Absorber for dehydrating gas with liquid desiccant

Abstract

An improved absorber for contacting gas having water entrained therein with a liquid desiccant the absorber being in the form of an upright vessel having a generally horizontal partition dividing the vessel interior into a treating zone and a collection zone. The partition has a collection bucket therein providing a reservoir below the level of the partition and the partition has small diameter opening spaced from the collection bucket. An upright tubular riser is positioned within the vessel treating zone having an open bottom extending within the partition bucket. A desiccant circulation conduit is in the upper portion of the treating zone for dispersing fresh liquid desiccant into the vessel. Packing is positioned within the vessel treating zone. Liquid desiccant filters downwardly through the packing as gas passing upwardly through the partition small diameter openings and upwardly through the desiccant flooded packing wherein water entrained in the gas is absorbed by the desiccant, the gas, being substantially free of water, pass out of the vessel at the upper end of the upper zone. A desiccant distribution conduit passes desiccant out of the bucket and into the vessel collection zone where the desiccant, having water absorbed therein, is removed from the vessel. In an alternate embodiment a second partition divides the vessel in second treating zone and a second collection zone both spaced above the first mentioned treating and collection zones. Liquid desiccant collected in the second cllection zone is passed downwardly into the first mentioned treating zone.