Dynamic Flow Control
F1 Metal Conventional Valve Trays feature circular valves with twist-locked legs that automatically modulate openings based on gas velocity. This self-adjusting design maintains optimal vapor-liquid contact across 4:1 turndown ratios while preventing valve detachment – delivering reliable efficiency in FCC main fractionators, NGL columns, and gas sweetening units.
Core Mechanism
| Component | Function |
|---|---|
| Twist-Lock Legs | Secures valves while permitting vertical travel (no detachment risk) |
| Peripheral Spacers | Maintains minimum opening at low gas loads (prevents sticking/sealing) |
| Variable Openings | Auto-adjusts from 20-100% to match vapor flow (F-factor 0.8–3.5 Pa⁰·⁵) |
(Valve movement range: 8-25mm based on gas velocity)
Performance Advantages
- Adaptive Efficiency: Maintains ≤15% Murphree efficiency variance across load ranges
- Entrainment Control: Reduces droplet carryover 40% vs. sieve trays at high vapor rates
- Fouling Resistance: Leg/spacer design prevents debris accumulation in coking services
- Pressure Flexibility: Validated from vacuum (0.1 bara) to high-pressure (20 barg) operations
- Proven Reliability: >50,000 installations in refineries since 1960s
Industrial Applications
► Refinery Critical Units
- FCC main fractionators
- Delayed coker fractionation
- Naphtha stabilizers
► Gas Processing
- NGL/LPG recovery columns
- Amine regenerator towers
- Glycol dehydration contactors
► Petrochemical
- Ethylene cracker quench towers
- BTX extraction columns
- Olefins concentration stages
