Experimental and CFD analysis of two-phase cross/countercurrent flow in the packed column with a novel internal

The pressure drop and liquid hold-up for the G-L cross/counter-current flow in a packed column with a novel internal was simulated using a Eulerian/Eulerian two-fluid model solved by a commercial CFD software CFX4.4. Simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data of pressure drop. The internal significantly increases the gas radial velocity and lower the gas axial velocity, which lowers the pressure drop and improves operational flexibility. To minimize bypass flow caused by the internal, optimum baffle thickness and width of the internal's passage are proposed.