Vapor liquid contacting

Claim 2

Vapor-liquid contacting apparatus comprising a column housing in which a contacting and separating stage is arranged downstream of sources of vapor and liquid, said stage comprising a separator mounted within said housing and having a wall spaced from said housing, and a plurality of fluid outlets, at least one of said outlets being disposed in said wall to permit flow of liquid effluent transversely of said column housing, said separator and said sources being spaced along an axis to define a contact zone therebetween, and a plurality of liquid feed conduits each having a portion upstream of said separator extending in said contact zone generally parallel to each other and transverse to said axis and having a plurality of openings spaced in a direction transverse to said axis for distribution of liquid into said contact zone, a downcomer for supplying liquid to each said conduit from a stage downstream thereof, said generally parallel portions of said conduits being spaced from each other to define restricted flow passages for the vapor to produce a high vapor velocity region which prevents weeping.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said separator comprises a set of flow turning vanes mounted upstream of said fluid outlets and spaced radially inwardly of said wall but downstream of said liquid feed conduit, said vanes causing said fluid to swirl within said separator so that said liquid is thrown radially outwardly against said wall and through said outlet in said wall.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said vanes are shaped with upstream portions parallel to said axis and to said stream of fluid and gradually curving in a direction transverse to said axis.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the outlets in said wall of said separator include a plurality of restricted liquid outlet slots therethrough comprising in total no more than 10 percent of the surface area of said wall above said vanes.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein flow straightening vanes are provided within said separator downstream of said outlet for liquid effluent in said wall.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a multiplicity of tubular separators is provided in said stage, each said separator having liquid outlet slots in its said wall adjacent collector troughs running between rows of said separators.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a porous extended area medium in said contact zone to spread said liquid and hence increase interfacial contact area.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said medium is a honeycomb.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said honeycomb has axial cells, occupies the major portion of said contact zone, but is spaced from said conduit to provide an open portion of said contact zone.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein there are of the order of 50 said cells per square inch.

Claim 12

Vapor-liquid contacting apparatus comprising a column housing in which a contacting and separating stage is arranged downstream of sources of vapor and liqUid, said stage comprising a plurality of separators mounted within said housing and each having a tubular wall spaced from said housing arranged parallel to the stream from said sources, an axial downstream fluid outlet and a plurality of fluid outlets in said wall to permit flow of liquid effluent transversely of said column housing, said separators and said sources of fluid being spaced along said axis to define a contact zone therebetween, said zone communicating with a plurality of said separators, and a plurality of liquid feed conduits each having a portion upstream of said separator extending in said contact zone generally parallel to each other and transverse to said axis and having a plurality of openings spaced in a direction transverse to said axis for distribution of liquid into said contact zone, a downcomer for supplying liquid to each said conduit from a stage downstream thereof, said generally parallel portions of said conduits being spaced from each other to define restricted flow passages for the vapor to produce a high vapor velocity region which prevents weeping.

Claim 13

Vapor-liquid contacting apparatus comprising a column housing in which a contacting and separating stage is arranged downstream of sources of vapor and liqUid, said stage comprising a plurality of separators mounted within said housing and each having a tubular wall spaced from said housing arranged parallel to the stream from said sources, an axial downstream fluid outlet and a plurality of fluid outlets in said wall to permit flow of liquid effluent transversely of said column housing, said separators and said sources of fluid being spaced along said axis to define a contact zone therebetween, said zone communicating with a plurality of said separators, and a plurality of liquid feed conduits each having a portion upstream of said separator extending in said contact zone generally parallel to each other and transverse to said axis and having a plurality of openings spaced in a direction transverse to said axis for distribution of liquid into said contact zone, a downcomer for supplying liquid to each said conduit from a stage downstream thereof, said generally parallel portions of said conduits being spaced from each other to define restricted flow passages for the vapor to produce a high vapor velocity region which prevents weeping.

Claim 14

A vapor-liquid separator comprising a tubular housing having an axial inlet, an axial outlet, a plurality of peripheral outlets through said housing intermediate said inlet and outlet, the total area of which is no more than 10 percent of the total surface area of said housing downstream of said vanes, and a set of radially arranged flow turning vanes at said inlet, each said vane having an axially extending upstream portion to receive axially flowing fluid and a gently curving downstream portion extending transversely of said axis.

Claim 15

A vapor-liquid separator comprising a tubular housing having an axial inlet, an axial outlet, a plurality of peripheral outlets through said housing intermediate said inlet and outlet, the total area of which is no more than 10 percent of the total surface area of said housing downstream of said vanes, and a set of radially arranged flow turning vanes at said inlet, each said vane having an axially extending upstream portion to receive axially flowing fluid and a gently curving downstream portion extending transversely of said axis.

Claim 16

The separator of claim 12 further comprising a flow restriction at said axial outlet.

Claim 17

The separator of claim 13 wherein said restriction comprises a pinched down portion of said housing.

Claim 18

The separator of claim 17 further comprising flow straightening vanes downstream of said turning vanes.