Vapor-liquid contacting
AssigneeMerix Corporation
InventorThomas W. Mix
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Vapor-liquid contacting in apparatus of the cross-flow type featuring, in various aspects, baffles extending generally in the direction of liquid flow across the tray to reduce the amplitude of small wavelength vertical liquid oscillations, increased column throughput, reduced column stage height, reduced liquid flow rate, a flow resistance at the underside of the tray to reduce pressure coupling between the underside of the tray and the main volume of vapor beneath the tray, liquid de-entrainment with an impingement type separator mounted above the tray, vapor de-entrainment with a special porous separator, an improved froth initiator, and special baffle constructions.
Claims67
In a vapor-liquid contacting process comprising supplying vapor through an orificed tray in a contacting and separating stage of the cross-flow type having vapor and liquid inlets thereto, wherein said tray is mounted in effective communication with both said inlets to permit vapor to rise through said tray to contact said liquid thereabove and produce a two phase dispersion of vapor and liquid supported on said tray, and wherein the maximum permissible throughput of vapor through said stage is limited by a flooding point associated with said stage, that improvement comprising
- raising said flooding point by providing a multiplicity of spaced, generally vertical baffles above said tray, said baffles extending generally in the direction of liquid flow across said tray and being sufficiently close together to substantially reduce the amplitude of vertical oscillations in said dispersion having a wavelength which is small relative to the width of said tray, said tray being orificed between each pair of said baffles, and
- increasing the superficial vapor velocity through said stage to a value corresponding to vapor throughput exceeding said maximum permissible throughput associated with said stage in the absence of said baffles.
In a vapor-liquid contacting apparatus of the cross-flow type having a column housing and at least one contact stage in said housing, said apparatus including liquid and vapor inlets to said stage and an orificed tray mounted in effective communication with both said inlets to permit vapor to rise through said tray to contact said liquid thereabove and produce a two phase dispersion of vapor and liquid supported on said tray, and wherein the minimum permissible effective height of said stage is limited by a flooding point associated with said stage, that improvement wherein
- a multiplicity of spaced, generally vertical baffles are arranged above said tray, said baffles extending generally in the direction of liquid flow across said tray and being sufficiently close together to raise said flooding point by substantially reducing the amplitude of vertical oscillations in said dispersion having a wavelength which is small relative to the width of said tray, and
- the effective height of said stage is less than said minimum permissible height associated with said stage in the absence of said baffles
- wherein said baffles are corrugated to provide liquid flow channels sloping downwardly and in the direction of liquid flow across the tray.
In a vapor-liquid contacting process comprising supplying vapor through an orificed tray in a contacting and separating stage of the cross-flow type having vapor and liquid inlets thereto, wherein said tray is mounted in effective communication with both said inlets to permit vapor to rise through said tray to contact liquid thereabove and produce a two phase dispersion of vapor and liquid supported on said tray, and wherein the liquid flow rate along said tray has an effective lower limit related to the rate of liquid entrainment associated with vapor flow through said stage, that improvement comprising
- reducing said lower limit by providing a multiplicity of spaced, generally vertical baffles above said tray, said baffles extending generally in the direction of liquid flow across said tray and being sufficiently close together to substantially reduce the amplitude of vertical oscillations in said dispersion having a wavelength which is small relative to the width of said tray, and
- reducing the rate of liquid flow along said tray to below said limit associated with said stage in the absence of said baffles.
In a vapor-liquid contacting apparatus of the cross-flow type having a column housing and at least one contact stage in said housing, said apparatus including liquid and vapor inlets to said stage and an orificed tray mounted in effective communication with both said inlets to permit vapor to rise through said tray to contact said liquid thereabove and produce a two phase dispersion of vapor and liquid supported on said tray, and wherein the minimum permissible vapor velocity through said tray is limited by a dumping point associated with said stage, that improvement comprising
- a multiplicity of spaced, generally vertical baffles above said tray, said baffles extending generally in the direction of liquid flow across said tray and being sufficiently close together to substantially reduce the amplitude of vertical oscillations in said dispersion having a wavelength which is small relative to the width of said tray, and
- means mounted beneath said tray to form a flow resistance that is substantially uniform across the entire orificed area of said tray and is sufficiently close to the underside of said tray and the main volume of vapor beneath said tray, whereby said minimum permissible vapor velocity and said dumping point are correspondingly lowered.
In a vapor-liquid contacting apparatus of the cross-flow type having a column housing and at least one contact stage in said housing, said apparatus including liquid and vapor inlets to said stage and an orificed tray mounted in effective communication with both said inlets to permit vapor to rise through said tray to contact said liquid thereabove and produce a two phase dispersion of vapor and liquid supported on said tray, that improvement comprising
- an impingement type separator mounted about said tray in the path of vapor passing to the stage above, said separator having its major surfaces tilted at 45.degree.-75.degree. to the horizontal and extending generally parallel to the direction of liquid flow along the tray.
In a vapor-liquid apparatus of the cross-flow type having a column housing and at least one contact stage in said housing, said apparatus including a vapor inlet and a liquid downcomer to said stage and an orificed tray mounted in effective communication with said vapor inlet and said downcomer to permit vapor to rise through said tray to contact said liquid thereabove and produce a two phase dispersion of vapor and liquid supported on said tray, that improvement comprising
- a porous medium mounted in said downcomer to de-entrain vapor from liquid passing therethrough.
In a vapor-liquid contacting apparatus of the cross-flow type having a column housing and at least one contact stage in said housing, said apparatus including liquid and vapor inlets to said stage and an orificed tray mounted in effective communication with both said inlets to permit vapor to rise through said tray to contact said liquid thereabove and produce a two phase dispersion of vapor and liquid supported on said tray,
- that improvement comprising a multiplicity of spaced, generally vertical baffles extending generally in the direction of liquid flow across said tray and being sufficiently close together to substantially reduce the amplitude of vertical oscillations in said dispersion having a wavelength which is small relative to the width of said tray, said baffles being corrugated to provide liquid flow channels sloping downwardly and in the direction of liquid flow across the tray.
In a vapor-liquid contacting process comprising supplying vapor through an orificed tray in a contacting and separating stage of the cross-flow type having vapor and liquid inlets thereto, wherein said tray is mounted in effective communication with both said inlets to permit vapor to rise through said tray to contact said liquid thereabove and produce a two phase dispersion of vapor and liquid supported on said tray, and wherein the maximum permissible throughput of vapor through said stage is limited by a flooding point associated with said stage, that improvement comprising
- raising said flooding point by providing an impingement type separator mounted above said tray in the path of vapor passing to the stage above, said separator having its major surfaces tilted at 45.degree.-75.degree. to the horizontal and extending generally parallel to the direction of liquid flow along the tray, and
- increasing the superficial vapor velocity through said stage to a value corresponding to vapor throughput exceeding said maximum permissible throughput associated with said stage in the absence of said separator.
In a vapor-liquid contacting apparatus of the cross-flow type having a column housing and at least one contact stage in said housing;
- said apparatus including liquid and vapor inlets to said stage and an orificed tray mounted in effective communication with both said inlets to permit vapor to rise through said tray to contact said liquid thereabove and produce a two phase dispersion of vapor and liquid supported on said tray, and wherein the minimum permissible effective height of said stage is limited by a flooding point associated with said stage, that improvement wherein
- an impingement type separator is mounted above said tray in the path of vapor passing to the stage above, said separator having its major surfaces tilted at 45.degree.-75.degree. to the horizontal and extending generally parallel to the direction of liquid flow along the tray, and
- the effective height of said stage is less than said minimum permissible height associated with said stage in the absence of said separator.
In a vapor-liquid contacting process comprising supplying vapor through an orificed tray in a contacting and separating stage of the cross-flow type having vapor and liquid inlets thereto, wherein said tray is mounted in effective communication with both said inlets to permit vapor to rise through said tray to contact liquid thereabove and produce a two phase dispersion of vapor and liquid supported on said tray, and wherein the liquid flow rate along said tray has an effective lower limit related to the rate of liquid entrainment associated with vapor flow through said stage, that improvement comprising
- reducing said lower limit by providing an impingement type separator mounted above said tray in the path of vapor passing to the stage above, said separator having its major surfaces tilted at 45.degree.-75.degree. to the horizontal and extending generally parallel to the direction of liquid flow along the tray, and
- reducing the rate of liquid flow along said tray to below said limit associated with said stage in the absence of said separator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.