(206b) Ripple® Trays for Fouling Applications

Fouling of distillation trays is a common problem.   Traditional approaches to extending run duration between cleaning intervals include designs that increase liquid velocity (“washing” effect) and/or lower vapor velocity (reduce tendency for entrainment), the use of additives to inhibit or disperse foulants, anti-stick finishes and coatings, and tray designs (e.g. DualFlow) that have fewer surfaces to catch solids and are easy to clean.

Ripple® trays, an often overlooked decades-old tray design, can significantly mitigate the build-up of fouling, particularly in monomer service where fouling on the undersides of the trays predominate.  Ripple® trays are a variant of DualFlow trays that feature a wavy, rather than flat, tray surface.  The perforated wavy design promotes wetting and washing of the underside of the tray surface, bringing more additives to and flushing deposits from areas that are minimally wetted or stagnant with other tray designs.  In one monomer service, switching to Ripple® trays extended the cleaning interval from 3 months to over 1-1/2 years