Hydrodynamics of a novel 3D printed structured packing – SpiroPak

Abstract

SpiroPak is a novel 3D printed structured packing designed for gas-liquid contacting operations in distillation and absorption columns. The unique spiral geometry of SpiroPak provides uninterrupted flow paths for both liquids and gases, resulting in remarkably low pressure drops while maintaining substantial surface areas for efficient mass transfer. This study investigates the hydrodynamic performance of SpiroPak through experimental measurements and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations.

The hydrodynamic characteristics of SpiroPak were evaluated under a range of gas and liquid flow conditions representative of industrial separation processes. Results characterise the pressure drop, liquid holdup, and flooding behaviour of SpiroPak, demonstrating the distinct advantages of its patented 3D-printed spiral configuration over conventional structured packings. The study establishes the hydrodynamic performance envelope of SpiroPak and provides a basis for its application in process intensification and retrofit of existing separation columns.

@article{sun2021ceap-pi,
  title         = {Hydrodynamics of a novel 3D printed structured packing–SpiroPak},
  author        = {Sun, Biao and Bhatelia, Tejas and Utikar, Ranjeet P. and Evans, Geoffrey M.
                  and Pareek, Vishnu K.},
  year          = 2021,
  month         = oct,
  journal       = {Chemical Engineering and Processing - Process Intensification},
  volume        = 167,
  pages         = 108533,
  doi           = {10.1016/j.cep.2021.108533},
  issn          = {0255-2701},
  url           = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0255270121002312},
  urldate       = {2023-03-09},
  language      = {en}
}