Tray Technology

Chandrakant Joshi | Head Applications and Technology | February 24, 2016

F -Factor Sulzer Chemtech

1. F-factor is the vapor capacity term calculated as the vapor

velocity multiplied by the square root of the vapor density.
2. It can be based either on bubbling area(Fb) or column
superficial area(Fs).

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How Trays Work Sulzer Chemtech

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How Trays Work Sulzer Chemtech

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How Trays Work Sulzer Chemtech

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How Trays Work Sulzer Chemtech

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How Trays Work Sulzer Chemtech

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How Trays Work Sulzer Chemtech

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How Tray works ? Sulzer Chemtech

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How Trays Work Sulzer Chemtech

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Sulzer Chemtech

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Sulzer Chemtech

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Sulzer Chemtech

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Sulzer Chemtech

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Type of contacting devices on active area Sulzer Chemtech

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 Sieve Tray Sulzer Chemtech

• Hole ID: 3 mm ~ 25.4 mm

• Big size (>20 mm) could be considered for fouling service 16
Bubble Cap
Sulzer Chemtech

FRI 3 & 4 & 6 inches

vertical distance
• Significantly lower turndown (1:8)
• High pressure drop TS
• High entrainment
• High liquid gradient bubble height
• Expensive
vapour velocity m/s

entrainment accelerating path

3 & 4 in 6 in

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Types of Perforations
Float Valve Sulzer Chemtech

RV4 has a similar capacity to RV1, but less dry drop

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Types of Perforations
Float Valve Sulzer Chemtech

Snap In
• easy to install and minimize damage
• mainly used with Shell CS & Shell HiFi

Caged Valve
• less dry drop
• as in the partially open status, dry drop ~ the weight of the moving
plate

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Types of Perforations
Round Float Valve trays Sulzer Chemtech

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Types of Perforations
Round and Caged Float Valve trays Sulzer Chemtech

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Types of Perforations
Float Valve Sulzer Chemtech

BDH
Advantages:
• No rotation, broad leg
• Minimize liquid gradient, lateral release
• Minimize weeping, orientation is parallel to liquid flow

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Types of Perforations
Float Valve Sulzer Chemtech

Advantages:
• No rotation, broad leg
• Minimize liquid gradient, lateral release
• Minimize weeping, orientation is parallel to liquid flow

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Types of Perforations
Fixed Valve Sulzer Chemtech

• SVG for fouling service

• HP MVG & MMVG, high capacity & low dry drop
• Fixed Valve 3 times stronger

Conclusions:
• If Size ↑, Capacity ↓ and Dry drop ↑

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Types of Perforations
VG fixed Valve trays Sulzer Chemtech

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Types of Perforations
MVG fixed Valve trays Sulzer Chemtech

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Types of Perforations
Movable Mini Valve UFM Sulzer Chemtech

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Types of Perforations
Movable Mini Valve UFM Sulzer Chemtech

 Tray panels equipped with UFM valves

 Sulzer Chemtech

Valve Tray
Factors Sieve Tray Bubble-Cap Tray
Floating V-Grid
Capacity Moderate Moderately High Comparatively High Very High

Efficiency Low Moderately High High

Pressure Drop Moderate High Moderate Low

Comparatively less
Cost Low Costly Optimised or Less
costly
Maintenance Low Relatively High Moderate Low
High: Tends to collect
Fouling Tendency Low Moderate Low
Solids
Effects of
Low High Moderate Low
corrosion
Often used when Extremely low Liquid Where flexible Where high
Main Application turndown is not flow & where leakage operation is capacity is
critical must be minimized required. required.
Type of Liquid handling devices Sulzer Chemtech

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Type of Liquid handling downcomers Sulzer Chemtech

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Type of devices on active area Sulzer Chemtech

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Type of devices on active area Sulzer Chemtech

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Type of devices on active area Sulzer Chemtech

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Type of devices on active area Sulzer Chemtech

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Truncated downcommer Sulzer Chemtech

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VG Plus Tray Sulzer Chemtech

VG Plus High Performance Tray

MVG valve High Performance

Downcomer

Re-Directing
Devise

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VG Plus Tray Sulzer Chemtech

Redirecting and Froth Enhancer System

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Types of Downcomer
Enhanced DC Sulzer Chemtech

StepArc: top view: normal chordal DC, bottom view: swept back
ModArc: top view: swept back, bottom view: sweptback
These two DCs applied to Side DC only

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Step arc downcommer Sulzer Chemtech

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 Types of Downcomer
Enhanced DC ModArc Sulzer Chemtech

Red line: Extra bubbling area

ModArc Tray is a high capacity trays used whenever the Liquid load is high. The ModArc
geometry is applied only to side Down Comer.
The sizing of the once the Hydraulics is finalized the Dimension of ModArc has to be
designed in such a fashion that the area of the Down Comer Top after sizing the ModArc is
same as that mentioned in the Hydraulics the Sloped bottom Area is also matched in similar
fashion.
The design is advanced version of Sweptback. Normally whenever Swept back weir is
applied active area is lost but in ModArc Higher weir length is achieved without compromising
on the active area, hence it gives higher capacity.
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 High Performance Downcomers Sulzer Chemtech

 Conventional DC  High Performance

At DC At
Atdc Atdc

 High Performance Downcomers AS

allows for additional Active / Abdc
Abdc
Free area, and liquid handling FA = At - Abdc FA = At - AS

capacity
AA = At - Atdc- Abdc AA = At - Atdc- As

 Truncated DC  StepArc DC  ModArc DC

Lifted Deck
Sulzer Chemtech

 With the lifted tray deck, the panels do not rest flush with the support ring:
the spacers create a gap for vapor flow
 The gap converts the tray support ring dead area into active area
 The active area gain depends on tower diameter and number of flow paths:
 the lower the number of passes and the smaller the diameter, the higher is the
benefit

Spacer

Tray panel

Support Ring

Universal Clamp
e-VGPlus Tray Sulzer Chemtech

Push
valve

MVG or MMVG
valve

Lifted Deck

StepArc
downcomer

 In addition to the first generation enhancement features, i.e. Push Valves,

Baffle Bar, Stepped or Sloped Outlet Weirs, e-VGPlus trays have the
following booster:

“Lifted Deck technology”

 Sulzer Chemtech

SPECIALITY TRAYS

- Dual flow trays

- Ripple Tray

- Baffle trays

- Cartridge Trays

- Channel Baffle Trays

- Horse shoe Trays

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Specialty Trays
Dual Flow Sulzer Chemtech

No downcomer plus sieve hole

• Opening area up to 29%
• Higher capacity, lower efficiency, lower pressure drop
• Anti-fouling

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Specialty Trays
Dual Flow Sulzer Chemtech

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Sulzer Chemtech
Specialty Trays
Baffle Tray Sulzer Chemtech

Baffle trays
• Opening area: ~ 50%
• Highest Capacity, lower pressure drop, lower efficiency, anti-fouling

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Specialty Trays
Baffle Tray Sulzer Chemtech

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Specialty Trays
Baffle Tray Sulzer Chemtech

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Specialty Trays
Cartridge Tray Sulzer Chemtech

• When ID (<800 mm) is small, installation & inspection impossible

• DC: enveloped, Support lug, Gasket or Seal ring, Dimensions: standardized

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Specialty Trays
Cartridge Tray Sulzer Chemtech

Metallic
circlips
MOC:same
as tray

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Specialty Trays
Cartridge Tray Sulzer Chemtech

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Specialty Trays
Channel Baffle trays Sulzer Chemtech

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Specialty Trays
Channel Tray Sulzer Chemtech

• When active area is too big, and efficiency could be a concern

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Specialty Trays
Channel Tray Sulzer Chemtech

• When active area is too big, and efficiency could be a concern

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Specialty Trays
Parallel flow- Horse Shoe, Pipe DC Sulzer Chemtech

• Pipe DC
• Central Baffle
• Inlet or OutWeir

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Specialty Trays
Horse Shoe, Pipe DC or Reverse Flow Tray Sulzer Chemtech

Conditions to use:
• Upon Request eg. ABB's design / Caustic Tower Top Trays
• Very Low Weir Loading
• Very Low DC Velocity
• This Tray are normally designed with Bubble Cap,Notch Weir & Pipe
DC.

Outlet weir
Partition Baffle

Inlet weir

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Specialty Trays
Horse Shoe, Pipe DC or Reverse Flow Tray Sulzer Chemtech

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 Sulzer Chemtech

SPECIALITY TRAYS PART-2

- High Capacity Multidown-commer

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Specialty Trays
Multi down-commer Shell Tray Sulzer Chemtech

Shell Calming Section and Shell HiFi Plus

Longer Weir Length

Crown Inlet Device, up to 20% more capacity

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Specialty Trays
Multi down-commer Shell Tray Sulzer Chemtech

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Summary Sulzer Chemtech

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