A fixed valve tray is a combination of a tray with movable valves and sieve trays. The valves provide additional resistance to the upwardly rising vapours, which are discharged laterally. The valves which are formed out of the tray deck offer unique advantages compared to sieve trays. These trays are providing high capacity and great fouling resistance. Valve trays are suitable for a wide range of applications, where turndown ratio is critical.
Fixed valve trays are used to enhance columns in terms of their ability to resist fouling or separation and improve capacity compared to sieve trays. The tapered, rectangular valves are formed from the tray deck and positioned parallel to the direction of the liquid flow. Fixed valve trays are an economical option for various applications with a medium operating range, including corrosive systems, as they exhibit minimal weeping tendencies and generate low-pressure drops. These large valves offer cost-effective solutions for medium operating ranges.
Applications
- Main fractionators of refineries
- Light end columns of petrochemical plants
- Gas concentration columns of refineries
- Absorbers and regenerators of gas plants
Benefits
- Less entrainment due to lateral vapour release
- Increased capacity with improved turndown
- Excellent fouling resistance
- Improved vapor-liquid contact leads to high efficiency across a broad operating range.
- Easy to clean with less downtime
- Strong mechanical construction for long tray life
Material of Construction
- SS 304/L, SS 316/L, 904L, 254SMO, Duplex, Super Duplex, Titanium, Hastelloy, Monel, Inconel, Copper or any metal/alloy as per customer request
Key Characteristics
- Fixed valve tray used for wider turndown ratio and better resistance to fouling compared to Sieve Tray.
Available Size
- Fixed Valve Trays are available up to 6m diameter
FAQs
A Fixed Valve Tray is a type of tray used in distillation columns to facilitate the separation of components in a mixture based on their volatility. It consists of a perforated tray with fixed valves or caps that allow vapor to pass through while preventing liquid from descending through the tray.
Fixed Valve Trays work by allowing vapor to pass through openings in the tray while holding back liquid. The fixed valves or caps on the tray create a series of vapor paths, promoting efficient liquid-vapor contact and separation of components based on their boiling points.