REF 106
AAdvanced Distillation Tower Internals, Performance, and Troubleshooting
AAdvanced Distillation Tower Internals, Performance, and Troubleshooting
COURSE SCHEDULE
| Code | Date | Location | price (€)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| REF 106 | 2-3 July 2026 | Online | 3300 |
| REF 106 | 7-8 May 2026 | Dubai | 4400 |
* Prices are subject to VAT and local terms. Ph.D. students, groups (≥ 3 persons) and early bird registrants (8 weeks in advance) are entitled to a DISCOUNT!
COURSE OVERVIEW
This is a 5‑day advanced‑level course. The course starts with a review of distillation fundamentals and then focuses on tower internals design and hydraulic behavior. Detailed coverage is provided on trays, packings, distributors, and support systems, followed by advanced troubleshooting methodologies and real refinery case studies. The course concludes with revamp strategies, debottlenecking, and best practices for sustained tower performance.
This advanced course provides participants with in depth technical knowledge of distillation tower internals, hydraulic behavior, performance limitations, and troubleshooting techniques used in oil & gas, refinery, and petrochemical fractionation services. The course focuses on design philosophy, operating principles, failure mechanisms, and revamp considerations of trays and packing systems. Strong emphasis is placed on real operating problems, tower malfunctions, and corrective actions to improve separation efficiency, capacity, and reliability.
COURSE OUTLINE
5 days
Day 1: Distillation Fundamentals and Column Performance
o Principles of distillation in oil and gas industry
o Role of distillation towers in process plants
o Distillation towers classifications by functions
o Vapor–liquid equilibrium and mass transfer review
o Efficiency concepts (tray efficiency, HETP)
o Key operating variables and column performance indicators
o Overview of column internals and their functions
Day 2: Trays: Design, Operation, and Problems
o Tray types (sieve, valve, bubble cap)
o Tray hydraulics: vapor and liquid traffic
o Weeping, dumping, entrainment, flooding
o Tray damage and mechanical failures
o Operating symptoms related to tray problems
Day 3: Packings and Liquid Distribution
o Random and structured packing types
o Pressure drops and capacity characteristics
o Liquid distributors and redistributors
o Channeling, maldistribution, and fouling
o Comparison between trays and packing applications
Day 4: Advanced Troubleshooting of Distillation Columns
o Systematic troubleshooting approach
o High pressure drops and capacity loss
o Poor separation and off spec products
o Foaming, flooding, and temperature profile abnormalities
o Use of operating data and trends for diagnosis
Day 5: Revamp, Debottlenecking, and Best Practices
o Column revamp objectives and limitations
o Internals replacement and hybrid designs
o Capacity increase and energy optimization
o Feed quality changes and operational flexibility
o Industry lessons learned and best practices
INSTRUCTOR
FAQ
DESIGNED FOR
This course is designed for process engineers, operations engineers, technical support engineers, design engineers, and senior plant personnel involved in the operation, optimization, revamp, and troubleshooting of distillation columns. It is most suitable for participants with intermediate to advanced experience in fractionation operations.
COURSE LEVEL
Intermediate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
o Understand the functions and limitations of distillation tower internals
o Differentiate between tray and packed column applications
o Identify hydraulic limits and efficiency loss mechanisms
o Interpret operating data to diagnose column problems
o Troubleshoot common and complex distillation tower malfunctions
o Support revamp, capacity increase, and internals replacement decisions
o Apply best practices to maximize column performance and reliability
REGISTER
Registration is now OPEN!
* Prices are subject to VAT and local terms. Ph.D. students, groups (≥ 3 persons) and early bird registrants (8 weeks in advance) are entitled to a DISCOUNT!
For more details and registration please send email to: register@petro-teach.com
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