Energy expenditure in the Z-type plate heat and mass exchanger based on the concept of heat-integrated distillation column

Thermal separation of substances typically involves the use of rectification columns equipped with condensers and reboilers. This conventional method is notably energy-intensive, necessitating substantial heat input to the reboiler and leading to significant waste heat discharge through the condenser into the environment. This paper presents our further study on an innovative alternative technology for thermal separation. The proposed approach involves conducting thermal separation within flow channels of a Heat and Mass Exchanger (HME), which are composed of plates with intricate geometries. In this system, heat distribution is maintained through the diaphragm, i.e., the channel walls, facilitating both heat exchange and simultaneous thermal separation of substances. This paper focuses on both laboratory and numerical investigations of two-phase flow within various channel geometries. Experimentally, four distinct channel designs were examined using an air-water mixture, aiming to identify a new geometry that facilitates countercurrent flow patterns in this challenging substance combination. The experimental phase led to the selection of a channel geometry that demonstrated the most effective countercurrent flow for intensive cases, then used for ethane-ethylene mixture. Subsequently, this selected geometry was subjected to numerical calculations using the mathematical model of the Heat and Mass Exchanger (HME). These calculations encompassed flow dynamics, thermal behavior, and the sizing of the HME, tailored specifically for the newly identified channel geometry.