FRACTIONATION EFFICIENCY. CORRELATION OF VALVE TRAY EFFICIENCY DATA.

The purpose of this study, as described in two articles, was to collect experimental tray efficiency data. The n-propanol - toluene binary system and the benzene - n-propanol binary system were investigated. Valve tray pressure drops, clear liquid depths, froth heights, efficiency, and flooding capacities are reported for 116 cases. A theoretical model based upon the two-film theory was developed to predict the total number of moles of each component transferred across the interface separating the distilling phases. The effects of heat transfer across the interface and unequal values of molar latent heats of vaporization of the components were incorporated into the proposed model. Using the proposed model, the values of the heat flux at the interface and vapor contact times were calculated from the experimental data. Empirical equations were then developed for the prediction of the heat flux and vapor contact times.