<p>The Engineered Mist Eliminator</p><p>REDUCE COSTS INCREASE CAPACITY IMPROVE PERFORMANCE DEBOTTLENECK EQUIPMENT SIMPLIFY INSTALLATION CUSTOMIZE PADS</p><p>800-231-007714211 Industry Road Houston, TX 77053 TEL: 713-434-0934 FAX: 713-433-6201 eMail: separations@acsind.com Visit our web site www.acsseparations.com</p><p>Table of ContentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Droplet Formation and Size Distributions . . . .1 Mechanisms of Droplet Removal . . . . . . . . . .2 Types of Mist Eliminator Mesh &amp; Materials . . .4 Design Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Predicting Pressure Drop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Inlet Diffusers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Vessel Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Advanced Mist Eliminator Designs . . . . . . . .10 Vane-Mesh Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Use of Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11</p><p>The Engineered Mist EliminatorMist elimination, or the removal of entrained liquid droplets from a vapor stream, is one of the most commonly encountered processes regardless of unit operation. Unfortunately, mist eliminators are often considered commodity items and are specified without attention to available technologies and design approaches. The engineered mist eliminator may reduce liquid carryover by a factor of one hundred or more relative to a standard unit, drop head losses by 50% or more, or increase capacity by factors of three or four. This manual summarizes cost effective approaches to reducing solvent losses or emissions, extending equipment life and maintenance cycles using proven and cost effective technologies and techniques.</p><p>Droplet Formation and Size DistributionsEntrained liquid does not consist of same-sized droplets, but as a broad range of droplet sizes that may be characterized with a Normal or Bell Distribution centered about some mean or average. The average droplet size depends very much on the mechanism by which they are generated. Sizing equations are expressed in terms of the probability of removing a droplet of a given diameter, and mist eliminator performance is the integration or cumulative sum of individual removal efficiencies. It is therefore critical to know the approximate droplet size distribution in order to properly design a mist elimination system. Figure 1 show some typical size distribution FIGURE 1 curves from different sources. VOLUME FRACTION FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTIONSFOR DISPERSIONS OF VARIOUS MATURITIES</p><p>In practice, designers or engineers do not MultiPocket Vanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 quantify or measure droplet size distribuCase Studies &amp; Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 tions, rather they are assumed based on empirical data or expePlate-Pak and MistXpert are trademarks of rience. Fortunately, an ACS Industries, Inc. MaxFlow is a registered experienced engineer trademark of ACS Industries, LP and can assume an Mistermesh is a registered trademark of ACS Industries, Inc. Ripple Tray is a registered approximate distributrademark of Stone &amp; Webster Engineering tion based on the Corporation. Kynar is a registered trademark of means or mechanism ELF Atochem North America, Inc. Teflon is a registered trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours by which the droplets are generated. Typical examples from common and Company. Hastelloy is a registered trademist sources are given to illustrate these concepts. </p><p>mark of Haynes International, Inc. Goodloe is a registered trademark of Koch-Glitsch, LP. ACS Industries presents the information in this publication in good faith, believing it to be accurate. However, nothing herein is to be construed as an express or implied warranty or guarantee regarding performance, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of patents, trademarks or copyrights. Copyright 2004 by ACS Industries, Inc, Printed in USA 4-04 1000AP</p><p>Fine droplet distributions, often called fogs (</p>