PROPRIETOR'S INTERPRETATION OF TEST RESULTS
Review of the FRI Data for High Performance Trays in the 165 psia Butane System
Under the Category 1 test program, three high performance trays have been tested in the 165 psia butanes
system. A review of the test data shows that the MVGT compares very favorably. The analysis below
compares tray performance based on Cs, the C factor based on the superficial column area. Cs is a good
basis for comparison because it compares performance available for a particular column diameter,
regardless of individual hardware characteristics.
Efficiency Diagram
The graph below shows efficiency at total reflux operation. Actual data points are presented along with
trend lines generated from Excel. The data show that the MVGT has excellent performance with
efficiencies well above 100% for most of the operating range. The MVGT efficiency is substantially
higher than the Nye tray and is generally comparable to the Maxflow tray.
Note that for construction, the MVGT and Nye trays used standard 14 gauge decks while the Maxflow
tray used 16 gauge decks. The thinner 16 gauge decks will directionally give higher efficiencies than the
commercially accepted 14 gauge decks.
With respect to useful capacity, the MVGT tray had a 90% efficiency at a Cs value of 0.296 ft/sec versus
the Nye tray capacity of 0.274 ft/sec. The MVGT and Nye trays were tested at 24" tray spacings while
the Maxflow tray was tested on 18" tray spacings. Adjusting the Maxflow tray capacity by the square
root of the tray spacings to simulate a 24" tray spacing, its Cs value would be 0.277 ft/sec, which is
comparable to the Nye tray. Based on these values, the MVGT shows a 5 10% increase in useful
capacity over both of the other FRI tested high performance trays.
Efficiency 165 PSIA
isobutane/n-butane
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
120.0
140.0
0.000
0.050
0.100
0.150
0.200
0.250
0.300
0.350
Cs, ft/sec
E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y
,
%
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.1
Cs, m/sec
MVGT
Maxflow
Nye
Poly. (MVGT)
Poly. (Maxflow)
Poly. (Nye)
