Gas-liquid contacting apparatus

Claim 1

GAS-LIQUID CONTACTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A TOWER INCLUDING OPPOSED SIDE AND OPPOSED END WALLS AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE CUBICLE THEREIN, A NORMALLY-CLOSED ENTRANCE IN AN END WALL FOR THE CUBICLE, A PAIR OF HORIZONTAL BRACKETS MOUNTED ON AND EXTENDING INWARDLY A LITTLE FROM OP-P POSED WALLS OF THE TOWSER NEAR THE BOTTOM OF SAID CUBICLE, A PLURALITY OF THIN VERTICAL INDEPENDENT CLOSELY-PACKED AND SPACED HORIZONTALLY-CORRUGATED PLATES EXTENDING ACROSS THE TOWER AND FREELY RESTING ON SAID BRACKETS, SPACER STRIPS FREELY MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID PLATES AT THE EDGES THEREOF, THIN SPACER MEANS FOR KEEPING THE PLATES CLEAR OF THE TOWER SIDE WALLS AND THE END WALL OPPOSED TO THE END WALL WITH THE ENTRANCE THERIN, MEANS NEAR THE CUBICLE ENTRANCE FOR RELEASABLY CLAMPING THE PLATES AND SPACER STRIPS TOGETHER ON SAID BRACKETS WITH THE CORRUGATIONS OF EACH PLATE FITTING INTO THE CORRUGATIONS OF THE NEXT ADJACENT PLATE TO FORM THIN UNDULATING UNOBSTRUCTED PASSAGES BETWEEN THE PLATES, SAID PLATES BEING INDIVIDUALLY REMOVABLE THROUGH THE CUBICLE ENTRANCE WHEN THE CLAMPING MEANS IS RELEASED, MEANS IN THE TOWER FOR DISTRIBUTING A LIQUID OVER THE MAJOR SURFACES OF THE PLATES AT THE UPPERA EDGES THEREOF, SAID LIQUID FLOWING DOWN OVER SAID SURFACES OF THE PLATES, AND MEANS FOR DIRECTING A GAS THROUGH THE UNDULATING PASSAGES WHEREIN SAID GAS IS TURBULENTLY DIRECTED AGAINST AND MAINTAINED IN INTIMATE CONTACT WITH THE LIQUID FLOWING OVER THE PLATE SURFACES.