Fixed centrifugal gas and liquid contacting device

Claim 1

A CONTACTING DEVICE, ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED WITHIN A CONTACTING COLUMN FOR CONTACTING AN UPWARDLY FLOWING FIRST FLUID MEDIUM WITH A DOWNWARDLY FLOWING RELATIVELY HEAVIER SECOND FLUID, COMPRISING A PLATE MEMBER, A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED MEMBER IN FLUID-TIGHT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PLATE MEMBER TO FORM WITH SAID PLATE MEMBER A SHELL CLOSED AT ITS BOTTOM END BY SAID PLATE MEMBER, SAID SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED MEMBER HAVING A PLURLITY OF PORTS ORIENTED AT AN ANGLE OBLIQUE TO SAID VERTICAL MEMBER, MEANS FOR DIRECTING FLOW OF SAID DOWNWARDLY FLOWING FLUID MEDIUM ONTO THE INNER WALL SURFACE OF SAID VERTICAL MEMBER AND MEANS FOR DIRECTING PASSAGE OF SAID UPWARDLY FLOWING FLUID THOUGH SAID PORTS INTO CONTACT WITH SAID FLUID ON THE INNER WALL OF SAID VERTICAL MEMBER, AN OPENING THROUGH SAID HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED PLATE MEMBER SPACED APART FROM THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PLATE MEMBER AND ADPTED TO DISCHARGE FLUID FLOWING DOWN THE WALL SURFACE OF SAID VERTICAL MEMBER, MEANS DISPOSED ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PLATE MEMBER FOR DIVERTING INTO SAID OPENING FLUID FLOWING DOWN THE WALL SURFACE OF SAID VERTICAL MEMBER, AND MEANS ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN SAID DISCHARGED FLUID FREE FROM CONTACT WITH FLUID MEDIUM FLOWING UPWARDLY TO SAID PORTS.