Crystallization Fouling on Column Internals in a Screening Test Rig

© TU München

Research Article | Fouling on column internals leads to many malfunctions in chemical processes. Yet, only a few systematic studies exist on the fouling of column internals. A new screening test rig is presented for the rapid and easy characterization of a wide range of internals with respect to their fouling tolerance. A countercurrent of saturated NaCl/water solution and air was used to force crystallization fouling. Photographs helped to identify the initial points of fouling on two random packings and provided insights into the growth of deposits. A comparison of five different trays showed that trays with larger curtain area exhibit greater fouling tolerance.

[email protected], DOI: 10.1002/cite.202300219