Experimental and theoretical investigation of fluid dynamics and separation behavior of moving columns

在浮式平台或大型船舶上的气液接触单元中，由于浮沉条件的存在，流体混合物的分离面临严峻的技术挑战。塔内两相之间的界面接触面积是决定塔高的最重要参数。在规整填料塔中，整体几何填料表面积的利用以及均匀的相分布对于相之间的有效接触至关重要。然而，由于重力和惯性力的作用，柱子会受到较大的静态和动态倾斜，从而导致相分布不均匀，从而严重影响分离过程。为此，将开发一种可行的基于流体力学相似概念的建模方法，能够预测已知润湿条件下的分离性能。这一知识将通过关于旋转和平移运动对流体动力学的影响的系统实验研究来实现。一种新型的薄膜传感器将在高时间分辨率下动态识别和测量填料截面内的特征流动结构。因此，描述两相流流体动力学的导出关联式将被并入将要开发的用于描述分离性能的动态模型方法中。以三甘醇空气除湿工艺为例。

The separation of fluid mixtures in gas-liquid contact units on floating platforms or big ships faces severe technical challenges due to the swell conditions. The interfacial contact area between two phases inside the column is the most important parameter that determines the column height. In structured packing columns, the utilization of the overall geometric packing surface area as well as homogeneous phase distribution are crucial for an efficient contact between the phases. However, columns are exposed to considerable static and dynamics tilts, which cause phase maldistribution owing to gravitational and inertial forces and, as a consequence, affect the separation processes remarkably.The project aims at describing the separation performance of moving columns by considering their evolving fluid dynamics. To this end, a feasible modelling approach based on the hydrodynamic analogy concept will be developed capable of predicting the separation performance for known wetting conditions. This knowledge will be achieved through a systematic experimental study concerning the influence of rotational and translational motions on the fluid dynamics. Characteristic flow structures within the packing cross-section will be identified and measured dynamically with a novel film sensor at high temporal resolution. Consequently derived correlations describing the fluid dynamics of the two-phase flow will be incorporated in the dynamic model approach to be developed for the description of the separation performance. The process of air dehumidification with triethylene glycol will be applied as an example.