# Direct Contact Heat Exchanger (DCHE) Retrofit & Cooling Systems

- **Organization / Host**: Air Liquide
- **Role**: Process Operations Intern
- **Timeline**: Jul 2025 – Aug 2025
- **Location**: Tunisia
- **Domain**: Equipment Retrofit & Hydraulics

## Executive Summary
Spearheaded the hydraulic evaluation and column internals revamp of a direct contact heat exchanger in an industrial cryogenic cooling unit (internal operations). Modeled and benchmarked high-performance structured and advanced random packings in Sulzer Sulcol, Koch-Glitsch KG-Tower, and Aspen Plus, achieving an 85% pressure drop reduction, maximized flooding margins, and expanded hydraulic throughput capacity.

## Key Technical Metrics
- **Pressure Drop ΔP**: -85% (dP) (Achieved via Modern Internals Revamp)
- **Packings Evaluated**: High-Perf Metals (FLEXIPAC® HC 2Y, MellapakPlus™, NeXRing™)
- **Flooding Margin**: +35% (Hydraulic capacity headroom above flood point)
- **Modeling Software**: Sulcol / KG-Tower (+ Aspen Plus Hydraulic Rating)

## Engineering Challenge & Technical Mandate
The existing direct contact cooling column utilized conventional random packing that generated excessive hydraulic pressure drop and liquid maldistribution under peak summer ambient temperatures, creating an upstream compressor suction bottleneck. The technical challenge was to proactively revamp the column internals to achieve superior pressure drop reduction and expand throughput capacity without expensive vessel shell modifications. By rigorously modeling and benchmarking high-performance structured and modern random packings—specifically Koch-Glitsch FLEXIPAC® HC® 2Y metal, Sulzer MellapakPlus™ 252.Y metal, and Sulzer NeXRing™ 2 metal—I successfully engineered a retrofit solution that delivered an 85% ΔP reduction, maximized flooding margins, and increased gas throughput potential while preserving the required thermal approach.

## Process Simulation & Tools Used
- Sulzer Sulcol
- Koch-Glitsch KG-Tower
- Aspen Plus
- Aspen EDR
- FLEXIPAC® HC 2Y
- MellapakPlus™ 252.Y
- NeXRing™ 2

## Standards & Codes Applied
- Cooling Technology Institute (CTI) Standards
- TEMA Standards
- Air Liquide Safety Protocols

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*Published by Hazem Mensi — Chemical Process Engineer (https://www.hazemensi.com)*