Gas/liquid contacting apparatus

Claim 1

Gas/liquid contacting apparatus comprising: a normally vertically extending column having a plurality of substantially horizontal trays arranged one above the other in the column; each of said trays having a plurality of apertures for ascending gas and a plurality of liquid discharge devices for descending liquid; said liquid discharge devices being open at their upper ends and extending at least partly below the relevant trays with the parts of the liquid discharge devices extending below the trays being provided with bottom walls which are pierced by bottom located liquid discharge openings; each of said liquid discharge devices being also provided with a gas passage which (a) has at least one gas entry opening located within the lower part of the liquid discharge device, (b) has walls separated by distances such that the velocity of the upward flowing gas is small enough to permit liquid entrained in that gas to be separated from the gas by gravity flow and (c) has an outlet located substantially above the upper end of the liquid discharge device; and the areas of said bottom located liquid discharge openings in said liquid discharge devices being arranged for providing an aggregate area sufficient for discharging all the liquid flowing downward through the column while maintaining within each liquid discharge device a column of liquid having a hydrostatic head sufficient to prevent said ascending gas from entering the liquid discharge devices through said bottom located liquid discharge openings, so that the discharging of liquid through the bottom located openings and the separating of liquid from gas within the gas passages maintains a substantially continuous and unhindered entry of liquid into the upper ends of the liquid discharge devices.