Aperture Layout for Vapor-Liquid Contact Tray

A vapor-liquid contact tray apparatus for use in a separation column, said apparatus comprising a tray having a plurality of apertures for passage of fluid through the tray, wherein:

• the apertures are arranged in a first group of three adjacent rows extending substantially parallel to a main liquid flow path of the tray,
• apertures of the middle row are offset along the main liquid flow path on the tray from adjacent apertures of the other two rows to form a triangular pattern of adjacent apertures across the three adjacent rows,
• the apertures have a length and a width, each length is oriented substantially parallel to its row and each width is oriented substantially perpendicular to its row,
• centers of adjacent apertures within each row are separated by a first spacing which is equal to or between 2.5 and 4.5 times the average length of the apertures in that row, and
• adjacent rows are separated by a second spacing which is equal to or between 1.5 and 2.5 times the average width of the apertures of the adjacent rows.