Rotary solid/fluid counter-current contact apparatus

A rotary solid/fluid counter-current contact apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of external columns having solids therein for mass or heat transfer;
• a top head having a wall extending around an interior volume thereof, said wall having a first orifice formed through said wall so as to open to said interior volume and a second orifice formed through said wall so as to open to said interior volume, said top head having a first flow path and a second flow path communicating with said interior volume thereof, said top head having a plurality of openings corresponding to positions of said plurality of external columns, said plurality of openings being in fluid communication with respective upper ends of said plurality of external columns;
• a bottom head having a wall extending around an interior volume thereof, said wall having a first orifice formed through said wall so as to open to said interior volume of said bottom head, and a second orifice formed through said wall so as to open to said interior volume of said bottom head, said bottom head having a first flow path and a second flow path communicating with said interior volume thereof;
• said bottom head having a plurality of openings corresponding to positions of said plurality of external columns, said plurality of openings being in fluid communication with respective lower ends of said plurality of external columns;
• and
• a rotor extending through the respective interior volumes of said top head and said bottom head, said rotor having an axis of rotation, said rotor comprising:
• a top part positioned within said top head, said top part having a first separation plate, a second separation plate and a third separation plate, said first separation plate and said second separation plate defining a first fluid section, said second separation plate and said third separation plate defining a second fluid section, wherein a tunneling internal feed pipe extends between an opening in said second separation plate and a first opening in said third separation plate, said third separation plate having a second opening there through;
• a bottom part positioned within said bottom head, said bottom part having a first separation plate, a second separation plate and a third separation plate, said first separation plate and said second separation plate defining a first fluid section, said second separation plate and said third separation plate defining a second fluid section, wherein a tunneling internal feed pipe extends between an opening in said second separation plate and a first opening in said third separation plate, said third separation plate having a second opening there through;
• and
• a middle part comprising a plurality of internal circulation pipes and a plurality of internal feed pipes, each of said plurality of internal circulation pipes being in fluid communication with one of said plurality of openings of said top head and one of said plurality of openings of said bottom head, each of said plurality of internal circulation pipes being tilted with respect to said axis of rotation of said rotor so as to be in fluid communication with an upper end of one of said plurality of external columns and with a lower end of an adjacent one of said plurality of external columns, each of said plurality of internal feed pipes being in fluid communication with one of said plurality of external columns and also with one of the flow paths of the first head and the second head.