ABSTRACT
This study deals with the prediction of distillation trays’ efficiency in rectification columns, in case of low carbon content hydrocarbons (for example ethane-ethylene and propane-propylene) separation. During these technologies typically trayed columns are used, therefore the bubble cap and sieve trays were investigated in this paper.
In the previous studies, we have assumed that the leaving vapour and liquid from each tray is in equilibrium. It assumed that the trays have 100% efficiency, however, in practice, this supposition is not true. It means that it is necessary to determine the actual efficiency of the trays because this value gives the actual trays’ number too. The studied methods are the O’Connell method and the AIChE method (Perry 1950).
This study’s goal is to calculate and compare different trays’ efficiency because it has an effect of the tower height.
In petrochemical industry the previously mentioned hydrocarbons have a high importance, these are the raw material of the plastic manufacturing. Generally, hydrocarbons are produced by distillation from higher carbon content materials, and this procedure has extremely high energy consumption. In case of higher plate efficiencies, the costs can be reduced.
