Design and Optimization of Standard Elliptical Head Liquid Redistributor

Abstract

Purposes The liquid redistributor is an important internal component of packed bed reactor. Most liquid redistributors are optimized for gas-liquid solid coexisting systems, but in the process of lithium extraction from salt lake brine by adsorption, the adsorption tower belongs to the liquid-solid system. It is necessary to research and develop new liquid redistributors to adapt to this special working condition. Methods A new type of standard elliptical head liquid redistributor is proposed, which utilizes an elliptical curved surface to achieve flow collection and a combination structure of a central circular hole and circumferential seams to achieve uniform liquid redistribution in the central area. Findings The results of computational fluid dynamic analysis show that when three circumferential seams with the size of 7 mm are arranged along the center of the ellipsoid with the diameter of 100, 200, and 290 mm outward, the liquid distribution effect is the best. Conclusions Compared with the existing structural scheme of completely cutting off wall flow in liquid redistributors, only reducing the flow area of the wall flow and using an ellipsoidal surface to guide the wall flow to the outside of the mainstream area can solve the problem of liquid flow rate in the near wall area is much lower than that of the center caused by wall viscosity, achieving full and uniform distribution of liquid.

Keywords

• liquid redistributor
• packed bed
• homogenization
• ellipsoid
• computational fluid dynamics