Support Grid

For supporting the packing in the column RVT Process Equipment GmbH manufactures a variety of support grids, specially designed for different applications and column diameters.

For the design of the specific grids, following points have to be considered with regard to the load of the grid:

• weight of packed bed
• liquid hold up during operation
• fouling
• pressure drop of gas flow in cases of parallel flow
• installation loads

The support grid has to be constructed in a way that it allows flow of gases and liquids in the column as unrestricted as possible. This is especially important in the area between support grid and packed bed there is the danger of blocking the gas flow by an unsuitable packing support.

For the installation of a support grid, there is a support ring and – from case to case – one or more intermediate support beams necessary. Occasionally, it might be sufficient to put the support grid on the support ring without fixing it. Usually, however, they will be fixed in order to stabilize the overlying layers even at high gas velocities, pressures or floodings.