Packings height equivalent to a theoretical

Design data for separation of the particular or similar mixture in a packea column are not available. Design procedures are better estabhshed for tray-type columns than for packed columns. This is particularly so with respect to separation efficiency since tray efficiency can be estimated more accurately than packed height equivalent to a theoretical stage (HETP). 

In packed towers, the variation of conditions from top to bottom is continuous and not interrupted as at trays. Nevertheless, it is convenient to speak of packing heights equivalent to a theoretical tray (HETU), so that tray tower theory can be applied to the design of packed towers. 

In the case of a plate column the performance of a real plate is related to the performance of a theoretical one by the plate efficiency. In the case of a packed column the height equivalent to a theoretical plate HETP) gives a measure of the contacting efficiency of the packing. 

Sometimes the height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP) is employed rather than and to characterize the performance of packed towers. The number of heights equivalent to one theoretical plate required for a specified absorption job is equal to the number of theoretical plates,... 

An alternative to determining packed height is through the use of an empirical term, height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP). This term can be measured in a fashion similar to that used for the overall plate efficiency of a column (eq. 44) ... 

Packing material can be plastic, metal, or ceramic. Packing efficiencies can be expressed as HETP (height equivalent to a theoretical plate). 

The HETP (Height Equivalent to a Theoretical Plate (stage or plate)) is the tray spacing divided by the fractional overall tray efficiency [82]. The transfer unit concept has been useful for generalized correlations [89]. Because packed towers operate with continuously changing compositions through the packed height, the concept... 

The height equivalent to a theoretical plate, H, is that length of column that represents one theoretical plate, or one equilibration step. Obviously, the smaller the value of this parameter, the more efficient the column. The more theoretical plates packed into a length of column, the better the resolution. It is calculated by dividing the column length by N ... 

The efficiency of a column can be assessed in a similar manner to that described for HPLC and values for the resolution index of two solutes, the number of theoretical plates and the height equivalent to a theoretical plate may also be calculated. Although it is easier to measure gas pressure, it is the actual gas flow, which is affected by the particle size and compression of the packing, that should be used in column assessment investigations. 

Figure 11.59. Height equivalent to a theoretical stage for common packings...

If the liquid holdup is too low, fractionation efficiency will be bad. We say that the height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP) will be high. If the liquid holdup is too high, fractionation efficiency will also be poor. We again say that the HETP will be high. This idea is expressed in Fig. 7.6. When the holdup rises above the point that corresponds to the minimum HETP, we can say that the packing is beginning to flood. The minimum HETP point on Fig. 7.6 corresponds to the point of incipient flood, discussed in Chap. 1. 

The most useful measure of the separating power of packed towers is the HETP, the height equivalent to a theoretical plate or stage. It is evaluated simply as the ratio of packed height used for a certain degree of separation to the theoretical number of stages. Its relation to the fundamental quantity, HTU, or the height of a transfer unit, is... 

Although the most useful extraction process is with countercurrent flow in a multistage battery, other modes have some application. Calculations may be performed analytically or graphically. On flowsketches like those of Example 14.1 and elsewhere, a single box represents an extraction stage that may be made up of an individual mixer and separator. The performance of differential contactors such as packed or spray towers is commonly described as the height equivalent to a theoretical stage (HETS) in ft or m. 

The amount of resin to pack in a column, column geometry, flow rates, pressure, column hardware, and wetted materials of construction should all be evaluated in development. Chromatography columns must be properly packed prior to validating the purification process. From a business perspective there should be some criteria other than purification of the product by which the quality of the packed column can be assessed prior to applying the feedstream, which by this time in the process is quite expensive. Height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP) and asymmetry determinations can be used to evaluate the quality of column packing, but may have limited value for some types of packed columns... 

HETS, relative height equivalent to a theoretical stage. source R.F. Strigle, Jr., Random Packings and Packed Towers, Gulf Publishing, Houston, TX, 1987. Reprinted with permission. 

Eckert [9] showed that a relative height equivalent to a theoretical stage (HETS) vs. the dispersed-phase velocity revealed the packed-column efficiency, or simply the required height, to make one theoretical stage. (See Fig. 7.10). Eckert and others [6, 8] have shown that normally the theoretical packed-column stage requires 2.5 ft of column packed height. All this of course refers strictly to liquid-liquid extraction processing. Also, the continuous-phase velocity Vc (ft/h) and the dispersed-phase velocity VD (ft/h) are referenced to the liquid-phase... 

The performance of a packed column often is expressed in terms of the height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP) for packed columns. The HETP is related to the height of packing H by... 

---