Experimental study of hydrodynamic characteristics of improved sieve tray with push valves

This paper addresses an experimental investigation in the hydrodynamic behavior of a modified slotted sieve tray. Slotted sieve tray (Push valve sieve tray) is a sieve tray in which the push valves have been utilized on the tray deck to eliminate liquid gradients and non-uniformity of liquid distribution on the tray. The air-water system was used in an industrial scale experimental rig with an internal diameter of 1.2 m. The dry pressure drop, total pressure drop, weeping and entrainment of the modified slotted sieve tray were measured and compared with the conventional sieve tray. Weeping and pressure drop data for the tray were correlated. Results show better hydrodynamic behavior of the modified push valve sieve tray than a conventional sieve tray. This modification can be an effective and inexpensive way to debottleneck sieve tray columns, because it has good characteristics of sieve tray and eliminates the disadvantage of sieve tray by increasing the operating window of it.