Packed Tower Internals

®
Packed Tower Internals Guide
Koch-Glitsch’s dedication to provide For information regarding Koch-Glitsch random developed and acquired proven internals
state-of-the-art mass transfer equip- and structured packings, please ask for and technology for packed columns from
ment is demonstrated in a complete brochures KGRP-1, KGIMTP-1 and KGSP-1. Glitsch and Saint-Gobain NorPro. As a
line of packed tower internals, devel- result of these acquisitions, Koch-Glitsch
oped through extensive testing and Hydraulic flow testing is used to confirm has identified and now offers the best
years of experience with mass transfer the performance of INTALOX liquid dis- products and technology from each com-
equipment, such as INTALOX® High tributors. Computational Fluid Dynamics pany. Because of these changes, product
Performance Distribution Systems. By (CFD) analysis is available for verification model designations have also changed.
understanding the important role of liq- of vapor distribution designs. Ask your The column internals models listed in this
uid and vapor distribution, Koch-Glitsch Koch-Glitsch representative about these brochure represent the majority of rec-
can confidently design packed columns optional services. ommended column internals for use
to provide predictable performance. today.
Koch-Glitsch recognizes that not all
INTALOX® Packed Tower Systems com- packed towers require state-of-the-art Of course, exact replacements of any
bine INTALOX high performance liquid liquid distribution uniformity. Koch- column internal formerly sold by Koch,
and vapor distribution with high perform- Glitsch offers a wide range of traditional Glitsch or Norton (NorPro) are available
ance packings such as: style internals, used over many years in upon request and can be supplied, designed
less demanding services. This brochure and built to their original specifications.
- FLEXIPAC®, FLEXIPAC® HC®, describes the importance of liquid and
INTALOX® or Wire Gauze Structured vapor distribution and the circumstances Versions of many of the internals described
Packings in which INTALOX Packed Tower in this catalog are also available in a variety
- IMTP® or SNOWFLAKE® High Systems should be applied. of FRP and thermoplastic materials. For infor-
Performance Random Packing mation regarding these products, please ask
- CASCADE MINI RINGS® or Over the years, Koch Engineering for brochure KGPTIG-1.
β-ETA RING® Random Packings Company, Inc., now Koch-Glitsch, has

Table of Contents
Device Type and Description Old NorPro Old Koch Old Glitsch Page
Model Model Model Model
Liquid Distributors
INTALOX® High Performance Liquid Distributors
106 Pan distributor 106 7
116 Deck distributor 116 8
126 Channel distributor with bottom orifices 126 320 8
136 Channel distributor with drip tubes 136 321 9
141 Tubular distributor 330 POH-921 10
156 Trough distributor with enhanced baffle plates 312 NTD-721 10
186 Trough distributor with drip tubes 186 311 TNT-727 11
®
INTALOX High Performance Liquid Redistributors
107 Pan redistributor 107 7
117 Deck redistributor with bottom orifices 117 8
127 Channel redistributor with bottom orifices 127 8
137 Channel redistributor with drip tubes 137 9
Traditional Performance Liquid Distributors
905 Pan distributor with V-notch risers 798 306 NRD-651 12
906 Pan distributor with bottom orifices 845 DRO-601 12
916 Deck distributor with bottom orifices 816, 916 301 A,B,D RTD-551- 554 13
926 Channel distributor with bottom orifices 1016 13
976 Trough distributor with bottom orifices 14
985 Trough distributor with weirs 806 310, 302 VND-701,711 14
986 Trough distributor drip tubes TNT-727 15
996 Trough distributor with drip point multipliers TNS 34
Traditional Performance Liquid Redistributors
917 Deck redistributor with bottom orifice 817, 917 301 A,B,D RTD-552-554 13
927 Channel redistributor with bottom orifice 1017 301 A,B,D RTD-552-554 13
Enclosed Channel and Pressure Fed Liquid Distributors
941 Pipe-arm distributor with orifices 844 342, 304 POH-901 16
943 Spray nozzle distributor 1044 344, 305 SNH-951-X 16
961 Enclosed channel distributor for offshore applications 874 17

1
Device Type and Description Old NorPro Old Koch Old Glitsch Page
Model Model Model Model

Feed Devices
Liquid Feed Devices 18
119 INTALOX® High Performance Liquid Only Feed Pipe 119, 129 340 19
719 Liquid only feed pipe 719, 729 19
Mixed Liquid/Vapor and Flash Feed Devices
705 Flashing feed chamber 855 20
745 Flashing feed pipe 655 300 RFD-561 20
755 Flashing or mixed phase feed gallery 755 341 RFD-571 21
758 Enhanced vapor horn 192 360, 361 VDA-992 22
765 Suppressed flashing feed distributor 144 34
788 Enhanced V-baffle vapor inlet diffuser 350 VDV-994 21
798 Vapor inlet for FCC Main Fractionators 34
Vapor Feed and Distribution Devices
716 Deck type vapor distributor 896 CTD-531 23
746 Lateral arm vapor distributor 198 342 VDP-991 23
748 Vapor diffuser 196 24
768 EVENFLOW™ Vane Type Vapor Distributor 194 351 24
Liquid Collectors
611 Deck style liquid collector 833 501 CTD-501 25
613 Deck style liquid collector for offshore application 34
621 Trough style liquid collector 733 500 CTD-521 25
622 Trough style liquid collector for fouling services 34
633 Chevron vane liquid collector 633 510, 511 26
Packing Bed Limiters 27
803 Structured packing bed limiter, non-interfering 133 403 HDG-421 27
805 Random packing bed limiter, non-interfering 103 401 BLM-461 28
815 Anti-migration screen between different packing sizes 111 34
825 Random packing bed limiter 823 BLM-451 28
845 Bed limiter used in combination with spray distributors 822 34
883 Structured packing bed limiter/liquid distributor support 29

Packing Support Plates 30

802 S tructured packing support grid 134 102 HPS-121 30
804 Random packing gas injection support plate 804 101R UTS-201 31
814 Random packing gas injection support plate, small diameter 818 101 UTS-218 31
824 Light duty random packing support plate 809 103 UTS-209 32

General Details and Other Topics

Construction details 33
Special tower internals 34

2
Liquid Distribution
Liquid Distribution As a general rule: Redistribution

Liquid distributors are used in packed • Koch-Glitsch INTALOX high perform- The decision of when to install more
columns above each bed of packing. ance distributors are used typically than one packed bed and redistribute the
The distributor, depending upon its with FLEXIPAC, FLEXIPAC HC, liquid is somewhat more [Link]
design features, is elevated between INTALOX and wire gauze structured are six major reasons to split a packed
0 to 8 in. [0-200mm] above the packing. packings or IMTP, SNOWFLAKE, bed and redistribute the liquid:
The space is determined by the distribu- CMR and β-ETA RING high perform-
tor type and the vertical height required ance random packings in the following • Feed introduction
to disengage the vapor phase from the services: distillation, processes • Product side draw
packing before it flows through the dis- approaching equilibrium or heat-trans- • High theoretical stage count
tributor gas passage area. fer applications with close approach • Desire to cross-mix the liquid
temperature. • Liquid maldistribution
An ideal distributor possesses the fol- • Physical weight of the packed bed
lowing attributes, each having a specific • Koch-Glitsch “traditional” distributors
effect on the overall performance of the are generally used with traditional Introduction of a liquid or vapor feed to
packed tower: packings (FLEXIRING® and HY-PAK® a column requires a space in the packing
Random Packings, plastic Super and redistribution of the liquid phase.
• Uniform liquid distribution INTALOX® Saddles, FLEXIGRID® Important factors to keep in mind with
• Proper operation through its and GLITSCH GRID® Structured the introduction of a liquid feed are the
turn-down range Packings) in general absorption, strip- temperature and composition of the feed
• Low vapor phase pressure drop ping and heat transfer applications. stream compared to the internal column
• Resistance to plugging or fouling Traditional distributors take advantage liquid. Normally, unless the feed rate is
• Optimal use of vessel height for of standardized, pre-engineered design small compared to the flow rate of the
and the optimal use of raw materials. internal column liquid, it is desirable to
proper performance
These distributors do not generally mix the feed with the internal liquid to
• Minimal liquid residence time provide liquid flow uniformity compa- provide compositional uniformity before
• Mixing capability for redistribution rable to INTALOX high performance distributing it to the packed bed below.
to the next bed distributors. It is also advisable to mix the feed
stream and internal liquid when their
The introduction of high performance As always, there are exceptions to the temperatures are significantly different.
tower packings in the 1970’s and 1980’s general rules. Occasionally… The degree of the thoroughness of the
accentuated the design deficiencies of mixing depends upon the magnitude of
distributors available at the time. In • High performance packing may be the differences and to what extent the
response, Koch-Glitsch introduced dis- used with traditional distributors in gradients are expected to affect the
tributors with features to correct these cases when only certain aspects of overall performance.
deficiencies. These important features a high performance packing are
are well understood by Koch-Glitsch and desired. An example would be to Liquid cross-mixing and maldistribution
have been incorporated in the family of take advantage of the high capacity correction often go hand-in-hand. When
INTALOX high performance distributors. of IMTP packing or the low pressure a packed column is designed with a large
drop of FLEXIPAC HC structured number of theoretical stages or transfer
Koch-Glitsch offers two categories of packing, when the separation efficiency units, a constant liquid to vapor ratio
liquid distributors to meet the require- demands are not high. (L/V) is needed to achieve the best over-
ments of specific applications. In deter- all column performance. Redistribution
mining which category to choose, it is • Traditional packing may be used with of the liquid ensures that the L/V ratio is
necessary to know the sensitivity of the high performance distributors in cases maintained, while cross-mixing between
process and whether the liquid distribu- when a process is licensed and speci- beds ensures uniform composition.
tion will significantly affect the overall fied with a certain type of packing.
tower performance. Based on Koch-Glitsch’s operating expe-
rience, a rule-of-thumb is to limit a single
packed bed to no more than 20 theoreti-
cal stages or transfer units. Consult a
Koch-Glitsch technical representative for
further details. Note that in some spe-
cial circumstances, Koch-Glitsch applies
more restrictive rules than those dis-
cussed above.

3
Liquid Distribution Quality
Perfect liquid distribution is defined as The chart below demonstrates the overall properly meters liquid flow to the distrib-
providing equal liquid per unit area of the effect that can be expected with various utor without inducing excessive horizontal
packed bed surface. Theoretically this levels of distribution quality. The maxi- velocities, gradients in liquid head or
would require an infinite number of liquid mum maldistribution that can be tolerated turbulence. Pre-distribution is achieved
streams, all at identical flow. This is clearly in a packed bed is strongly dependent on by the use of feed pipes, pre-distribution
impossible. A number of factors such as the product composition, the relative channels and/or parting boxes. The design
orifice size, fouling potential and mechani- volatility, the liquid to vapor ratio, etc. of the pre-distribution system becomes
cal construction limit the ability to make Koch-Glitsch considers all these aspects increasingly complex as the specific
the "perfect" distributor. INTALOX high as well as others while designing packed liquid rate and/or the column diameter
performance distributors approach perfec- columns. increases.
tion by applying the following criteria:
Liquid Rate and Cross Flow
• Drip points located in a uniform Capability
pattern
• Drip point positions uninterrupted by As the liquid rate on a distributor is
vapor chimneys or mechanical supports increased, the cross flow capability of the
• Drip points properly spaced with distributor and its pre-distribution system
respect to the vessel wall become more critical. Since gravity fed
• Minimal variation in flow between drip distributors are dependent on liquid level
points to determine flow, the liquid must be
carefully balanced in order to provide
Koch-Glitsch "traditional" distributors point-to-point flow uniformity. It is
have less uniform distribution patterns important that the pre-distribution system
and liquid flow than the INTALOX high
performance distributors. This is due to
significant standardization and pre-engi-
The effect of liquid distribution quality on tower
neering of the traditional internals to opti-
mize their construction and to fit them The Effect ofis Liquid
performance shown byDistribution Quality
these actual results:
for a wide range of conditions. This opti-
mized, standardized design makes tradi- 20
tional distributors an economical alterna- 20
tive. Traditional distributors have been 18
used successfully for many years in a wide Stages Per Bed With
Stages per BedBase
System with HETP
range of applications.
20
bedof Packing

16 System Base HETP

Koch-Glitsch developed a distributor rat- 16
ing system to quantify distributor per-
formance or "distribution quality". The
14 16
rating uses a percentage scale with theo-
Bed

retical perfection set at 100%. Low per- 12 12

Perper

centage ratings reflect areas of the column 12

that are receiving liquid flow significantly
stages

10
different from other areas.
Stages
Actual Actual

INTALOX high performance distributors 8 88

are always recommended for:

• Distillation services with high stage 6

count per bed
4
• Distillation systems with a low relative 4
volatility
• High purity product distillation services 2
• Distillation services operating near the
minimum reflux ratio or close to a pinch
0
point
• Absorption or stripping applications 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
with close approach to equilibrium DistributionQuality
Quality (%)
Distribution (%)
• Heat transfer applications with close
approach temperatures