Plate columns Subject

Fixed-Roof Tanks. The effect of internal pressure on plate structures, including tanks and pressure vessels, is important to tank design. If a flat plate is subjected to pressure on one side, it must be made quite thick to resist bending or deformation. A shallow cone-roof deck on a tank approximates a flat surface and is typically built of 3/ 16-in. (4.76-mm) thick steel (Fig. 4a). This is unable to withstand more than a few inches of water column pressure. The larger the tank, the more severe the effect of pressure on the structure. As pressure increases, the practicality of fabrication practice and costs force the tank builder to use shapes more suitable for internal pressure. The cylinder is an economic and easily fabricated shape for pressure containment. Indeed, almost all large tanks are cylindrical. The problem, however, is that the ends must be closed. The relatively flat roofs and bottoms or closures of tanks do not lend themselves to much internal pressure. As internal pressure increases, tank builders use roof domes or spheres. The spherical tank is the most economic shape for internal pressure storage in terms of required thickness, but it is generally more difficult to fabricate than a dome- or umbrella-roof tank because of its compound curvature. 

Tray columns (also called plate columns) are particularly well suited for large installations clean, noncorrosive, nonfoaming liquids and low-to-medium liquid flow rate applications. They also are preferred when internal cooling is required in the coluitui. With appropriate tray d ign, cooling coils can be installed on individual trays, or alternatively, liquid can be removed from the column at one tray, cooled, and returned to another tray. Tray columns also are advantageous for separations that require a large number of transfer units because they are not subject to channeling of vapor and liquid streams winch can cause problems in tall packed columns. 

Equations 12.21 and 12.22 contain terms corresponding to column efficiency, column selectivity, and capacity factor. These terms can be varied, more or less independently, to obtain the desired resolution and analysis time for a pair of solutes. The first term, which is a function of the number of theoretical plates or the height of a theoretical plate, accounts for the effect of column efficiency. The second term is a function of a and accounts for the influence of column selectivity. Finally, the third term in both equations is a function of b, and accounts for the effect of solute B s capacity factor. Manipulating these parameters to improve resolution is the subject of the remainder of this section. 

In this chapter, the elution curve equation and the plate theory will be used to explain some specific features of a chromatogram, certain chromatographic operating procedures, and some specific column properties. Some of the subjects treated will be second-order effects and, therefore, the mathematics will be more complex and some of the physical systems more involved. Firstly, it will be necessary to express certain mathematical concepts, such as the elution curve equation, in an alternative form. For example, the Poisson equation for the elution curve will be put into the simpler Gaussian or Error function form. 

Adsorbers, distillation colunuis, and packed lowers are more complicated vessels and as a result, the potential exists for more serious hazards. These vessels are subject to tlie same potential haz. uds discussed previously in relation to leaks, corrosion, and stress. However, llicse separation columns contain a wide variety of internals or separation devices. Adsorbers or strippers usually contain packing, packing supports, liquid distributors, hold-down plates, and weirs. Depending on tlie physical and chemical properties of the fluids being passed tlirough tlie tower, potential liazards may result if incompatible materials are used for llie internals. Reactivity with llie metals used may cause undesirable reactions, which may lead to elevated temperatures and pressures and, ullinialely, to vessel rupture. Distillation columns may contain internals such as sieve trays, bubble caps, and valve plates, wliicli are also in conlacl with tlie... 

---