Reflux and Intermediate Feed Inlets for Tray Columns

Reflux and Intermediate Feed Inlets for Tray Columns 

This chapter examines common practices of introducing reflux and intermediate feed into tray columns, outlines the preferred practices, highlights the consequences of poor practices, and supplies guidelines for troubleshoot-ii and for reviewing designs of reflux and intermediate feed inlets. 

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The main consideration for introducing reflux or intermediate feed into a packed tower is adequately distributing the incoming stream to the packing. Unlike most tray columns, packed towers are sensitive to distribution. Maldistribution is detrimental to packing efficiency and turndown. The main devices that set the quality of distribution in a packed column are the top (or reflux) distributor, the intermediate feed distributor, the redistributor, and sometimes the vapor distributor. Adequate hydraulics in the inlet area is also important failure to achieve this can affect distributor performance and can also cause premature flooding. 

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