Investigation of the influence of packing geometry and of liquid viscosity on the liquid flow morphology by using X- ray tomography

A. Janzena, J. Steubea, E. Keniga, M. Crineb, P. Marchotb, D. Toyeb

aChair of Fluid Process Engineering, University of Paderborn, Germany

bDepartment of Applied Chemistry, Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium

Abstract

X-ray tomography is used to investigate the influence of packing geometry and of liquid viscosity on hydrodynamic quantities, as well as on the liquid flow morphology inside a packed column successively filled with two structured metallic packing, M752Y and M500X. As expected, liquid holdup and gas-liquid interfacial area increase with liquid flow rate and viscosity. In both packings, the film flow pattern predominates, while flooded regions remain minority. The influence of liquid flow rate and viscosity on flow morphology depends on the packing geometry. In M752Y, film and flooded region flows are clearly influenced, whereas in M500X, they are not.

Keywords: structured packing, liquid distribution, X-ray tomography, liquid viscosity, liquid flow morphology