1. High Performance Tray Design
Dr. Leon Fan
Kenning Engineering, LLC

2. Dr. Leon Fan Graduate Chinese Academy of Sciences
Post Doctoral Work on Gas/Liquid Two Phase Flow, University of Illinois
FRI Research Engineer
Glitch Inc. Manager, Research Department
ACS Separations Technology, Technical Director
Six Tray Patents & Numerous Publications
July 2001

3. High Performance Trays
High Capacity + High Separation Efficiency
Uniform Gas/Liquid Flow Distribution
Intimate Gas/Liquid Contact on the Tray
Correct Liquid Residence Time on the Tray-Deck and in the Down-Comer
July 2001

4. Structured Packing (1) Advantages Low Pressure Drop
High Gas Flow Capacity
High Mass Transfer Under Certain Conditions
July 2001

5. Structured Packing (2) Disadvantages Application
Unstable Performance at High Liquid Rates
High Bed Requires Liquid Re-distribution
Cannot be Used in Fouling Systems
Application
Low to Medium Liquid Rate Distillation
July 2001

6. Isobutane/N-Butane, 300 psia
Tested by FRI
July 2001

7. History Begins in Early 1990 Glitch Nye Tray
Glitch SuperFrac Tray (Early Version)
Nutter MVG
Koch MaxFrac
Norton Triton
Glitch SuperFrac Tray (New Version)
July 2001

8. Development Incentives
Production Expansion Without Changing Column Size or Tower Attachments
Improved Product Quality
Reduction of Reflux Rate and Energy Consumption
Improved Anti-Fouling Characteristics
July 2001

9. Common Characteristics
Use of Fixed or Moveable Valves, Instead of Sieve Tray
Use of Modified Down-Comers
July 2001

10. Gas Liquid Flow Pattern
Sieve Tray
Valve Tray
July 2001

11. Normal Tray Valve
July 2001

12. New Mini-Valves, Gas Flow Patterns
July 2001

13. “Scallop Edged, Miniature-Valves” SEMV’s
Kenning Tray
“Scallop Edged, Miniature-Valves” SEMV’s
Scalloped Edges Divide Gas Stream to Several Small Streams to Enhance Gas/Liquid Contact
Small Gas Streams Reduce Pressure Drop
Small Gas Streams Reduce Liquid Entrainment
July 2001

14. Gas-Liquid Flow Pattern on Conventional Tray
Low Liquid Flow
Efficient Mass Transfer
Low Gas Flow
July 2001
July 2001

15. Conventional Bubbling Promoter
Downcomer
Vessel Wall
Liquid Flow
Gas Flow
July 2001

16. Kenning Bubbling Promoter
July 2001

17. Triangular Bubbling Promoters
Diminish High, Horizontal Liquid Velocity out of Down-comer
Strong Gas Streams Blend Clear Liquid into Froth
Three Dimensional Velocity of all Gas Streams out of Bubbling Promoter
July 2001

18. Koch MaxFracTM Tray with Truncated Downcomer
July 2001

19. Gas-Liquid Flow Pattern on Kenning Tray
Efficient Mass Transfer
July 2001

20. Downcomer Design Create Best Initial Liquid Flow Distribution
Minimize Down-comer Bottom to Increase Active Area
Maximize Weir Length and Down-comer Exit Length
July 2001

21. Glitch New SuperFrac™ Tray
Downcomer Design
July 2001

22. Kenning Tray Isometric
July 2001

23. Kenning Tray
Downcomer Design
July 2001

24. Kenning Tray Basic Components
Miniature Valves
Bubbling Promoters
Down-Comers
July 2001

25. Kenning Tray Deck
July 2001

26. View of Tray
July 2001

27. 1-Butene Separation System
Existing System
Two Consecutive Towers 1.3 m & 1.8 m I.D
150 Conventional Trays in Each Tower
Existing Trays Japanese Design & Manufacture
Goal
Increase Feed Rate from 3.2 tons/hr to 5 tons/hr
Raise Yield from 89% to more than 90%
July 2001

28. Results Feed Rate Increased to 5 tons/hr Yield Raised to 93.6%
Total Pressure Drop of the Columns did not Increase
No Tower Attachments Changed
No Welding on the Vessels
July 2001

29. Reasons for Capacity Gain
SEMV’s allow increased gas flow with lower pressure drop.
Downcomer design increases active tray area and improves vapor/liquid flow distribution.
Bubbling Promoter aerates liquid more quickly.
High separation efficiency reduces reflux rate.
July 2001

30. Modified Arrangement of Side Draw
Fig. 10
July 2001

31. Typical Vapor Horn
Gas Flow In
Gas Flow Out
July 2001

32. Multi-Stage Vapor Distributor
Gas Flow In
July 2001

33. View of Multi-Stage Vapor Distributor
July 2001

34. C4 & Solvent Mixing Section
Fig. 5a
Fig. 5b
July 2001