Plate towers and packed towers
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Dear sea friends, may I ask why a tower with a lower plate structure and an upper packing layer is used?
The upper part is filled with packing, theoretical plate height (at the same height). The lower part uses a plate design, which allows it to handle materials containing particles; clean materials are sent upward, depending on the properties of the material
It’s just a guess; it’s not necessarily correct, meant only for reference. Your question is probably referring to the distillation column in cryogenic air separation? If the guess is correct, then the upper tower uses regular packing trays, while the lower tower uses sieve tray trays. As for the specific reason, it is recommended to read a book on Principles of Chemical Engineering. A macroscopic explanation can only be that it is a requirement of the manufacturing process. There are also those where both the upper and lower towers use regular packing. In the early days, both the upper and lower towers were sieve plate towers. For reference.
Okay, are there towers with this structure in the principles of chemical engineering?
It’s not just this type of tower; the tray types used inside such towers are selected based on the physicochemical properties of the medium and other factors, including sieve trays, floating valve trays, bubble cap trays, and structured packing trays. The main goal is to maximize the contact area between gas and liquid, thereby enhancing the efficiency of mass and heat transfer. For reference. Oh, if it’s a cryogenic air separation unit, it’s recommended to check out “Oxygen Production Technology” and “FAQs on Oxygen Generators”. It’s more targeted here.