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MIST-
FREE PLATES
GAS RUGGEDLY
SECURED BY
BOLTS
AND
SPACERS.
Vertical Flow
GAS Configuration:
AND MIST-FREE (Same as photo
MIST GAS here and on
front cover):
Gas flows up-
ward, mist drop-
lets strike the
plates, and col-
lected liquid
drains down. LIQUID
LIQUID
GAS
Horizontal Flow Configuration:
Gas flows horizontally, collected AND
liquid drains down the plates. MIST
2
Eliminators for ruggedness and performance
A D
AXIAL FLOW IN
HORIZONTAL VESSEL (HLF)
TOP C B
VIEW
CROSS
SECTION
ABOVE
CROSS
SECTION
BELOW
AXIAL FLOW IN
VERTICAL VESSEL (HVF) CROSS FLOW IN VERTICAL VESSEL (VHF)
END E
VIEW
HORIZONTAL FLOW IN
CROSS FLOW IN HORIZ. VESSEL (XCF) EXIT PASSAGE (MAILBOX)
3
Capturing droplets by inertial impaction
4
Preliminary sizing of Plate-Pak units for gas velocity
T
he final design of a Plate-Pak unit is worked out by AMACS K = an empirically determined constant
engineers in consultation with customer engineers. To = 0.65 feet per second for horizontal gas flow
make sure that the requirements of the particular applica- = 0.50 feet per second for vertical gas flow
tion are met, all the variables described on Page 4 are consid-
ered. For purposes of preliminary size estimation, however, a UL = density of liquid in mist droplets, in same units
much simpler procedure is sufficient. This involves establishing as UG (usually in pounds per cubic foot)
just one variable: gas velocity. In typical common applications,
the optimum or design velocity for a Plate-Pak vane unit is UG = density of gas or vapor in which mist is entrained
determined by the following equation:
The permissible range of velocity is approximately from
ud = K ULUG )/ UG 30% to 110% of the calculated design velocity. Consult AMACS
engineers about spacing upstream and downstream from the
ud = optimum design velocity, feet per second; this is the super- Plate-Pak unit.
ficial or average velocity, the actual volumetric flow rate
divided by the cross-sectional area available for flow.
Example
Find the optimum diameter for a circular Plate-Pak ele-
ment in a cylindrical separator with vertical axial flow as in 50,000,000 SCFD
the drawing. The gas stream is 50 million standard cubic = 38.9 ACFS
feet per day (referenced to 60F and 14.7 psia) with average
molecular weight of 25, at 170F and 250 psig, the entrained
liquid having a density of 52 pounds per cubic foot.
= 38.9 ft3/sec
CROSS
Gas density, UG SECTION
= Mol. Wt. x P / RT (assuming perfect gas) BELOW
= 0.979 lb/ft3
= 25 x (250 psig + 14.7) / (10.73)(170 F + 460)
44.5 DIA.
INSIDE
Optimum design velocity, ud CROSS
SUPPORT RING
= K ULUG )/ UG SECTION
ABOVE
= 0.50 52 0.979 / 0.979 for vertical flow 48 DIA.
5
When to use a Plate-Pak
F or a given mist-elimination task, the most likely alternative
to a vane-type unit such as the Plate-Pak unit is knitted
mesh pads. AMACS has been a recognized leader in mesh-type
High Gas Velocity : The maximum and minimum gas
velocities for Plate-Pak units, in both horizontal and verti-
cal flow configurations, are much higher than for mesh pads.
mist eliminators for many years, and the Separations & Mass- When maximum throughput is required in a vessel of a given
Transfer Products Division proves expert application assis- diameter, a Plate-Pak unit is indicated. For reference, a plot
tance in deciding among its products. For tentative preliminar y on the next page shows the capacity per square foot of a Plate-
selection, here are some general guidelines: Pak separator with horizontal axial flow in typical natural gas
applications.
Larger Droplets: First, for reasons explained before, vane-
type units are not generally applicable to ver y fine mist and fog. Low Pressure Drop: Even at the lower design velocities
Plate-Pak separators routinely remove 99.9% of droplets of typical mesh pads, the pressure drop is considerably higher
with diameters of 40 microns and above, and 90% of droplets than for a Plate-Pak unit at its higher design velocity. In a
as small as 20 microns. (See graphs below.) For reference, typical application, the drop is only about 0.1 inch of water. (See
sprays produced by hydraulic and pneumatic nozzles generally graph on next page.) In most cases, the pressure drop would
have droplet diameters in the range from 10 to 1,000 microns. be negligible for both types. But a Plate-Pak unit may be
Droplets blown from a surface condenser or cooling coil typi- preferred when very little pressure drop is available for the mist
cally range from one to 10 microns. And droplets from bubbling eliminator, as in a multiple-effect evaporator.
liquid as in a boiler may be as small as one micron. (The lower
the viscosity and surface tension, the smaller the droplets pro- High Liquid Load: The pr incipal limitation of throughput
duced by such entrainment processes.) Droplets created from in a mesh pad is flooding, meaning choking with liquid due to
the bulk of a gas, by chemical reaction or condensation, are excessive quantities of mist (or excessive gas velocity, in the
generally smaller than one micron. AMACS can provide mesh pads case of vertical flow). But liquid loads high enough to affect a
for capturing 99.9% of droplets down to one micron in size. Plate-Pak units operation are extremely unlikely in ordinary
industrial processes.
100
PLATE-PAK,
90 10 m DROPS
DROPLET CAPTURE EFFICIENCY (%)
PLATE-PAK,
20 m DROPS
80
PLATE-PAK,
30 m DROPS PLATE-PAK,
RE-ENTRAINMENT
REGION
PLATE-PAK,
40 m DROPS
70
AMACS WIRE MESH
PAD 4BA (0.011-INCH
WIRE, 43 INCHES THICK
12 lbs/ft ),10 m DROPS
60
50
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30
AVERAGE GAS VELOCITY (FEET PER SECOND)
30 30 50 50
OPTIMUM GAS FLOW RATE (MILLIONS OF SCF PER DAY
OPTIMUM GAS FLOW RATE (MILLIONS OF SCF PER DAY
4.0 4.0
PER SQUARE FOOT OF CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA)
PER SQUARE FOOT OF CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA)
3.0 3.0
20 20
2.0 2.0
PRESSURE DROP ACROSS
PRESSURE DROP ACROSS
15 15
1.5 1.5
10 10 1.0 1.0
0.8 0.8
8 8
0.6 0.6
6 0.5 0.5
6
0.4 0.4
5 5 REGION
REGION
0.3 0.3
4 4
PLA
PLA
0.2 0.2
3 3
2 2 0.1 0.1
100 100 200 200300 300 500 500 10001000
15001500 5 657 68 710
8 10 15 15 40 50
20 2030 30 70 70100 100
40 50
OPERATING
A
OPERATING
A PRESSURE (PSIG)
PRESSURE (PSIG) AVERAGE
A AVERAGE
A GASGASVELOCITY (FEET
VELOCITY T PER
(FEET SECOND)
T PER SECOND)
Design flow capacity versus pressure for a typical Pressure drop versus superficial (average) gas
Plate-Pak mist eliminator with axial flow of velocity for a typical Plate-Pak unit with air and
natural gas in a horizontal vessel water (1 gpm / ft2) at ambient conditions
7
MultiPocket vanes
8
Reprinted with permission from CEP (Chemical Engineering Progress), April 2005.
Copyright 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
Spacer
Gas Flow Back
Secondary Wall
Middle Spacer
Wall
1/8 in.
3/8 in.
1in.
The MultiPocket vane is a thin sheet that is formed into hills and valleys. The gas stream enters
one side and take a zig-zag path to reach the other side. Pockets formed by partitions allow droplets
entrained in a gas stream to impinge and cling to the vane, and then drain, without being re-entrained.
9
14211 Industry Street, Houston, Texas 77053
Telephone: (713) 434-0934 or (800) 231-0077
Fax:E-mail: amacs@amacs.com
Website: www.amacs.com
Address: TEL: ( )
FAX: ( )
E-mail:
DESIRED SEPARATION
_____________________% removal of__________________m Droplets
____________________________________________________________
MIST ELIMINATOR
Preferred Type: o Wire Mesh o Vane
Materials:
Remarks:
10
Notes
11
Separations technology is our business.
M IST ELIMINATION is one of many liquid-vapor and
liquid-liquid separation processes for which AMACS
has been providing effective solutions for more than half a
covering a wide range of conditions. We regularly perform
product testing and pilot-scale experiments, both in-house
and at customer locations. T his unusually broad-based
century. experience works to your advantage by allowing us to
AMACS Process Tower Internals is recognized for its leader understand the total problem, often integrating several of
ship in developing separations technology reflected in a our products in the solution.
variety of products such as those summarized below. Our Contact AMACS for resolution of all your difficult mass-
experi ence includes numerous materials of construction transfer and other separation challenges.
Liquid-liquid coalescers
These units separate immiscible liquids of differing specific gravities. Coalescing of
droplets is promoted by knitted mesh, Plate-Pak vanes, or both. Meshes with co-
knit fibers coalesce extremely fine droplets, such as those generated by centrifugal
pumping. The results can be impressive in terms of performance, compactness,
and low cost. Similar separators remove traces of oil from wastewater and marine
skimmer discharge.
Fractionation trays
In providing a complete line of sieve, valve, bubble-cap, and specialty trays, our
experienced design engineers meet challenging process demands by applying the
latest technologies and software. The companys strong commitment to testing,
research, and development has kept AMACS in a leadership position in mass-transfer
technology.
Plate-Pak is a trademark and MisterMesh and MultiPocket are registered trademarks of AMACS The information contained in this bulletin
is believed to be accurate and reliable but is not to be construed as implying any warranty or guarantee of performance.