화학공학소재연구정보센터
Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.59, No.27, 12545-12556, 2020
Experimental Fluid Dynamics Study of a New Fractal Dual-Flow Tray
Countercurrent flow in conventional dual-flow trays results in segregation in liquid and vapor flow, reducing tray efficiency. Therefore, a new dual-flow tray with fractal geometry was experimentally investigated. Air and water were used as vapor and liquid models. Flow regime and fluid dynamics parameters such as dry (Delta P-d) and wet (Delta P-w) tray pressure drop, froth height (H), clear liquid height (h(CL)), and froth porosity (epsilon) were evaluated. The results showed a lower and a more stable Delta P-w in the fractal tray with a smaller hole diameter compared to the conventional tray when F-s ranged from 0.59 to 1.04. Fluid dynamics parameters such as H, h(CL), and epsilon were similar between the fractal tray with a smaller hole diameter and the conventional tray for capacity factor (F-s) values from 0.68 to 1.04 and for all values of liquid flow rate (Q(L)). Fractal geometry provided a more stable liquid and vapor flow through the alternating formation of high and low pressure microzones.