Method and apparatus for stripping volatiles from fluids

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS DEODORIZATION OF ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS COMPRISING A COLUMN, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING OIL TO BE DEODORIZED INTO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE COLUMN, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING A STRIPPING MEDIUM INTO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE COLUMN, A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SPACED BUBBLE TRAYS IN THE COLUMN, CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID LOWER PORTION OF THE COLUMN AND A LOWER BUBBLE TRAY THEREIN, THE INLET OF SAID CONDUIT BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID LOWER PORTION TO RECEIVE OIL THEREFROM AND THE OUTLET OF THE CONDUIT BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE LOWER TRAY TO DISCHARGE OIL THEREINTO, A STEAM JET ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CONDUIT SO AS TO CAUSE FLOW OF OIL FROM THE INLET TO THE OUTLET OF THE CONDUIT, OTHER CONDUITS CONNECTING ADJACENT BUBBLE TRAYS FROM SAID LOWER BUBBLE TRAY UPWARDLY IN THE COLUMN, EACH OF SAID OTHER CONDUITS HAVING AN INLET PORTION AND AND OUTLET PORTION, THE INLET PORTION AND OUTLET PORTION BEING IN COMMUNICATION RESPECTIVELY WITH THE LOWER AND THE UPPER TRAYS OF ADJACENT BUBBLE TRAYS, EACH OF THE INLET PORTIONS OF SAID OTHER CONDUIT COMMUNICATING WITH THE LOWER TRAY OF ADJACENT BUBBLE TRAYS AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE OUTLET PORTION, SAID OUTLET PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE POINT OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE INLET PORTION TO THE TRAY NEXT ABOVE SAID LOWER TRAY TO DISCHARGE THEREINTO,A STEAM EJECTOR ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID OTHER CONDUITS, THE EJECTORS HAVING THEIR SUCTIONS IN COMMUNCIATION WITH THE INLET PORTIONS OF SAID OTHER CONDUITS AND THEIR OUTLETS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID OUTLET PORTION THEREOF WHEREBY OIL FROM SAID LOWER TRAY IS CAUSED TO FLOW DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID INLET PORTION THENCE UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID OUTLET PORTION OF THE CONDUITS TO SAID BUBBLE TRAY NEXT ABOVE THE LOWER TRAY OF ADJACENT TRAYS, VACUUM CREATING MEANS HAVING ITS SUCTION IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE UPPER PART OF THE COLUMN ABOVE AN UPPER BUBBLE TRAY AND ITS DISCHARGE CONNECTED TO A POINT OUTSIDE THE COLUMN WHEREBY A VACUUM IS MAINTAINED IN THE COLUMN AND STRIPPING MEDIUM AND VOLATILE SUBSTANCE IS WITHDRAWN THEREBY FROM THE COLUMN AT THE UPPER PART THEREOF, AND AND OUTLET CONDUIT IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID UPPER BUBBLE TRAY IN THE COLUMN AND THROUGH WHICH STRIPPED OIL IS WITHDRAWN FROM SAID UPPER TRAY AND FROM THE COLUMN.