II.7 Towers / Tower Internals

II.
Fundamentals of Oil & Gas Production & processing,

II. 7 Towers / Tower Internals Main equipment/ Eng.Documentation
TOWER INTERNALS
1
INTRODUCTORY MODULE TO THE OIL & GAS INDUSTRY
II. Fundamentals of Oil & Gas Production & processing,
Course Outline
 Introduction
 Types of Internals
 Types of Trays
 Design Definitions
 Work Flow
2
INTRODUCTION
3
Mass Transfer Basics
 Definition:
Mass transfer is the flow of a component in a
high concentration mixture to another mixture
with lower concentration of this component.
4
Why Towers Are Employed?
 Separation purpose:
We have:
Two or more coexisting mixtures which differ in
temperature, pressure, composition, and/or
phase state e.g. Alcohol with water.
We want:
To separate each component individually, or a cut
of the mixture e.g. Alcohol and water.
5
Why Internals Are Employed?
 Various kinds of devices such as random or

structured packings or trays are used to bring
the two phases into intimate contact.
 Trays are stacked one above the other and
enclosed in a cylindrical shell to form a tower.
 Packings are also generally contained in a
cylindrical shell between hold-down and
support plates
6
Types of Internals
7
 Fixed Internals:
Tray Supports
Downcomer supports
Distributors Supports
Vortex Breakers
Chimney Trays
 Removable Internals:
Trays
Packing (structured, random)
Distributors
Bed limiters, Supporting grid
Demisters
8
9
Fixed Internals
10
11
12
13
14
15
Removable Internals
16
TYPICAL TRAY LAYOUT
17
Downcomers
The principal purpose of the downcomer is to collect

the two-phase mixture from the tray, separate the
vapor from the liquid and distribute the clarified
liquid uniformly to the tray below.
Mechanically the downcomer can be designed in a

number of ways to accomplish these objectives.
18
Downcomer Seal
 The principal purpose of the downcomer seal is to

prevent the vapor from by-passing the tray and
escaping through the downcomer.
 Another purpose is to distribute the liquid evenly

across the inlet edge of the tray.
19
20
Weirs
 Inlet Weirs
- Optional
- Uniform distribution of liquid entering from
downcomer
 Outlet Weirs
- Mandatory
- Maintain seal on tray
- Insure bubbling of vapors through liquid
21
22
Tray Passes
One Pass
23
Two Passes
24
Four Passes
25
Type of Trays
26
Type of Trays
 Sieve trays
 Valve trays
 Bubble cap trays
 Dual flow trays
 Chimney trays
 Baffle trays
 Cartridge trays
27
Sieve Trays
 Perforated panels where vapor bubbles up through
the liquid.
 Downcomers for liquid to flow from tray to tray
through the column.
 Low flexibility:
up to 50% of design loads.
 Less expensive
28
Valve Trays
 Valves rise as the vapor rate increases and drops as the
rate decreases, this gives them greater flexibility for
load change.
Flexibility up to 20 to 30% of design rates
Types of valve trays:

A. Floating Valve Type
B. Fixed valve type
29
30
Sieve Vs Valve
31
Bubble Cap Trays
 For low liquid loads, large variations in vapor loading

and very high turn down ratios
 Available in different sizes
 More expensive than sieve or valve trays
32
33
Dual Flow Trays

 Perforated trays without downcomer
 Suitable in services where tray efficiency is not a
concern
 Limited turndown ratios: about 60% of design rates
34
Chimney Trays
 Trays to collect liquid with chimney-like passages for

vapor flow
 Used for collecting liquid for a draw-off
 Chimney trays are usually either welded in or gasketed

to prevent liquid weepage
35
36
Baffle Trays
 Baffle trays are simple splash decks that have about
50% area of the tower.
 The liquid overflows and splashes down from deck to

deck with the vapor in countercurrent flow through
the spaces between the decks.
 They may also be designed as disc and donat baffles.
37
Cartridge Trays
 Typically used in flanged columns where the tower
diameter does not allow the passage of a person
 Available with all types of decks and various

downcomer designs
38
39
Tray Manway
40
Design Definitions
41
Entrainment
Presence of liquid droplets in the rising vapor.
Jetting/ Flooding
 Excessive entrainment caused by expansion of vapor
through the liquid bed.
Entrainment is a function of :
•Tray spacing
•Vapor and liquid rates
• Vapor and liquid properties
• Head of liquid above the slots or perforations
• Tray design.
42
Blowing
A condition where the liquid is lifted off the tray. The
vapor phase is continuous between trays and there is no
bed of liquid on the tray.
It occurs at a relatively low liquid load with low hole
area trays
Downcomer Backup
 When downcomer is filled with aerated liquid or

foam and not all the liquid flow can be accommodated
by the downcomer, the tray may become flooded by the
liquid accumulating in the bubbling area.
43
Weeping
 Partial by passing of liquids through sieves or valves
rather than flowing over the weir.
Dumping
 When all liquid flows through the sieves or valves the
tray is "dumping“.
44
Turn Down Ratio

 Turndown ratio is the maximum design load divided
by the minimum design load..
Operating Range
 Operating range is a similar term expressed as
percentage of the flood load.
Flexibility
 It is a term used to compare one design with another
i.e., a tray with a high turndown ratio has a greater
flexibility than on with a low turndown ratio.
45
Work Flow
46
PROCESS SIMULATION DATA FOR TOWER

(BY PROCESS & STUDIES DEPT)
TOWER DESIGN
)BY EQUIPMENT DESIGN ENG. DEPT(
PREPARE MRQ FOR TOWER INTERNALS

PREPARE TOWER SIZING TABLE AND SKETCH
)PARTICIPATE IN TOWERS& INTERNALS MRQ(
PRESSURE VESSEL & MATERIAL DEPT

PIPING DIV VARIOUS DISCIPLINES INPUT
)P.V, MATERIAL, PIPING(
ISSUE FINAL SIZING TABLES

& ISSUE MRQ’S FOR VARIOUS EQUIPMENT
FOR COST ESTIMATION
SENT TO PEM THROUGH PTD LEADER
ISSUE FINAL TOWER INTERNALS

DATA SHEETS
ASSIST WITH P.V. DEPT TECHNICAL EVALUATION
IN TOWERS DATA SHEETS
ASSIST WITH PIPING DEPT IN ISSUING

ORIENTATION DWGS ISSUE MRP FOR TOWER INTERNALS
)PARTICIPATE IN TOWERS & INTERNALS MRP(
47

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II.

Fundamentals of Oil & Gas Production & processing,

Mass Transfer Basics

Why Towers Are Employed?

Why Internals Are Employed?

 Various kinds of devices such as random or

TYPICAL TRAY LAYOUT

The principal purpose of the downcomer is to collect

Mechanically the downcomer can be designed in a

 The principal purpose of the downcomer seal is to

 Another purpose is to distribute the liquid evenly

Flexibility up to 20 to 30% of design rates

Types of valve trays:

Bubble Cap Trays

 For low liquid loads, large variations in vapor loading

Dual Flow Trays

 Trays to collect liquid with chimney-like passages for

 Used for collecting liquid for a draw-off

 Chimney trays are usually either welded in or gasketed

 The liquid overflows and splashes down from deck to

 They may also be designed as disc and donat baffles.

 Available with all types of decks and various

 When downcomer is filled with aerated liquid or

Turn Down Ratio

PROCESS SIMULATION DATA FOR TOWER

PREPARE MRQ FOR TOWER INTERNALS

PRESSURE VESSEL & MATERIAL DEPT

ISSUE FINAL SIZING TABLES

ISSUE FINAL TOWER INTERNALS

ASSIST WITH PIPING DEPT IN ISSUING

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