Other

Sulzer Chemtech Usa, Inc.

Uop Lcc

Heat/fluid Engineering Corporation

Meadwestvaco Corporation

Sulzer Chemtech Ag

Dale E Nutter

Mark William Pilling

Nicholas F Urbanski

Michael R Resetarits

Daniel R Monkelbaan

Christina J Campbell

Mark W Pilling

Christina J Frisbie

A stepped downcomer with intermediate step platform and a step wall extending down. Extensions extend out from step wall ends toward the tower wall. A main panel extends from the interior edge of the platform up to the above positioned tray. The liquid-vapor mix flows into contact with the step platform and travels off the platform. The liquid also flows down along the extensions into contact with the inlet region of the lower tray, by-passing the platform. The lower edge of the step wall and lower edge of the extensions control fluid flow traveling under the lower edging from the inlet side of the downcomer apparatus to the active area of the tray. The relative level of the edges can be varied to suit use. The flow control region can additionally include baffles, slots, doors and other flow control devices.

Stepped downcomer apparatus and vapor-liquid contact apparatus with same

Vapor-liquid contact apparatus for chemical processing includes a vessel containing a plurality of spaced horizontal trays which support a vapor-liquid mixture, and downcomers which carry liquid down from one tray to another. Each tray has an infeed area, a bubbling area which has apertures for introducing vapor into the vapor-liquid mixture on the tray, and a liquid exit opening at the downstream end of the bubbling area. The downcomer receives the vapor-liquid mixture from the bubbling area, and it has a floor which increases the residence time of the vapor-liquid mixture in the downcomer. The floor forms an outlet which feeds liquid to the infeed area of a subsequent tray. The downcomer outlet is an elongated slot formed between a convex outer edge of the floor and a convex outer edge of the downcomer cross-section. To provide more uniform flow across the width of a bubbling area, the outlet slot which feeds the bubbling area is not wider, and is preferably narrower, at its centerline than at locations which are laterally spaced from the centerline.

Vapor-liquid contact apparatus

High vapor and liquid capacity counterflow fractionation trays demonstrating superior turndown and performance characteristics include a number of parallel downcomers separated by planar tray decking having unique bidirectional slotted cap valve geometries. Several different arrangements of the bidirectional valves are presented. The raised trapezoids of the bidirectional valves may be arranged in two groups which each face the nearest downcomer, or arranged in lines parallel to the downcomer sidewalls such that trapezoids of neighboring rows face opposite directions. In a third embodiment these bidirectional slotted cap valves are only located in the regions of the decking sections located next to the downcomers.

Closely-spaced high capacity fractionation trays

In a crossflow gas-liquid contact tower, liquid moves horizontally across a plurality of vertically spaced trays, and downwardly from tray-to-tray while gas flows up through openings in the trays to create a liquid-vapor mixture in an active bubble area. Each tray is formed of panels with mutually overlapping margin portions. Overlapping vapor openings are formed in the overlapping margin portions in order to provide the tray with a greater open area and with a more uniform aperture distribution. Preferably, each opening includes an aperture in the plane of the tray, and a deflector overlies the aperture to define lateral vapor outlet slots. The aperture is wider at its upstream end than at its downstream end; and, the deflector has upstream and downstream portions which extend across the ends of the aperture.

Gas-liquid contact apparatus including trays with vapor apertures in

Vapor-liquid contact apparatus includes a plurality of substantially horizontal trays which are vertically spaced in a vessel. Liquid and vapor-liquid mixtures flow horizontally across the trays, over weirs, and vertically through downcomers to subsequent trays. Each tray has a bubble area with apertures which permit ascending vapors to flow into the vapor-liquid mixture supported on the tray. Each downcomer has an apertured bottom wall which is horizontally coextensive with an unapertured downcomer seal area on the tray therebelow. The downcomer seal area and a portion of the apertured bubble area are elevated with respect to a major portion of the tray's upper surface area. The tray has two outboard panels with integral flanges at their edges, and the upstream ends of these integral flanges are supported on a stationary truss in the vessel. To promote deentrainment of vapor from the mixture in the downcomer, a perforated sheet with inclined corrugations is positioned substantially vertically in the downcomer.

In a crossflow gas-liquid contact tower, liquid moves horizontally across a plurality of vertically spaced trays, and downwardly from tray-to-tray while gas flows up through openings in the trays to create a liquid-vapor mixture in an active bubble area. Each opening includes an aperture in the plane of the tray, and a deflector which overlies the aperture to define lateral vapor outlet slots. The aperture is wider at its upstream end than at its downstream end; and, the deflector has upstream and downstream portions which extend across the ends of the aperture. The deflectors can be stationary or they can be vertically movable valves. The centers of the apertures are spaced apart no more than about 3.0 inches in the longitudinal flow direction, and no more than about 2.0 inches transversely of the flow direction. The apertures have lengths no greater than 2.0 inches, upstream widths no greater than about 1.0 inch, and downstream widths no greater than 0.75 inch. The lateral outlet slots have upper edges no longer than about 0.85 inch, lower edges no longer than about 2.0 inches, and heights no greater than 0.35 inch. The trays are manufactured by a pressing technique causing burrs to be formed around the lateral outlet slots.

High capacity tray for gas-liquid contact apparatus

A garment hanger of a type having opposing longitudinally slotted stationary arms (2), a hook (1), dowel holders (5), and a stationary dowel for hanging lower body clothing (4). Opposing adjustable arms (3) fit into and slide in the longitudinal slots in the stationary arms (2) and are attached by means of tension devices (6). The tension devices (6) allow the opposing adjustable arms to remain in position once adjusted.

Adjustable garment hanger

A prebox receptacle is mounted in a pan of a distributor which distributes liquid onto a bed of packing media in a gas-liquid contact column. The pan has a substantially horizontal deck surrounded by sidewalls, and outlet openings are formed in the deck to discharge liquid from the deck onto packing media therebelow. The prebox receptacle is mounted on and supported by the pan. The prebox has a bottom wall with a liquid-receiving upper surface, and openings which feed liquid into a deceleration space located between the bottom wall of the prebox and the deck of the pan. The openings in the prebox bottom wall are horizontally displaced from the outlet openings of the deck. The boundary of the deceleration space lies between the inlet openings and the outlet openings, and the vertical area of this boundary is substantially greater than the total area of all inlet openings which feed the deceleration space, so that liquid flowing through the boundary to the outlet openings has a substantially lower velocity than liquid flowing through the inlet openings into the deceleration space. Mixing vane units are mounted in spaces between the pans to produce eddys in the ascending vapors. At least some pans have outlet openings which lead to extension troughs which themselves have liquid outlets located in areas which are not served by any outlet openings of the pans.

Liquid distributor for gas-liquid contact apparatus

In a gas-liquid contact apparatus, liquid is distributed onto packing media by vertical flow tubes mounted on a horizontal deck. Each flow tube has a beveled upper end, an upper portion above the deck provided with one or more vertical slots for admitting liquid into the tube, and a lower portion extending below the deck for releasing liquid onto the packing media. The lower portion of the tube may have internal vertical louvers and a nontubular depending tail portion. The tube is precisely immovably secured in both orientation and elevation to the deck by an external circumferential rib bearing against the upper surface of the deck, and one or more staking protrusions that bear against the lower surface of the deck. The tube is made from a flat blank of sheet material which has a first pair of opposed edges provided with locking tabs, a second pair of opposed edges that eventually form the top and bottom ends of the tube, and a rib that is generally perpendicular to the first pair of opposed edges. The blank is deformed to form a tube in which the locking tabs engage each other and the rib is positioned externally and circumferentially. The tube is inserted in a deck opening until the rib engages the upper surface of the deck, and the tube is locked in its precise final position by protrusions that engages the lower surface of the deck. The tubes are field-replaceable.

Apparatus for distributing liquid in gas-liquid contact apparatus, and

A random dumped bed is formed of packing elements each comprising a curved base and hoops which are curved oppositely to the base. The base has a liquid channel in its concave inner surface, and openings are formed in the channel to permit liquid to flow from the channel onto the convex outer surface of the base. Two hoops project unequal distances from the base to deter axial nesting of the elements and to deter preferential orientation of the elements when they are dumped in the bed. The base has elongated slots, and nesting of the hoops in these slots is avoided by providing each hoop with nonlinear side edges and a tapered shape so that its maximum width is greater than the minimum width of a slot.

Packings for gas-liquid contact apparatus

A gas-liquid contact grid is formed of grid members which are connected together by connector members. Each grid member has an elongated upstanding web and laterally extending upper and lower flanges which are discontinuously formed of flange segments which extend alternately in opposite lateral directions from the web. Openings are provided in the upper and lower flanges. The web has interruptions which are located below and in vertical alignment with the ends of the flange segments to cause downwardly flowing liquid to spread longitudinally along the web. The flange segments on adjacent grid members do not extend toward each other to constrict the flow of ascending gases. The connector members are slotted and they extend through aligned holes in the webs of the grid members. During assembly, a connector member is inserted through the holes, and then it is rotated so that the slots engage the web to retain the connector members and the grid members in interengaged relationship.

Gas-liquid contact apparatus and method of making it

This vapor-liquid contact apparatus, suitable for use in fractionating tower sections, includes a plurality of grids which are arranged in a vertical stack. Each grid is formed of a plurality of parallel, horizontal elongated segments; and, the longitudinal axes of the segments are angularly turned relative to the segment axes in the grid therebeneath. Each segment has an upstanding flange which supports a downflowing film of liquid, and a trough portion for receiving liquid which has flowed from the flange. The trough portion is provided with liquid drain openings which are located to release liquid directly onto contacting upper edges of the flanges of the next lower grid. A plurality of connector portions, integral with and bent outwardly from the flange portions, are spot welded to the trough portions to interconnect these elements. The gas flows upwardly through openings which are provided between the flanges and troughs of the segments. The ascending gas strikes a blunt nose formed by the lower surface of the trough, giving the gas a slight angular velocity without a substantial pressure drop, and promoting the contact of the gas with the liquid film on the flange.

Gas-liquid contact apparatus

This vapor-liquid contact apparatus, suitable for use in fractionating tower sections, includes a plurality of grids which are arranged in a vertical stack. Each grid is formed of a plurality of parallel, horizontal elongated segments; and, the longitudinal axes of the segments are angularly displaced relative to the segment axis in the grid therebeneath. Each segment has an upstanding flange which supports a downflowing film of liquid, and a trough portion for receiving liquid which has flowed from the flange. The trough portion is provided with liquid drain openings which are located to allow liquid to flow directly onto contacting upper edges of the flanges of the next lower grid.

Packing material is formed of stacked panels of expanded metal, each of which has intersecting sets of parallel linear metal strips. Each panel has a horizontal set of linear strips oriented parallel to a corresponding set of linear strips on an adjacent panel and perpendicular to a vertical fluid flow direction which is parallel to the panels; and, each panel has a second set of linear strips inclined about 45.degree. from the vertical in a direction opposite to the inclination of the corresponding inclined set of strips on the adjacent panel. The strips of adjacent panels are canted in opposite directions relative to the planes of their respective panels. Alternative orientations and directions are also disclosed. The packing material is used in packed towers and conduit-connected motionless mixers, and with crossflow trays and dualflow trays. A dualflow fluid contact device is disclosed, wherein the liquid bed on each dualflow tray is stabilized by partially or totally immersing a packing material in the liquid bed.

Packing Material and apparatus

A gas stream with entrained liquid is given a helical motion which causes the entrained liquid to impinge and coalesce on the wall of a separation chamber, with gases being discharged through a tailpipe which extends inwardly into the downstream end of the separation chamber. A closed second chamber surrounds the tailpipe downstream of the separation chamber. Aperture means in the tailpipe permits communication between the interiors of the second chamber and the tailpipe. A conduit means, provided downstream of the aperture means but within the tailpipe, is arranged to permit communication between the center of the tailpipe and the interior of the second chamber tending to equalize pressures so as to cause any residual liquid collected on the interior surface of the tailpipe to flow out of the tailpipe through the aperture means. Kinetic energy transfer from within the tailpipe is minimized by forming the aperture means of elongated slots which lie at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus and transverse to the helical flow path of gases at the wall of the tailpipe. Liquid agglomeration on the edge of the tailpipe slots is promoted by having the tailpipe slots inclined from the horizontal. The liquid from the primary separation stage is released from the separation chamber through a liquid drain opening at the lower end of the separation chamber wall. This liquid flows into a calming chamber and thence over a weir into a downcomer which leads to a lower liquid reservoir.

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Tulsa, OK, United States of America

Dale E Nutter