Contacting fluids with subdivided solids for short contact times

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS WHEREIN A GASIFORM FLUID IS CONTACTED WITH PARTICLES OF FINELY DIVIDED SOLIDS BY INTRODUCING SAID FLUID INTO A VERTICALLY EXTENDED, NARROWLY DEFINED FLOW PATH AT THE INLET THEREOF, PASSING SAID FLUID UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID FLOW PATH AS ACONTINUOS FLOW STREAM TO WHICH SAID SOLID PARTICLES ARE INTRODUCED INTO SAID FLOW STREAM SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE INLET TO SAID FLOW PATH TO BE DISPERSED UNIFORMLY IN SAID FLOW STREAM AND CARRIED THEREBY IN SUSPENSION THEREIN THROUGH SAID FLOW PATH IN SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM FLOW VELOCITY RELATION TO SAID FLUID, AND WHEREIN SAID FLUID AND SOLID PARTICLES ARE DISCHARGED FROM FLOW PATH AT THE UPPER END THEREOF AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE RATE OF INTRODUCTION THEREOF INTO SAID FLOW PATH THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING EACH OF SAID FLUID AND SAID SOLID PARTICLES INTO SAID FLOW PATH AT A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT FLOW INITIAL RATE, AND SO AS TO MAINTAIN A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT FLOW VELOCITY OF SAID FLOW STREAM THROUGH SAID FLOW PATH, DISCHARGING SAID FLOW STREAM, INCLUDING SOLID PARTICLES SUSPENDED THEREIN FROM THE UPPER