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Distillation Tray

Separation

Design a Deck

Column Trays

Distillation Column Tray Selection & Sizing 1

Introduction:
Once the process design stage ends, the equipment
design begins. This stage of design converts
process requirements into actual hardware.
One of the most prominent hardwares used for mass
transfer is tray. Tray columns are widely used in
various types of mass transfer operations. All the
simulation results, which predict a certain number of
theoretical stages, can be converted to actual trays
depending upon tray eciency for a particular
service.
In any conventional tray vapour rises through the
liquid pool on the tray deck and then disengages from the liquid in the space above the deck. Liquid
enters the tray from a downcomer above and leaves via a downcomer below.
Conventional Tray has three functional zones:
1. Active area for mixing vapour and liquid: This is the zone where mass transfer occurs.
2. Vapour space above the active area: This is the zone in which liquid is separated from vapour.
3. Downcomer between trays. This zone has two functions, rst moving liquid from one
contacting tray to another and second disengaging vapour from liquid.
Each of these zones takes up vertical and horizontal space in the tower.
Selection Guide for Tray Column:
The factors discussed below inuence the choice between trays & packings. As these are guidelines
for selection of trays or packings for a particular service, it is recommended to analyze each design
case on its own merit for selection.
Sr. No.System Favouring Tray
Column

System Favouring Packed

Column

1Solid
handling

Vaccum
system

2High liquid
rate

Low pressure drop

application

composition
Feed and
3

variable

4Large diameter
columns

temperatureRevampsThe

pressuredrop

translated into
can be capacity
energy gain or separation
improvement.

reduction

gain,

Small diameter columns< 900

mm

an

5Performance prediction is
easy
6

Less weight saving in cost

foundations and
supports

Corrosive system
ofFoaming
system

7Interboilers, intercondensers,
cooling
colils, & side draw
8High turn down
requirements
9

Low
liquid holdup for
polymerisation and
degradation.

reducing

Batch
Distillation

Chemical reactions

The industry, based on its experience, has standardised the type to be used in certain services. If
this reference is not available the guideline as per Appendix 1 are to be used
Types of Tray
The particular tray selection and its design can materially aect the performance of a given
distillation, absorption, or stripping system. Each tray should be designed so as to give as ecient a
contact between the vapour and liquid as possible, within reasonable economic limits.
Valve tray:
Valve trays are perforated sheet metal decks on which round, liftable valves are mounted. The
vapour ows through valves which are installed parallel to the outlet weir. Valve trays combine high
capacity and excellent eciency with a wide operating range.

Advantages:
Excellent liquid/ vapour contacting.
Higher capacity.
Higher exibility than sieve trays.
Can handle higher loadings.
Low-pressure drop than bubble cap.

Sieve tray:
Sieve trays are at perforated plate in which vapour rises through small holes in tray oor, & bubbles
through liquid in fairly uniform manner. They have comparable capacity as valve trays.

Advantages:
Simple construction Low entrainment,
low cost Low maintenance cost
Low fouling tendency

Disadvantages:
Less-exible to varying loads than
other two types
Bubble cap tray:
Vapour rises through risers or uptakes into bubble cap, out through slots as bubbles into
surrounding liquid on tray. It is mainly used in special applications.

Advantages:
Moderate capacity
Most exible (high & low vap. & liquid rates)
Can provide excellent turndown.
Disadvantages:
High entrainment,

High cost,
High pressure drop

High fouling tendency

Dual ow trays:
A dual ow tray is a sieve tray with no downcomers. This tray operates with liquid continuously
weeping through the holes. Due to the absence of downcomers, dual ow tray gives more tray area
hence a greater capacity than any of the common tray types. They are ideal for revamp where if
some eciency can be sacriced for more capacity. They are least expensive to make and easiest to
install and maintain.

Dual Flow Tray

Bae Tray

Bae trays:
For a bae tray column the gas ows upwards through the bae openings and in doing so contacts
the liquid showering down from one bae to the next. Bae tray columns have almost same
ooding capacity as cross ow trays. Types of baes used are disc & donut and segmental baes
for various column diameters.
Dual ow and bae trays are used for fouling applications, solid / slurry handling services, corrosive
services.
Proprietary types of trays:
MD Trays Linde / UOP,
Ripple Trays Stone & Webster Engg. Corp.

Rectangular Valve (BDH),

ValveGrid (MVG/SVG),
SHELL HIFI, ConSep Trays SulzerBallast Tray,
Flexitray, Bi-FRAC, SUPERFRAC and ULTRAFRAC Trays Koch-Glitsch Engg.Co., Tunnel Trays- Montz,
Nye trays- Nye Engg Co,
Comparison between Common Conventional Trays.
Sr. Factors
No.

Sieve Tray

Valve Tray

Capacity

High

High

Eciency

High

High

Turndown

~50%

~25-30%

Entrainment Moderate

Moderate

Pressure
Drop

Moderate

Cost

Moderate

Low

~1.2 times
sieve trays

Maintenance Low

Low to
Moderate

Fouling
Tendency
Eects of
Corrosion

Low

Design
information

Well Known

Low to
Moderate
Low to
moderate
Proprietary,
but readily
available

10

11

Main
Application

Low

Bubble-Cap Tray Dual-Flow Tray

Moderately High

Very High

Moderately High

Least

10%

Least

High
High
~ 2-3 times of
sieve

Low to moderate
Low to Moderate
Least

trays
Relatively High
High: Tends to
collect
Solids
High

Well Known

Low

Extremely Low
Very Low
Some information
Available.Instability
can occur in large
dia. (>8 feet)

Extremely low
Often used Where high Liquid
Capacity revamps,
when
turndown
turndown is ow & Where
Highly fouling and
is not critical required
leakage must be corrosive services
minimized

Tray Parameters
a)

No. of passes (Np):

The numbers of owpaths of liquid on tray are 1, 2, 3 or 4 as per liquid capacity requirement of
column. From a capacity viewpoint, a liquid rate greater than 6 gpm / inch of weir (weir loading), is
the rate at which a higher number of ow paths should be considered. The maximum allowable weir
loading is 13 gpm/in of weir length. If the weir loading exceeds this the tray needs redesign with
higher number of passes.
b)

Tray Spacing (S):

Tray spacing is the distance between two trays. Generally tray spacing ranges from 8 to 36 inches
(200 mm to 900 mm). Prime factor in setting tray spacing is the economic trade-o between column
height and column diameter. Most columns have 600 mm tray spacing. Cryogenic columns have tray

spacing of 200-300 mm.

c)

Outlet Weirs (hw):

An outlet weir maintains a desired liquid level on the tray. As the liquid leaves the contacting area of
the tray, it ows over the tray weir to enter into the downcomer.

d)

Downcomer Clearance (hcl):

This is the vertical distance between the tray oor and the bottom edge of the downcomer apron.
The Normalpractice is to use a downcomer clearance of 1/2 inch less than the overow weir height
to provide a static liquid seal
e)

Inlet Weirs & Recessed Seal Pans:

Inlet weirs and recessed seal pans are primarily used for achieving a downcomer seal in cases
where a potential positive sealing problem exists and clearance under downcomer is limited
f)

Downcomers:

Passage of liquid from the top tray to the bottom of tray occurs via downcomers. Downcomers are
conduits having circular, segmental, or rectangular cross sections that convey liquid from upper tray
to a lower tray in a distillation column.

g)

Downcomer width (Chord height, WDC):

It is maximum horizontal distance between tower wall and weir.

h)

Flow path length (FPL):

Flow path length is the distance between the inlet downcomer & outlet downcomer. The minimum
limit for ow path length is 400 mm in order to provide good contacting between vapour and liquid.
This is also necessary for the mechanical reason of providing tray manway.

i)

Tray deck thickness (t):

Trays normally used in commercial service need a minimum material thickness to provide structural
strength (personnel walk on them during installation) and corrosion allowance. A thickness of 10 to
12 gauge (2.5 to 3.5 mm) is customary for carbon steel, while 12 to 14 gauge (1.9 to 2.5 mm) is
used for stainless steel trays (in general no C.A. for SS)

j)

Hole pitch (P):

Centre to centre distance between holes is called pitch. Normal practice is to use a hole pitch to
hole diameter ratio between 2.2 to 3.8.

k)

System (Derating) factors:

Derating factors are often closely related to the foaming tendency of the system. Higher the foaming
tendency, the lower is the Derating factor. System factors are used in three of the rating correlations
(jet ood, down comer backup ood, down comer choke) to account for system eects on hydraulic
capacity limits. It includes both foaming eects and high vapour density.

l)

Bubbling (Active) Area (AB):

Bubbling area is the column area, which is actually available for vapour bubbling through liquid. It

can be dened as column area minus downcomer areas, downcomer seal & large calming zones.
m) % Hole Area:
This is the ratio of hole area to bubbling area. The default practice is to target a hole area of 8 to 10
% of bubbling area for pressure services. The acceptable range for percentage hole area is 5 % to
15 %. However for some critical services, we can go % hole area up to 17-17.5% provided that
weeping is under control. Hole areas below 5 % are not used.

n)

Anti jump baes:

Anti jump baes plates suspended vertically above centre or o centre downcomers, which stops
liquid jumping from one deck onto the opposite deck, ow path
Tray Hydraulic Parameters
Following are the some important output parameters of tray hydraulics.

a)

Flood:

Jet Flood:
In spray regime operation ooding is brought about by excessive vapour ow, causing excessive
liquid to be entrained in the vapour up the column. In froth and emulsion ows regimes operation
excessive froth entrainment in the vapour up the column causes jet ooding.
Down-comer Back-up Flood:
Occurs when the pressure available for a given height of liquid and froth in the downcomer cannot
overcome the total pressure drop across the tray This pressure imbalance causes the froth in the
downcomer to start backing-up until it reaches the tray above, causing an increased accumulation of
liquid on it. It requires high liquid and vapour loads.
Downcomer Choke Flood:
The mechanism by which this type of ooding occurs is one related to frictional pressure losses in
the downcomer becoming excessive. In addition, the vapour carried into the downcomer must
separate from the liquid and then ow counter-current to the liquid entering the downcomer. When
the combination of vapour exiting and the liquid entering becomes excessive, the downcomer
entrance is choked causing the liquid to backup on the tray. It requires relatively high liquid rates,
surpassing a velocity limitation on the downcomer.
b) Weeping/Dumping
The pressure exerted by the vapour is insucient to hold up the liquid on the tray. Therefore, liquid
starts to leak through perforations.
c) Pressure Drop:
Pressure drop is an important consideration while designing a tray. It becomes more critical for the
vacuum systems than the high-pressure systems. The tray pressure drop is viewed as the sum of the
pressure drop through the valves or sieves and pressure drop through the aerated liquid on the tray
deck.
d) Turndown ratio:
Turndown ratio denes the range of vapour load between which the column can operate without
substantially aecting its primary separation objective (i.e. fractionation eciency) or over which
acceptable tray performance is achieved. The tray eciency stays at or above the design value
throughout the turndown range.
Tray Sizing

The sizing procedure is an iterative calculation. A preliminary design is set, and then rened by
checking against the performance correlations until an adequate design is achieved. The sizing
calculations are performed at the point where column loading is expected to be highest and lowest
for each section, i.e.,
i) The top tray
ii) Above every feed, product drawo, or point of heat addition or removal.
iii) Below every feed, product drawo, or point of heat addition or removal.
iv) The bottom tray.
v) At any point in the column where the calculated vapour or liquid loading peaks
The sizing is done at all above load points and also detailed sizing is checked at all above load
points. All design parameters given in the design procedure below are calculated at all above load
points at turndown and turn-up loads so that the feasibility of design for varied loads is tested.
a) Preliminary determination of tower area:
The methods used for determining tower diameter are:
C Factor Method
Nomograph Method
FRI Tray design handbook
However in this technical guideline we are describing method using C-Factor Method.
C-Factor Method:
The following calculations are done at all the loading points mentioned above and diameters are
found separately. If the dierence in calculated diameter at dierent sections exceeds 20 percent,
dierent diameters for the sections are likely to be economical. The section having dierent diameter
should be at least 20ft in length else same diameter can be maintained.
i. Tray Area
Assume appropriate values for following parameters (based on system requirements) for preliminary
diameter calculation.
dH = Hole diameter, inches ( to inch) S = Tray spacing, inches (18 24)
hct = Clear Liquid height at the transition from the froth to spray regime, in of liquid.
Assumption: The starting values for these can be dH=1/4, S=24, h ct=2
Calculate C-Factor (CSB) using following Kister and Haas Correlation:

ii. Flood Velocity Calculation

This is the velocity of upward vapour at which liquid droplets are suspended. Calculate Flood
Velocity (uN) using following equation:

iii. Net Area Calculation

The net area represents smallest area available for vapour ow in the inter-tray spacing. Calculate
Net Area (AN) from the ood velocity using following equation: Assume the column is to be designed
for 80% of ood.

iv. Downcomer Area Calculation Calculate downcomer area (AD) from clear liquid velocity in
downcomer using following formula:
Where,
QL

= Liquid Flow Rate, ft3/s

VCL

= Clear Liquid Velocity in Downcomer

Value of VCL obtained from table below. No derating factor is required for this calculation, as V CL
values have taken care of foaming
Table: Recommended VCL values for dierent foaming tendencies
VCL in downcomer, ft/s

Foaming
TendencyExample

18-in

24-in

30-in

Spacing Spacing Spacing

Low

Low pressure (<100-psia) light

hydrocarbon,
stabilizers, air-water simulators

Oil systems, crude oil distillation,

Medium absorbers,
med. pressure (100-300 psia)
hydrocarbon
High

Amine, glycerine, glycols,

high-pressure
(>300-psi) light hydrocarbons

v. Tower Diameter Calculation

TotalTowerArea (AT) = AD + AN

b)

Preliminary tray layout:

0.4-0.5 0.5-0.6

0.3-0.4 0.4-0.5

0.2-0.250.20.25

0.5-0.6

0.4-0.5

0.2-0.3

A Preliminary layout is needed as layout inuences the column size.

Downcomer Layout:
Check the % of Downcomer area with respect to tower area:

The Fractional area should around 10% but avoid less than 8% in normal circumstances. Note that
AD should in no circumstance be less that 5% of AT
Net Area (AN):
The total tower cross-section area AT less the area at the top of the downcomer (sometime refer to
as free area, the term free area.)
The net area represents the smallest area available for vapour ow in the inter-tray spacing.
AN

= AT

- AD

Bubbling (Active) area (AB):

The total cross-section area AT less the area at the inlet & outlet downcomer is called as bubbling
area.
AB

= AT

- ADT - ADB

Below gure shows the Typical Tray Layout.

Weir Length and Downcomer Width: SinglePass Tray:

The calculation of Weir Length and Downcomer Width involves geometrical relationship between
downcomer area, downcomer width, and downcomer length.
Following Figure shows downcomer geometry:

Calculate downcomer width and weir length using following method

? = sin-1(h/R)
w = 2*R COS (?) or w = 2*(R2 h2)0.5
?/2 = ?/2 - ?
Sector area = ASECT = ? R2 * ? / (2 * ?)
Area of triangle (ABC) = ATRI. = w*h/2
Where,
Lw = Weir Length = w* (1-fractional weir blockage)
wdc = Downcomer Width = R -h
AD = Adc = Downcomer Area
Fractional weir blockage is the fraction of total weir length that is available for liquid ow by using
picket and fence type of weir. Blocked (Picket fence) weirs are used for handling low liquid loading.
Down-comer area
AD = ASECT- ATRI

Two Pass Tray:

Two pass trays have alternating arrangements of one center-downcomer and two side-downcomers.

The side downcomer area can be calculated as that for single pass tray. It should be noted that side
down-comers are on both sides.
Center downcomer calculations can be done as follows in similar manner as side down-comer:
? = sin-1 (h/R)
w = 2*R COS (?1) or w = 2*(R2 h2)0.5
? = 2*(?/2- ?)
Sector area = ASECT = ? R2 * ? / (2 * ?)
Area of center downcomer = Area of circle -2*area of sector + 2*Area of Triangle Area of downcomer
= ?*R2 2* ASECT + h1*w1
In case of more than two pass trays we have to dene one more parameter, i.e. o-center
downcomer location from centerline. This needs to be done on a case-by-case basis.
Liquid Flow Path Length (FPL):
ForSinglePassTray:
FPL= (tray diameter) minus (side DC width of the tray) minus (bottom width of DC of tray above)

Where,

w1dc

=Downcomer width (Centre downcomer, Bottom of

Downcomer)

w2dc

=Downcomer width (Side downcomer, Top of

Downcomer)

w3dc

=Downcomer width (Centre downcomer, Top of

Downcomer)

w4dc

=Downcomer width (Side downcomer, Bottom of

Downcomer)

C) Detailed Design
Flooding Check:
The ooding check is performed using following Correlations:
1. Kister and Haas correlation.
2. Downcomer choke-Koch correlation
3. Fairs correlation
4. Smith et al. correlation
1. Jet Flood: Kister and Haas correlation
This correlation possess following advantage:
It gives a close approximation to the eects of physical properties, operating variable, and
tray geometry on the ood point.
-

It describes spray regime entrainment.

It was derived from a much wider database of commercial and pilot-scale column data.

It can predict sieve and valve tray entrainment ooding within 15 and 20 percent
respectively.
This correlation possess following restriction:
Sr.no. Factors
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Applicability
Entrainment (Jet) ood
Flooding Mechanism only
Tray Type
Sieve or Valve trays only
Pressure
1.5-500 psia
Gas Velocity
1.5-13 ft/s
0.5-12 gpm/in of outlet
Liquid Load
weir
Gas Density
0.03-10 lb/ft3
Liquid Density
20-75 lb/ft3
Surface Tension
5-80 dyne/cm
Liquid Viscosity
0.05-2.0 cP
Tray Spacing
14-36 in
Hole Diameter
1/8-1 in
Fractional Hole Area 0.06-0.20
Weir Height
0-3 in

Steps to calculate % Flooding using Kister and Haas correlation:

i. Calculate Weir Load (QL):
Liquid Load describes the ux of liquid across the tray.

ii. Clear Liquid height at the transition from the froth to spray ((h ct)

2. Jet Flood: Fairs correlation

The Fair correlation has been standard of the industry for entrainment ood prediction. Fairs
correlation tends to be conservative, especially at high pressure and liquid rate.
This correlation possess following restriction:
Sr.No
1
2
3

Factors

Applicability

Flooding Mechanism

Entrainment (Jet) ood only

Tray Type

Sieve Tray, Valve and Bubble-cap Tray

Hole size
Weir height

Hole in (sieve tray)

< 15% Tray Spacing

Steps to calculate % Flood using Fairs correlation:

i. Calculate ow parameter

3. Down-comer choke-Koch correlation:

This is the more conservative correlation for checking Down-comer Design. Steps to calculate %
Load Utilization using Kister and Haas correlation:

4. Hydraulic checks
Hydraulic check involves checking following parameters:
-

Flow Regime

Entrainment

Downcomer residence time

Pressure Drop

Downcomer backup

ii.Determination of Flow Regime

Froth Regime
This is the most commonly encountered ow regime in operating columns. The froth formed under
this regime is described as one where the size and shape of bubbles is non-uniform and with rather
large size distribution, as well as travelling at varying velocities. The liquid surface is either wavy or
it presents oscillations. This is a liquid continuous ow regime.
Spray Regime
This regimes occurs at relatively high vapour velocities (i.e. large vapour ow rates) and low liquid
loads, characteristics which are typical of vacuum systems. The vapour velocity is so large, that the
liquid phase is completely disrupted and is no longer a continuous phase on top of the tray; liquid is
a dispersed phase present only in the form of drops, and therefore the continuous phase is the
vapour.
Emulsion Regime
This ow regime is typically encountered in high-pressure systems and relatively high liquid loads.
The shearing action of the high velocity liquid tears o the vapour bubbles leaving the orices on
the tray. Most of the gas is emulsied in small bubbles within the liquid, with the mixture behaving as
a uniform two-phase uid, obeying the Francis weir formula. This is a liquid continuous ow regime.
The determination of regime on tray given below is only for information and has no use in sizing.
ii. Froth-Emulsion Transition Check
This correlation is applicable for Sieve trays only.
The value of actual ow parameter is calculated as below:

If the value of actual ow parameter exceeds 0.0208 then the regime of operation is emulsion.
iii. Froth-Spray Transition Check:
Porter and Jenkins correlation for the froth to spray transition.

Where,
Lw weir length in inches, AB Active area ft2
p pitch in inches
hc clear liquid height, inches
5. Entrainment:
If entrainment is excessive, column diameter or tray spacing are usually increased. As recommended
value, the entrainment from the tray should not exceed about 0.10 lb liquid entrained per pound of
liquid ow.
Methods to determine Entrainment:
Fairs entrainment correlation
This method holds good for froth and emulsion regime. However it is less accurate for spray regime.
For a trays operating at a high liquid to vapour ratio, 0.1 lb of liquid entrained per pound of liquid is
an excessive quantity of entrained liquid.

Kister and Haas Correlation

This method is used for Spray Regime; Es is entrainment lb of liquid / lb of vapour.

May 7th, 2012 in Design Distillation System

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