On the lower operation limit and the gain of flexibility of an innovative segmented tray column

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Operating windows of conventional tray columns may not be large enough to ensure a sufficient separation with the current or future challenges of a volatile energy and raw material supply. Therefore, an innovative, segmented separation tray has been developed, which enlarges the operation window and thus leads to a higher flexibility, managing the challenges of higher volatility in downstream processes. In this contribution, a hydrodynamic characterization and the resulting lower operation limits of this segmented tray are presented. Furthermore, an approach to obtain shorter start‐up times for the column and a resulting faster response time to changes in the process are presented. The feasibility of this type of operation is evaluated by the investigation of the stability of the tray under new operation conditions.</jats:p>