Process and apparatuses for contacting a gas phase and a liquid phase

Abstract

This invention introduces a process and apparatuses for bringing a gas phase into contact with a liquid phase for an extended period of time and subjecting the phases to appropriate motions so as to accomplish efficient absorption and desorption operations and efficient pressurization and depressurization operations. The process is conducted in a processing system that comprises of many small compartments and a moving mechanism to which the compartments are attached. Each compartment has a confining wall to contain a mass of the feed gas and has an opening through which a liquid may be brought in contact with the gas to provide a gas-liquid interface. The processing system is submerged in the liquid phase and is divided into a first zone and a second zone; the compartments in the two zones are respectively subjected to a downward movement and an upward movement. The net force (buoyancy - gravity) that each zone of the system is subjected to is reduced by properly adjusting the amount of gas introduced in each compartment, distributing the masses of the confining walls of the compartments and the moving mechanism and by purposely adding weights and distributing the added weights. The upward motion and the downward motion of the two zones are coupled together through the moving mechanism so that the net forces applied to the two zones are balanced against each other. Thus, the two motions help each other to cut down the work input needed in the process.