Flow Regime Transition in Countercurrent Packed Column Monitored by ECT

TL;DR

This study introduces a novel real-time monitoring method using Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT) to detect flow regime transitions and flooding in packed columns, providing spatially resolved insights beyond traditional pressure measurements.

Contribution

First implementation of ECT for real-time, spatially resolved flow regime monitoring in packed columns, enhancing detection of flooding and flow transitions.

Findings

ECT effectively visualizes liquid distribution.

ECT can identify flow regime transitions.

ECT predicts local flooding accurately.

Abstract

Vertical packed columns are widely used in absorption, stripping and distillation processes. Flooding will occur in the vertical packed columns as a result of excessive liquid accumulation, which reduces mass transfer efficiency and causes a large pressure drop. Pressure drop measurements are typically used as the hydrodynamic parameter for predicting flooding. They are, however, only indicative of the occurrence of transition of the flow regime across the packed column. They offer limited spatial information to mass transfer packed column operators and designers. In this work, a new method using Electrical Capacitance Tomography (ECT) is implemented for the first time so that real-time flow regime monitoring at different vertical positions is achieved in a countercurrent packed bed column using ECT. Two normalisation methods are implemented to monitor the transition from pre-loading to flooding in a column of 200 mm diameter, 1200 mm height filled with plastic structured packing. Liquid distribution in the column can be qualitatively visualised via reconstructed ECT images. A flooding index is implemented to quantitatively indicate the progression of local flooding. In experiments, the degree of local flooding is quantified at various gas flow rates and locations of ECT sensor. ECT images were compared with pressure drop and visual observation. The experimental results demonstrate that ECT is capable of monitoring liquid distribution, identifying flow regime transitions and predicting local flooding.