Control of flooding phenomena in vacuum distillation tray column using operational and laboratory parameters

In this study, the occurrence of flooding due to the accumulation of sediment in the downcomer area, which led to an excessive increase in liquid on the upper trays of the distillation column was investigated in a refinery.

Vacuum pressure in the upper area of the column, boiler feed water flow from the inlet to the condenser and the discharge of the net product as three very important and effective operational parameters in controlling the severity of the flooding phenomena and the amount of coking value as an important laboratory parameter to reduce the volume of inlet sediments entering the distillation column. Data and results of changes made on each of these three operational parameters showed their effectiveness in controlling the severity of the flooding phenomena.

In order to control and reduce the problems caused by the simultaneous flooding phenomena around the vacuum pump, the boiler feed water flow of the inlet to the condenser and the flow of the net output product were proportionally increased until the operating conditions of the distillation column are normalized. In this study, how to control the flooding phenomena and reduce the adverse effects due to the accumulation of sediments in the downcomer area of tray No. 22 and above was investigated. To overcome these problems, first the vacuum pump rotation speed was increased from 850 rpm to 1250 rpm and the boiler feed water inlet to the condenser from 1.95 m3/hr to 3.2 m3/hr was increased. On the other hand, in order to prevent contamination of the pure product, the net output product flow rate also increased from 925 kg/hr to 2300 kg/hr. Also, with regular and accurate control of the coking value index as a very important laboratory parameter, the volume of coke sediments in the coal tar feed entering the distillation column was reduced from 37.5% by weight to 18.4% in a 30-day period after centrifugation.