Rennebaum, Hannah SophieHannah SophieRennebaumDobschall, AlinaAlinaDobschallConje, FinFinConjeSkiborowski, MirkoMirkoSkiborowskiPenn, AlexanderAlexanderPenn2025-10-082025-10-082025-02-04Jahrestreffen der DECHEMA/VDI-Fachgruppe Fluidverfahrenstechnik 2025https://hdl.handle.net/11420/57907Structured packings as internals in thermal separation processes, such as absorption and distillation, are of imminent importance for fluid dynamics and mass transfer. By increasing the interfacial area between the different phases mass transfer is improved, potentially reducing the energy demands of these energy-intensive processes. One important aspect to ensure the optimal performance of structured packings in gas liquid separation processes is achieving a homogeneous liquid distribution. Maldistribution can significantly decrease the overall separation efficiency of the column. Therefore, liquid collector and distributors are implemented inside packed columns, and the appropriate distributor design is essential for improved contacting of the phases. Within this contribution, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements and integral experiments are used to evaluate and compare the impact of four distributor designs in respect to the homogeneity of the water and air distribution within a column with an inner diameter of 54 mm. MRI-compatible distributor designs driven by gravity or capillary forces are designed and produced by additive manufacturing. In the integral experiments, a 3D-printed collector with thirteen compartments was attached to the bottom of the column to measure the radial and transversal liquid distribution. In addition to the distributor design, the number of 3D-printed corrugated sheet packings (480 m2/m3) and the liquid and gas loadings are varied as further influencing factors. For the distributor design with the lowest maldistribution factor, liquid and gas distribution inside the column are measured using MRI, assuming stationary flow. The size and vertical orientation of the 3 Tesla MRI system used enables the measurements of sample heights spanning several meters, allowing structured packing heights of one meter or more. The MRI non-invasive measurements enable the estimation of the interfacial area between the phases, as they allow for differentiation between the liquid, gas, and packing material. This contribution aims to show the potential and limitations of MRI in investigating processes in chemical engineering.enTrickle bedLiquid distributorMagentic resonance imagingIntegral experimentsLiquid distributionTechnology::620: EngineeringConference PresentationPresentation