(172c) Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) Simulations of Multiphase Flow through Representative Elementary Units (REU) of Structured Packing

Trien (Mikey) Phan and R. Bruce Eldridge

James R. Fair Process Science and Technology Center

The University of Texas at Austin

Current model predictions of the hydraulic behavior and separation performance of structured packings rely on semi-empirical correlations whose ranges of viability are limited to the packings and operating conditions used during correlation development. A more fundamental understanding of the momentum transfer inside structured packings is crucial for improving model predictions of the hydraulic properties of structured packing, which in turn can lead to optimized designs of mass transfer column internals. To this end, we utilized Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to simulate gas-liquid flows inside simplified Representative Elementary Units (REU) of structured packing. Using Siemens’ STAR-CCM+ CFD software, we investigated the impact of packing geometry, such as corrugation angle and flow channel dimensions, as well as fluid properties, such as surface tension and contact angle, on the hydraulic performance of an REU. The modeling results yielded an optimum geometry for the hydraulic performance of structured packing.