Structured Packing Fins for Fluid Contacting Columns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid contacting columns face challenges in achieving optimal fluid exchange due to inefficient plate contact in structured packings, leading to entanglement and bypassing issues, which affect the performance and reliability of the packing in industrial applications.
Innovation Solution
A structured packing design featuring a stack of rectangular plates with undulations and fins of varying lengths, where the direction of channels forms a non-zero angle between plates, maximizing good contacts and minimizing bad contacts by optimizing the length and orientation of fins and channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If structured packings use uniform fins and parallel plate orientations, then manufacturing is simplified, but plate contact efficiency deteriorates causing entanglement and bypassing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by varying the fin lengths on different plates within the structured packing. Specifically, adjacent plates have fins of different lengths (first fin length on one plate, second fin length on adjacent plate), which creates asymmetric patterns that maximize good contacts between plates and prevent entanglement and bypassing, thereby improving plate contact efficiency and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by making fins of the same length within a local group of plates (first plurality of plates have first fin length, second plurality of plates have second fin length). This local variation in fin length across different zones of the packing optimizes contact patterns in specific areas while maintaining manufacturability through standardized fin length groups
2Stability of the object's composition
If plate directions are aligned parallel to maximize structural stability, then assembly is easier, but fluid exchange efficiency deteriorates due to reduced good contacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry in plate orientation by specifying that the direction of channels in a first plate forms a non-zero angle with the direction of channels in an adjacent plate. This angular relationship creates asymmetric flow paths that maximize good contacts between plates, thereby improving fluid exchange efficiency while maintaining structural stability through controlled angular deviations rather than random orientations
3Manufacturing precision
If fins have uniform length across all channels, then manufacturing precision is improved, but transfer area effectiveness deteriorates due to insufficient liquid detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by specifying different fin lengths for different local regions of the packing. Fins on plates in a first plurality have a first length, while fins on plates in a second plurality have a second length. This local variation optimizes liquid detachment and transfer area effectiveness in different zones of the packing while maintaining manufacturing precision through standardized fin length specifications for each group
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a high-performance structured packing for a fluid contacting column. The packing is formed by a stack of plates comprising corrugations forming a succession of channels. The channels include wings and each wing is formed by at least one band cut into one of the plates so that it remains solidly connected to the plate on at least one side, said band being deformed to create a hole that breaks the continuity of the surface of the plate. According to the invention, the direction of the channels of one plate forms a non-zero angle in relation to the direction of the ridges of an adjacent plate. The lengths of the wings of one channel are different from those of a neighbouring channel.