Structured packing
OwnerSteven Ringo, Kevin McKeigueinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A structured packing element comprising layers of corrugated and planar sheets is formed by winding at least one corrugated sheet and at least one planar sheet together in a spiral fashion. The resulting structured packing element may be used in a distillation column for air separation applications.
Claims20
A structured packing element for use in a distillation column comprising:
- a corrugated sheet;
- a planar sheet;
- wherein said corrugated sheet and said planar sheet are spirally wound together to form said packing element with said corrugated sheet and said planar sheet in substantial contact with each other, and at least one outermost horizontal edge of said planar sheet is positioned proximal to at least one horizontal edge of said corrugated sheet.
A structured packing element for use in a distillation column comprising:
- a corrugated sheet characterized by a top horizontal edge, a bottom horizontal edge and a height in a vertical direction;
- a top planar sheet and a bottom planar sheet spaced apart from each other in said vertical direction, each of said top and bottom planar sheets having respective heights that are less than said height of said corrugated sheet;
- wherein said corrugated sheet and said top and bottom planar sheets are spirally wound together to form said packing element with layers of said corrugated sheet alternating with layers of said top and bottom planar sheets, and said top and bottom planar sheets having outermost horizontal edges that are proximally aligned respectively with said top and bottom horizontal edges of said corrugated sheet.
A structured packing for use in a distillation column, said structured packing comprising two adjacent packing elements positioned vertically with respect to each other;
- wherein each of said two adjacent packing elements comprises a corrugated sheet and a planar sheet spirally wound together, and at least one outermost horizontal edge of said planar sheet is positioned proximal to at least one horizontal edge of said corrugated sheet.
A method of cryogenically separating a fluid mixture in a distillation column, comprising:
- forming descending liquid and ascending gaseous phases of said fluid mixture within said distillation column;
- and
- contacting said descending liquid and ascending gaseous phases of said fluid mixture within a structured packing contained within said distillation column;
- wherein said structured packing comprises a series of packing elements;
- each of said structured packing elements comprising a corrugated sheet and a planar sheet wound together in a spiral fashion resulting in said corrugated and said planar sheets in substantial contact with each other, and at least one outermost horizontal edge of said planar sheet is positioned proximal to at least one horizontal edge of said corrugated sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.