Sulzer Chemtech Ag

Sulzer Management Ag

Solzer Chemtech Ag

Markus Duss

Ilja Ausner

Florian Kehrer

Marc Bruno Wehrli

Werner Wicki

Raymond Plüss

Stephen Shields

Senthil Krishnamoorthy

Raymond Pluss

A structured packing element for a column for at least one of mass transfer and heat exchange between a heavy fluid phase and a light fluid phase. The structured packing element comprises at least two layers of a grid comprising openings that are surrounded and separated from each other by separating elements. At least two of the layers are arranged in a longitudinal direction parallel and in touching contact with each other such that an open space extending from one end to an opposite end of the layers is provided between the layers such that at least one of the heavy fluid phase and the light fluid phase may flow therethrough. An average width of at least 50% of the separating elements between adjacent openings is at least 15 times a layer material thickness and is between 70% and 125% of an average hydraulic diameter of the adjacent openings.

Structured packing element with reduced material requirement

A fluid contact tray () for a fractionation column (), in particular a vapor-liquid contact tray suitable for the use in an offshore fractionation column, comprises: &#x22c5;a tray deck () comprising an active mass transfer surface () suitable for contacting two fluids (l, g) of different densities, wherein the active mass transfer surface () comprises one or more orifices () for the passage of a fluid/gas (g), and wherein at least two at least partially radially extending separation walls (----) and/or at least one separation weir () are arranged on the active mass transfer surface (), which divides the active mass transfer surface () into at least two sections (----), &#x22c5;an annular channel () suitable for collecting fluids/liquids (l), which is arranged at the peripheral area of the active mass transfer surface () and at least partially embraces the mass transfer surface (), &#x22c5;a central downcomer () for collecting and discharging a fluid/liquid (l) from the annular channel (), wherein the central downcomer () has the form of a hollow body with an opening () in the bottom section thereof being suitable for the distribution of liquid vertically downwardly, and wherein the central downcomer () is non-rotatably fixed at the fluid contact tray (), and &#x22c5;at least one conducting means () for transferring fluid collected in the annular channel () from the annular channel () to the central downcomer (). This fluid contact tray () is in particular useable for offshore applications, such as for a fractionation column located on a FLNG or FPSO vessel.

Fluid contact tray particularly for the use in an offshore fractionation column

A packing layer for a structured packing which has corrugations forming open channels. Each channel includes first and second corrugation peaks bounding a first corrugation valley with each corrugation peak having an apex and the corrugation valley having a valley bottom. A spacer element is mounted on and extends along the apex of at least one corrugation peak. The spacer element has an edge which has a larger normal spacing from the valley bottom than, the spacing of the apex of the corrugation peak from the valley bottom.

Packing layer for a structured packing

A method of mass transfer includes the steps of: supplying a first fluid and a second fluid into a mass transfer apparatus, wherein the mass transfer apparatus includes a vessel which has a head region, a base region and a mass transfer region, wherein the first fluid is brought into contact with the second fluid at least in the mass transfer region, wherein the mass transfer region is arranged between the head region and the base region and the mass transfer region includes a structured packing which includes a plurality of neighboring layers of fabric which includes fiber strands of a non-metallic material. The mass transfer apparatus is operated at a fluid load of at most 3 m/m/h.

Method of mass transfer, structured packing and mass transfer apparatus for a small liquid load

An absorber or desorber contains a layer () for a structured packing which has corrugations, wherein a plurality of open channels () is formed by the corrugations, wherein the channels include a first corrugation valley (), a first corrugation peak () and a second corrugation peak (). The first corrugation peak () and the second corrugation peak () bound the first corrugation valley (), wherein the first and second corrugation peaks have a first apex () and a second apex (). An indentation () extending in the direction of the first apex () is formed on the first apex () of the first corrugation peak (). The first corrugation valley () has a valley bottom (), wherein the normal spacing () of at least one point of the indentation () from the valley bottom () of the corrugation valley () is smaller than the normal spacing () of the first apex () from the valley bottom () of the corrugation valley ().

Mass transfer apparatus having a structured packing

An apparatus for the purification of fluids includes a material exchange apparatus which contains a more volatile fluid and a less volatile fluid. The material exchange apparatus contains a structured packing, with the structured packing containing a first packing layer () and a second packing layer (). The first packing layer () and the second packing layer () have corrugations, with open channels () being formed by the corrugations. The channels () of the first packing layer () cross the channels () of the second packing layer, wherein the channels () can be flowed through by the less volatile fluid so that the channel is wettable by the less volatile fluid, wherein a film of the less volatile fluid is formed on the surface of the channel, so that a purification can be carried out either of the more volatile fluid or of the less volatile fluid by a material exchange between the more volatile fluid and the less volatile fluid. The first packing layer () is in touching contact with the second packing layer () via spacer elements ().

Growing community of inventors

Winterthur, Switzerland

Markus Duss