Two-stage apparatus for mixing fluids in concurrent downflow relationship

Abstract

Abstract A TWO-STAGE FLUID MIXING DEVICE COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL TRAY ADAPTED FOR INSTALLATION IN A DOWNFLOW CONTACTING VESSEL AND HAVING A FIRST STAGE MIXING BOX MOUNTED ON ITS UPPER SURFACE, A SECOND STAGE MIXING BOX ATTACHED TO ITS UNDER SURFACE AND AT LEAST TWO SPACED APERTURES IN THE TRAY COMMUNICATING THE MIXING BOXES. FLUIDS FLOWING DOWNWARDLY WITHIN THE CONTACTING VESSEL PASS SERIALLY THROUGH THE FIRST STAGE MIXING BOX, THROUGH THE APERTURES IN THE TRAY, AND THEN THROUGH THE SECOND STAGE MIXING BOX. THE CONTACTING VESSEL INCLUDES A HORIZONTAL PERFORATE TRAY EXTENDING ACROSS THE CROSS-SECTION OF THE VESSEL AND LOCATED IMMEDIATELY BELOW AND PROXIMATE THE MIXING DEVICE. A HORIZONTAL BUBBLE CAP TRAY CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF DOWNCOMERS IS PLACED IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP BELOW THE PERFORATED TRAY AND ABOVE THE SOLIDS BED. EACH OF THE DOWNCOMERS IS SURMOUNTED BY A BUBBLE CAP. A PLURALITY OF PARTICULATE SOLIDS BED IS POSITIONED IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MIXING DEVICE ABOVE EACH OF THE BEDS. IN ONE EMBODIMENT AN INTERMEDIATE FLUID INLET PIPE IS POSITIONED ABOVE THE TRAY AND MIXING DEVICE FOR INTRODUCING FLUID INTO THE VESSEL. IN ANOTHER PREFERRED EMBODIMENT AN INTERMEDIATE FLUID INLET PIPE IS LOCATED IN THE ANNULAR AREA BETWEEN THE FIRST STAGE MIXING BOX AND THE SHELL OF THE VESSEL. THE FLUID INLET PIPE DOES NOT RISE SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE TOP OF THE FIRST MIXING BOX.

Inventors

• 👤 John H Ballard
• 👤 Roland F Deering

Bibliographic Details