, while liquid flows downwardly through surfaces of the packing sheets and forms films thereon, thereby mass transfer is completed by counterflow contact between gas and liquid
Implementation Method 3
The projection area of the diversion window thus made at vertical direction is significantly smaller than that of a prior art window. When the vapor stream flows upwardly through the corrugated packing, the area occupied by the diversion window is reduced, and resistance to ascending vapor phase is decreased, thus greatly reducing pressure drop of the packing layer
Data Source
AI summary
A low pressure drop structured packing sheet with diversion windows, which are formed on both crests and troughs. When in the expanded state where the diversion window and packing sheet are flat on the same plane, the diversion window has an opening and a fan-shaped portion, with the area of the opening being 0%-1000% of that of the fan-shaped portion. Two side intersection lines between the fan-shaped portion and packing sheet is symmetrical with respect to a central folding line which divides the fan-shaped portion into a left part and a right part. The two side intersection lines intercept to each other with an angel of about 10°-170°. When in the operating state where the diversion window and packing sheet are partially folded towards opposite directions, the fluid at the trough flows to a crest of the other side of the packing sheet with the help of diversion windows, thus increasing the area of vapor-liquid mass transfer. Additionally, when liquid goes across the diversion window, liquid at the bottom of the layer flow becomes the liquid on the liquid film, hence effectively facilitating update of the liquid film and turbulence, increasing mixture between the liquid and vapor, and improving rate of the mass transfer between vapor and liquid.