Density column performance

The decrease of the column performance is partially caused by longitudinal mixing and insufficient wetting of the packing due to detachment of the liquid film as shown by Blaha [5]. Another disadvantage of columns is the low gas capacity required to avoid flooding because of the low interfacial tension and the low density differences between the phases. 

Investigating column performance starts with heat and material balance calculations, which generate liquid and vapor flows and properties. The fluid foaming characteristics and corrosivity are also determined. Typically, the calculations are done on a computer simulator, which generates liquid and vapor flows as well as physical properties, such as densities, viscosities, and surface tension. 

When packing of the porous materials is not sufficiently tight, repeated injection of a viscous solution leads to an increasing packing density, leaving a void space at the column inlet. When the void space was filled with extra porous materials, it was observed (1) that the resolution of HOPC decreased slightly compared with first-time use. When the column ceased to produce the void space, the separation performance became reproducible. 

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