A column is a vertical vessel used in chemical process industries to bring two different phases into intimate contact so that mass transfer can occur and a mixture can be separated into different components. The type of column (distillation or extraction) depends on the phases involved and the separation principle.
Distillation Column
Parameter
Typical Range
Tray Spacing
0.3 m – 0.6 m
Packing Type
Raschig rings, Pall rings, structured metal packing
Material of Construction (MOC)
SS304, SS316, MS, Hastelloy
Reboiler Duty
Based on bottom product rate & latent heat
Condenser Duty
Based on distillate vapor rate & latent heat
APPLICATION
Petroleum refining (crude oil fractionation)
Alcohol distillation
Air separation units
Chemical purifications
Uranium extraction in nuclear fuel processing
Caffeine removal from coffee (decaffeination)
Pharmaceutical separations
MAJOR COMPONENTS / TECHNICAL PARAMETERS
Parameter
Typical Range
Tray Spacing
0.3 m – 0.6 m
Packing Type
Raschig rings, Pall rings, structured metal packing