EXPERIMENTAL HYDRAULIC AND MASS-EXCHANGE CHARACTERISTICS OF A COLUMN WITH ROLL-ON MESH PACKING FOR SCRUBBERS AND COOLING TOWERS

To solve scientific and technical problems of increasing the efficiency of heat and mass exchange devices, experimental studies of hydraulic and mass exchange characteristics of polymer mesh packing with a cell size of 8x8 mm were performed on a stand with a column of 200 mm in diameter and a layer height of one meter. Experimental data were obtained and generalizations of hydraulic and mass exchange characteristics were made in a film mode in a column with regular mesh packing and compared with another packing. The process of air humidification with water under normal conditions in the phase counterflow mode was studied. During the experiment, the following were measured: temperature and moisture content of air at the inlet and outlet, phase flow rates, air pressure drop. Roll packing made of polymer mesh has a specific surface area of 240 m2/m3 and a free volume of 90%. During the experiments and processing of the results the following were obtained: the coefficient of hydraulic resistance and it was established that the packing has a small specific pressure drop of gas in comparison with other packings, the volumetric coefficient of mass transfer is increased due to air turbulization at the interface and the efficiency of mass transfer (air humidification) was obtained. High efficiency of mass transfer of 80-87% at a gas velocity of 0.5 to 2.5 m/s and irrigation density of 4.9 to 15.9 m3/(m2 h) was established. As a result of the studies. Empirical expressions for the coefficient of resistance and the volumetric coefficient of mass transfer were obtained. These results can be used in the design or modernization of cooling towers and scrubbers-coolers of gases with water. The investigated packing is a good analogue for most of the outdated contact devices in film apparatuses of the column type.