(215b) Non-Traditional Approach to Improve Random Packing Performance Is Confirmed at Two Independent Research Centers

A Vision 2020 update is upon us and despite the maturity of Distillation, equipment improvements are still being achieved and some of the key technical barriers for distillation described in the Vision 2020 Separations Roadmap are still present.

A non-traditional high-performance random packing (AMACS SuperBlend™) has been tested in the largest independent distillation research unit, Fractionation Research, Inc. (FRI). The tests were performed under high pressure distillation with the iso-butane/normal butanes standard test mixture. These recent experimental results confirm the improved performance previously measured at the James R. Fair Process Science and Technology Center (PSTC) at The University of Texas at Austin, formerly known as the Separations Research Program (SRP). These results obtained from their semi-industrial unit with cyclohexane/n-heptane system operated from vacuum to moderate pressures have been presented (2019 AIChE Spring Meeting and 11^th Southwest Process Technology AIChE Conference).

This performance exhibited by AMACS SuperBlend™ provides an advanced and reliable alternative for the Chemical Process Industry (CPI) to debottleneck distillation and absorber columns limited by separation efficiency and capacity, such as demethanizers, deethanizers and acid gas removal applications, etc.

Experimental results and the non-traditional random packing design methodology will be presented.