Experimental and CFD Simulation Study for the Wetting of a Structured Packing Element with Liquids

The hydrodynamics of liquid flow in packed columns affects the column performance from the point of view of heat and mass transfer. The interfacial and the specific wetted areas are decisive in this case. The complex three-dimensional liquid flow on a single structured and flat packing element of Rombopak 4M was investigated. It consists of four connected wavy inclined plates in an X-shape configuration. The geometric characteristics of the packing were related to the fluid mechanics of the liquid distribution. CFD simulation results for different cell sizes and flow rates, obtained using the VOF (volume of fluid) model, are presented as being capable of describing this complex geometry. With the help of the CFD simulation and the experimental results from Rombopak 4M, correlations from the literature describing the interfacial and wetted area and liquid holdup in packed columns were adjusted to describe the hydrodynamic performance of Rombopak 4M.

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