Distillation and absorption are often the key operation to achieve a required separation. Sulzer Chemtech has well over 70 years of experience with processes including:

• batch distillation
• continuous distillation
• azeotropic distillation
• extractive distillation
• high vacuum distillation
• pressure distillation
• steam stripping
• absorption (VOC, NH3)

Using computer simulations and where necessary pilot plant testing, Sulzer Chemtech is capable of finding the most economic solution. The whole range of products available today are evaluated when a distillation system is built. Sulzer Chemtech has, however, also developed proprietary column internals of high performance:

The structured packing with the different structure and a unique performance.

Unlike other packings, its surface is subdivided into a multitude of small lamellas. All available grades of Rombopak attain excellent performance characteristics over a wide range of loading.

The best packing for fouling mixtures!

Due to its open structure, its characteristic liquid plug flow, and its extremely low ratio of specific surface area to separation efficiency, Rombopak has proven to be much less sensitive to fouling than any other type of packing. In fouling applications, Rombopak provides a reliable, higher capacity and separation performance for longer periods of time. Furthermore, the cost of cleaning or replacing the packing, as well as the inconvenience generated by these operations are significantly reduced.

Rombopak^® structured packings have the unique feature of maintaining their excellent separation performance up to close to their capacity limit.
Existing columns, including columns with conventional structured packings, can therefore be successfully revamped with Rombopak, for both an increase in capacity and performance.

A new structure, Rombopak S, has been developed by systematically varying the geometric parameters of the already existing packing types. Detailed CFD analysis of all the influencing factors was undertaken and the best geometrical option has been chosen. A comparison of calculated and measured pressure drop shows excellent agreement!

With respect to the original structure, Rombopak S offers:

• up to 30% lower pressure drop
• up to 15% higher capacity
• remaining high efficiency

Rombopak 9M with numerous applications has become the well known standard for miniplants. The value for separation efficiency, pressure drop and hold-up in columns with 30 and 50 mm diameter corresponds, to a large extent, to those in industrial size columns. Advantages in comparison to other lab scale corrugated sheet packings are:

• higher voidage, significantly lower hold-up
• only one third of the pressure drop, with the same separation performance
• identical packing for laboratory, pilot and industrial scale
• Rombopak 12M is the choice for feasibility tests with high separation
  requirements

• separation of organic mixtures in all industries
  (pharmaceutical, fine chemical, bulk chemical, food)

• diameters from 30 to 5000 mm

The Kühni slit tray is a high efficiency tray with centric symmetry, featuring pairs of slits to allow vapour flow through the tray. Sulzer Chemtech uses this tray extensively for the distillation of aqueous systems, when, due to the high surface tensions a metallic packing is not advantageous, and also for multi-purpose distillation systems.

The main characteristics of the Kühni Tray are:

• separation of aqueous mixtures in the fine chemicals and
  pharmaceutical industry
• multi-purpose solvent recovery
• high pressure distillation

• diameters from 100 to 3000mm
• up to 175 trays in one column
• over 1000 columns installed world-wide

You can also request more information such as brochures, questionnaires etc...