Flow control means

Claim 1

FOR USE IN A FLUID-LIQUID CONTACT APPARATUS WHICH INCLUDES A TRAY HAVING AN OPENING AND WHEREIN THE MARGIN OF THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE TRAY SURROUNDING THE OPENING IS FLAT, CONTROL MEANS COMPRISING AN ELEMENT OVERLYING THE OPENING FOR DIRECTING FLUID ASCENDING THROUGH THE OPENING LATERALLY THROUGH LIQUID ON THE TRAY, MEANS SPACING SAID ELEMENT FROM THE OPENING, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID ELEMENT FOR MOVEMENT BY THE PRESSURE OF THE FLUID ASCENDING THROUGH THE OPENING, SAID ELEMENT HAVING A DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY INCLINED UNDERSURFACE OF NARROW WIDTH ADJACENT SAID MARGIN AND TERMINATING IN A SHARP EDGE ORIFICE AT THE UNDERSIDE OF ITS PERIMETER AND SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS THEREWITH FOR CONSTRICTING THE AREA OF THE FLOW PASSAGE FORMED BY THE COACTION OF THE OPENING AND ELEMENT, THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID ELEMENT ADJACENT SAID INCLINED SURFACE BEING PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF THE TRAY SURROUNDING THE OPENING TO PROVIDE A FLOW PASSAGE THEREBETWEEN OF UNIFORM AREA, SAID SHARP EDGE ORIFICE PROVIDING A VENA CONTRACTA AND SAID INCLINED UNDERSURFACE IMPARTING CENTRIPETAL FORCE TO THE FLUID TO AMPLIFY THE VENA CONTRACTA AT THE FLUID-LIQUID INTERFACE FOR CREATING A FANTAIL EFFECT WHICH INCREASES THE AREA OF SAID INTERFACE AND CAUSES EXTREME TURBULENCE AND PROLONGED CONTACT AND THROUGH MIXING OF THE FLUID AND LIQUID.