OPERATION OF A BUBBLE-CAP FRACTIONATING COLUMN IN A CYCLIC REGIME.

Experiments performed have confirmed the presence of a beneficial effect from the use of a cyclic regime. An equation has been obtained which quantitatively describes this effect in the present laboratory set-up. The studies have shown that in operation in a cyclic regime the efficiency of fractionating columns with bubble-cap plates can be increased almost twofold as compared with their operation in a stationary regime. For the column with bubble plates studied, the optimum total cycle time is about 13 sec, and the ratio of the feed periods for vapor and liquid is in the range from 1 to 3. Column separation efficiency was determined as function of mean vapor velocity, vapor feed time and liquid feed time and finally as function of ratio of feed periods of phases for various vapor velocities using complete factorial experiment planning method and the steep-ascent method. A search-out experiment preceded the investigation of the process; this was conducted with the objective of determining the range of variation in the basic process factors and their effect on the optimization parameter.