Design and conception of an innovative packing for separation column – Part II: Design and characterization of a wire based packing

• Published in: Chemical engineering research & design Vol. 169; pp. 189 - 203
• Main Authors: Kawas, Beatrice, Mizzi, Benoit, Dejean, Baptiste, Rouzineau, David, Meyer, Michel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Rugby Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: 3-D printers; Absorption; Additive manufacturing; Columns (structural); Configurations; Distillation; Distillation apparatus; Fluid mechanics; Gas–liquid contactor; Heat transfer; Hydrodynamic behavior; Innovative packing; Mass transfer; Mass transfer efficiency; Parameter modification; Polyamide resins; Stainless steel; Stainless steels; Three dimensional printing; Wire; Mass transfer efficiency; Additive manufacturing; Gas–liquid contactor; Innovative packing; Hydrodynamic behavior
• ISSN: 0263-8762; 1744-3563
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2021.03.019

[Display omitted] •An innovative packing based on cylindrical wires is 3D printed in polyamide and stainless steel.•Hydrodynamic and mass transfer studies are executed on the printed structures and on Mellapak250Y to characterize their performances.•The HETP results highlighted the importance of designing packings with a high specific surface area and a small wire diameter.•Several aspects were investigated to understand the hydrodynamic phenomena based on a flow regime map. An innovative-structured packing (for distillation and absorption columns) based on cylindrical wires is 3D printed in polyamide and stainless steel. Several configurations are designed by modifying some geometrical parameters, such as the wire diameter and length. Hydrodynamic and mass transfer studies are executed on the printed structures and on a reference internal (Mellapak 250Y) to characterize their performances. These new packings show some promising results. Most of the designed configurations are characterized by a high packing capacity and a good mass transfer efficiency. Hence, these structures can be successfully implemented in a distillation or absorption column.