ReProvAP – Reduction of climate-relevant process emissions by an improved design of structured packing columns

The research project aims at a significant reduction of climate-relevant process emissions of the chemical industry by improved design of structured packing columns. Based on the evaluation of existing operating data and experimental investigations, newly developed measuring cell(s) and/or modeling approaches, a new, innovative approach for calculating the necessary packing height of mass transfer columns will be developed. Thereby, three different goals are pursued: in the short term, the analysis of existing operating data is to be used for more efficient operation of existing plants. In the medium term, newly developed measuring cells are to provide experimental information for the design of new plants quickly and in a targeted manner, without the need for experimental experience on a pilot scale. In the long term, the development of novel modeling approaches (especially based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods through the simultaneous consideration of fluid dynamics and mass transfer) will be considered. Ideally, the new design method will replace experimental investigations with their specific substances and directly allow a transfer from known substances to new, real and strongly non-ideal substances. In the end, a new design method with improved design reliability shall be obtained, which allows energy efficiency measures that could not be designed with sufficient reliability so far.

In the joint project, TUM is engaged in simulative work on structured packings. This work is being carried out in close cooperation with the companies and university partners involved.

The main objectives of the TUM in the proposed project are:

• Investigate fluid dynamics and mass transport in structured packings based on previously defined parameters.
• Understanding of small-scale phenomena in structured packings and identification of correlations between operating parameters and HETP-value.
• Develop a new design method for structured packings that is also valid for aqueous, wide-boiling and high-viscosity mixtures.