Treatment of gases or vapors with liquids

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE DISTILLATION OF LIQUIDS IN A DISTILLATION COLUMN FITTED AT THE TOP WITH A REFLUX CONDENSER, AT LEAST PART OF THE SAID DISTILLATION COLUMN BEING PACKED WITH SUBSTANTIALLY HOLLOW FILLING BODIES MADE FROM WIRE GAUZE, THE APERTURES OF THE WIRE GAUZE BEING OF SUCH A SIZE THAT THEY CAN BE COMPLETELY SEALED BY THE LIQUID UNDER THE OPERATING CONDITIONS, THE RATIO OF THE SMALLEST CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSION OF THE PACKED PORTION OF THE COLUMN TO THE GREATEST DIMENSION OF THE FILLING BODIES AT THE CROSS SECTION BEING AT LEAST 4 TO 1, THE STEPS OF PASSING THE VAPOUR OF THE LIQUID BEING TREATED FROM A BOILER THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION INTO THE DISTILLATION COLUMN, CONDENSING THE VAPOUR IN THE SAID REFLUX CONDENSER, RETURNING THE CONDENSED LIQUID TO THE DISTILLATION COLUMN WHERE IT IS PREVENTED FROM RETURNING TO THE BOILER BY THE CONSTRUCTION, UNTIL THE FREELY PACKED PORTION OF THE COLUMN IS FILLED WITH LIQUID, ADJUSTING THE FLOW OF CONDENSED LIQUID RETURNING TO THE COLUMN FROM THE REFLUX CONDENSER TO AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN THE APERTURES OF THE FILLING BODIES COMPLETELY SEALED, OPENING THE CONSTRUCTION SO THAT EXCESS LIQUID RETURNS TO THE BOILER AND MAINTAINING THE RATE OF FLOW OF THE VAPOUR UP THE COLUMN SUFFICIENTLY LOW NOT TO BREAK SAID SEALING.