Structured packing design with minimized pressure drop for thermal separation columns by CFD-based shape optimization

Distillation still is the most widely applied thermal separation process in the chemical industry, but high energy demand goes along with it. Electrification and minimizing industrial column's energy demand are essential from an economic and ecological perspective. A lever to minimize energy demand and thermal stress on specialty chemicals is the development of novel structured packings with minimized pressure drop. These can now be realized by additive manufacturing. To fully exploit this potential, mathematical optimization techniques need to be applied. For the first time, a highly efficient computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based adjoint shape optimization method is applied in structured packing design with minimized pressure drop. The design approach, embedded in a holistic development method, is presented. Selected results of a shape optimization study of a Rombopak basic element reveal a 13.7% reduction in pressure drop at constant specific surface area. The design method contributes to the development of next generation structured packings.

Subjects

additive manufacturing

distillation

shape optimization

structural optimization

structured packings

DDC Class

660.28: Types and Activities in Chemical Plants

660: Chemistry; Chemical Engineering

Options

Structured packing design with minimized pressure drop for thermal separation columns by CFD-based shape optimization