Centrifugal contacting of fluid phases

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR COUNTERCURRENTLY CONTACTING TWO FLUIDS OF DIFFERING SPECIFIC GRAVITIES WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION A VERTICAL CHAMBER HAVING INNER AND OUTER WALLS FORMING AN ANNULAR SPACE DEFINING DOWNCOMERS, SAID VERTICAL CHAMBER BEING MADE UP OF A NUMBER OF CONTACT STAGE SECTIONS, EACH SECTION IN TURN HAVING INNER AND OUTER WALLS FORMING AN ANNULAR SPACE, THE SECTIONS BEING ASSEMBLED SUCH THAT THE ANNULAR SPACE IS PARTITIONED OFF INTO A NUMBER OF SEMI-ANNULAR DOWNCOMERS EXTENDING ALTERNALELY OVER TWO STAGES, A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SPACED BAFFLED CIRCULAR DECK PLATES DISPOSED WITHIN SAID TOWER AND DEFINING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SUPERPOSED CONTACTING ZONES CONNECTED BY SAID DOWNCOMERS, EACH OF SAID PLATES EXTENDING FROM AN INNER WALL MEMBER DOWNWARDLY TOWARDS THE CENTERLINE OF SAID CHAMBER AND BEING PROVIDED WITH A CENTRALLY DISPOSED OPENING, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED, VANED ROTOR POSITIONED WITHIN EACH OF SAID CENTRAL OPENINGS, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID ROTOR, CONDUIT MEANS IN THE UPPER AND LOWER PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER ADAPTED TO INTRODUCE THE LIGHTER AND HEAVIER PHASES RESPECTIVELY, INGRESS MEANS POSITIONED NEAR THE UPPER END OF EACH OF SAID DOWNCOMERS, EGRESS MEANS POSITIONED NEAR THE LOWER END OF SAID DOWNCOMERS, AND VENT PASSAGEWAYS POSITIONED INTERMEDIATE THE UPPER END OF SAID DOWNCOMERS AND SAID INGRESS MEANS.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR COUNTERCURRENTLY CONTACTING TWO FLUIDS OF DIFFERING SPECIFIC GRAVITIES WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION A VERTICAL CHAMBER HAVING INNER AND OUTER WALLS FORMING AN ANNULAR SPACE DEFINING DOWNCOMERS, SAID VERTICAL CHAMBER BEING MADE UP OF A NUMBER OF CONTACT STAGE SECTIONS, EACH SECTION IN TURN HAVING INNER AND OUTER WALLS FORMING AN ANNULAR SPACE, THE SECTIONS BEING ASSEMBLED SUCH THAT THE ANNULAR SPACE IS PARTITIONED OFF INTO A NUMBER OF SEMI-ANNULAR DOWNCOMERS EXTENDING ALTERNALELY OVER TWO STAGES, A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SPACED BAFFLED CIRCULAR DECK PLATES DISPOSED WITHIN SAID TOWER AND DEFINING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SUPERPOSED CONTACTING ZONES CONNECTED BY SAID DOWNCOMERS, EACH OF SAID PLATES EXTENDING FROM AN INNER WALL MEMBER DOWNWARDLY TOWARDS THE CENTERLINE OF SAID CHAMBER AND BEING PROVIDED WITH A CENTRALLY DISPOSED OPENING, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED, VANED ROTOR POSITIONED WITHIN EACH OF SAID CENTRAL OPENINGS, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID ROTOR, CONDUIT MEANS IN THE UPPER AND LOWER PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER ADAPTED TO INTRODUCE THE LIGHTER AND HEAVIER PHASES RESPECTIVELY, INGRESS MEANS POSITIONED NEAR THE UPPER END OF EACH OF SAID DOWNCOMERS, EGRESS MEANS POSITIONED NEAR THE LOWER END OF SAID DOWNCOMERS, AND VENT PASSAGEWAYS POSITIONED INTERMEDIATE THE UPPER END OF SAID DOWNCOMERS AND SAID INGRESS MEANS.