AlphaPACK ® DESIGN SHEET

Random Packing

OVERVIEW

Packed beds formed by dumping bulk random packing elements of consistent

shape and size will provide the consistent surface and voidage characteristics
necessary for predictable mass transfer operations. To achieve optimum
performance benefits from a packed bed, proper consideration of the design,
specification and installation of the random packing and associated column
internals is required.

SPECIFICATION OF RANDOM PACKING

HAT manufactures a comprehensive range of AlphaPACK™ standard and high

performance random packings as listed below.

R+ Raschig Rings
Standard Types: (Ceramics, Glass, Metals,
Carbon, Plastics)

P+ Pall Rings
(Ceramics, Metals, Plastics)

S+, S++ Saddles

(Ceramics, Plastics)

C+ Rings
(Metals, Plastic)
High Performance Types:
I+ Rings
(Metals)

L+, Q+, N+ Packings

(Plastics)

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DS-RP-01 Rev 3
AlphaPACK ® DESIGN SHEET

Random Packing

The above packings are available in several sizes as indicated on our design sheets
to suit most commercial applications. They range in size from 6mm to 90mm or
equivalent. It is an essentially a design consideration in specifying a packing size
based on capacity and efficiency requirements. The nominal packing size specified
should however not be greater than 1/10th of the column diameter.

The packing is usually specified in the lowest cost material of manufacture that will
satisfy temperature and corrosion requirements. Some of the most common
materials listed in order of relative cost are:

Polypropylene (mainly aqueous systems up to 100 deg. C)

Carbon steel (non-corrosive hydrocarbon systems)
Ceramic (sulphuric acid & nitric acid absorbers)
Stainless steels (most hydrocarbon systems)
PVDF, PFA (corrosive aqueous systems up to 150 deg. C)
PVC / C-PVC (corrosive aqueous systems up to 90 deg. C)

Other more exotic materials that may be specified include aluminium, Monel,
titanium and carbon.

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DS-RP-01 Rev 3
AlphaPACK ® DESIGN SHEET

Random Packing

PACKED BED DESIGN

Hydraulic operation of packed beds can be accurately rated using correlations that
have been developed from actual performance data. Design data for standard
"generic" random packing is widely available in the public domain.

The "Generalised Pressure Drop Correlation" is the most frequently published

design tool for calculating packed bed diameter and determining the operating
capacity for most "generic" random packings based upon a characteristic "Packing
Factor" for each packing.

Where reliable performance is required in high pressure hydrocarbon systems, more

specific design models should be employed. HAT are able to provide hydraulic
rating sheets indicating the calculated pressure drop, liquid hold-up and % flood for
any packed bed providing that sufficient process data is made available. As a
minimum, we would require a profile of internal vapour and liquid loads and actual
densities as well as liquid surface tension and viscosity.

HAT have computer programs to predict mass transfer efficiency and calculate the
packed bed height for the most common absorption, stripping and heat transfer
systems where sufficient, reliable data is available from which to compile design
models. Multicomponent distillation systems should be simulated to evaluate the
number of theoretical trays required as well as providing tray by tray vapour and
liquid loads and physical properties. In most cases we can predict suitable HETP's
and calculate packed bed height from this data. For most "generic" type packings
in distillation service, separating efficiency will deteriorate when the bed height
exceeds the lower of 6 x column diameter or 6 metres due to the effects of liquid
maldistribution.

Performance data used to develop the design models used by HAT are in most
cases sourced from well engineered operating columns with associated internals
properly designed to be compatible with the duty.

Random packing has had wide application throughout the industry for several
decades. As a result, performance characteristics are well known and design data
readily accessible from public domain sources. Most generic column packings can
be manufactured in a wide range of commercially available materials. The
AlphaPACK range manufactured by HAT conforms to accepted industry standards
as listed below:

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DS-RP-01 Rev 3
AlphaPACK ® DESIGN SHEET

Random Packing

PACKING MATERIAL SIZE MASS SURFACE VOIDAGE PACKING

TYPE (kg/m3) (m 2/m3) % FACTOR
R+ Ceramic 15mm 825 290 62 540
Raschig Ring 19mm 840 260 68 255
25mm 650 190 72 160
38mm 600 135 74 95
50mm 570 92 76 65
75mm 560 79 78 36
R+ Carbon 12mm 679 360 60 450
Raschig Ring 18mm 590 240 66 260
25mm 600 195 65 180
37mm 590 140 65 125
50mm 530 98 68 65
P+ Stainless 16mm 580 340 93 70
Pall Ring Steel 25mm 435 207 94 50
38mm 355 128 95 28
50mm 270 102 96 20
90mm 230 85 97 16
C+ Stainless No.2 227 145 96 22
Ring Steel No.3 228 103 97 14
No.4 170 80 96 10
I+ Stainless No.25 218 226 97 41
Ring Steel No.40 153 151 97 25
No.50 156 100 98 16
No.70 117 60 98 13
P+ Polypropylene 16mm 115 340 87 97
Pall Ring 25mm 80 196 90 64
38mm 60 150 91 36
50mm 60 106 91 25
90mm 90 85 92 17
S+ Ceramic 19mm 590 335 71 145
Saddle 25mm 580 250 77 92
38mm 600 150 80 52
50mm 560 110 79 40
75mm 540 96 80 22
S+ Polypropylene No.1 85 190 90 36
Saddle No.2 57 95 93 21
No.3 45 65 94 16
L+ Polypropylene No. 2 99 223 89 21
Pack No. 3 67 144 92 14

N+ Polypropylene No. 2 82 180 91 16

Pack No. 4 50 131 94 8

Q+ Polypropylene No. 4 34 98 96 7
Pack No. 7 35 98 96 7

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DS-RP-01 Rev 3
AlphaPACK ® DESIGN SHEET

Random Packing

PACKED BED CAPACITY

Flooding in packed beds is characterised by unstable operation and loss of

efficiency. The optimum loading point for most new columns is about 80% of the
loading at the flood point. Separation efficiency will usually deteriorate rapidly at
loadings below about 20% of the flood point, particularly in distillation systems.

The flood point for packed beds of generic packings can be estimated using the
following correlation:-

0.5
CFLOOD = 1 / {3.6 . F . e (S . X )} (m/s)
and:

% Flood = Cs x 100 (at constant L/G)

CFLOOD x System Factor

where:

X = (L/G) . (G/L)0.5 (dimensionless)

Cs = vs . {G / (L – G)}0.5 (m/s)

L = Liquid Rate (kg/s)

G = Gas Rate (kg/s)
3
G = Gas Density (kg/m )
L = Liquid Density (kg/m 3 )
vs = Superficial Gas Velocity (m/s)
F = Packing Factor (from table)
S = Packing Shape Constant

The following Packing Shape Constants should be used for common packings:-

1.25 for metallic packings

1.35 for thermoplastic packings
1.55 for ceramic packings

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DS-RP-01 Rev 3
AlphaPACK ® DESIGN SHEET

Random Packing
ESTIMATION OF PRESSURE DROP

The restriction to vapour flow across a packed bed causes a pressure drop which is
normally relatively low. Nevertheless the effect of pressure loss on overall plant
design and operating costs will often need to be evaluated and so it is necessary to
be able to estimate this pressure loss over the expected range of operating
conditions.

Pressure drop is a function of vapour and liquid rates as well as the packing shape
and size. Pressure drop curves for most packings are widely published. For
estimating purposes it is usually more convenient to use a "Generalised Pressure
Drop Correlation" as shown below which applies a characteristic "Packing Factor" to
the ordinate value to provide a set of pressure drop curves which are accurate to
within 20% for most random packings.

GENERALISED PRESSURE DROP CORRELATION

GENERAL PRESSURE-DROP CHART

1
NOM ENCLATURE:
Capac ity Fac tor = C2 .F.ƒ
Flow Parameter = L/G x (dg/d l) 0.5
C = V s x (dg/(dl - dg ))0.5 (m /s)
ƒ = µ 0.1 x (1000/dl)0.9
V s = Superf ic ial Gas Veloc ity (m /s)
F = Packing Fac tor
µ = Liquid V is c os ity (c p)
L = Liquid Rate (k g/s)
D ata A
CAPACITY FACT OR = C².F .ƒ

G = Gas Rate (k g/s)

dg = Gas Dens ity (k g/mD3 ata B
)
3
dl = Liquid Dens ity (k g/mD )ata C

D ata D
0.1
Pr essur e E
D ata
Drop
(Pa/m)D ata F

1000 D ata G
D ata H
500

300
200
150
100
75
50
0. 01
0. 01 0.1 1
F low Parameter - ( X )

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DS-RP-01 Rev 3
AlphaPACK ® DESIGN SHEET

Random Packing

DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION

An advantage of random column packing is that being mass produced standard

elements, delivery times are relatively short. Since the same packing can be used in
many applications irrespective of column size, HAT holds a substantial inventory of
most AlphaPACK random column packings for immediate shipment at its
warehouses.

Random column packing is packaged and shipped by volume. A volume

adjustment factor must be applied to the calculated column geometric volume to
estimate the shipping volume required to properly fill a packed bed to account for
edge and settling effects. The volume adjustment factor depends upon the packing
shape and size and the bed diameter.

A contingency allowance for installation losses, typically around 5%, should be

added to the shipping volume calculated above.

Strict conformity with recommended installation procedure is necessary to ensure

consistent duplication of design performance. Installation techniques that result in
installation crew walking on or raking the packing must never be employed.
Incorrect installation procedures can result in substantial packing shortfall (i.e.
installed volume not sufficient for the required bed height resulting in performance
losses).

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DS-RP-01 Rev 3