Distributor for liquid-gas contact column and method of preparation and use

A liquid distributor apparatus for use in a gas-liquid contact column to distribute uniformly a downwardly flowing liquid across the cross section area of the contact tower to the lower levels and to permit the passage of an upwardly flowing gas, which apparatus comprises:

• (a) a plurality of spaced apart, generally parallel liquid distributor means to distribute a liquid, the distributor means having sidewalls, the sidewalls containing a plurality of orifices therein, said orifices generally of defined size, spacing and position to permit the uniform distribution of a downwardly flowing liquid from the distributing means, to pass through said orifices at a defined liquid level in the distributor means;
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• (b) a secondary trough means on either side of the distributor means to distribute liquid from the liquid distributor means, said secondary trough means comprising a deflection plate spaced apart from and generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the distributor means, said deflection plate having an upper section and a lower section, and which means comprises a support plate secured at the one end to said deflection plate and dividing the deflection plate into an upper and lower section, and secured at the other end to the distributor means;
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• (i) the wall surface of the upper plate section disposed to receive and deflect liquid issuing from said orifices of the distributing means;
• (ii) the support plate or the lower portion of the upper section of the deflection plate, or both, characterized by a plurality of generally uniform first openings therein, said openings generally adjacent the intersection of the deflection plate and support plate, and which first openings permit the downward flow of deflected, liquid from said openings onto the interior or exterior wall surface of the lower plate section;
• (iii) a plurality of second openings in the support plate, said second openings having a larger surface area than the first openings, and said second openings being generally adjacent the other end of the bottom plate and the distributor means, said second openings to permit the upward flow of vapor therethrough;
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• (iv) the lower plate section having a plurality of generally serrated drip points extending along the lower edge of the plate section whereby the surface of the lower plate section receives the downward flowing liquid from the first openings, and the liquid is spread over the lower plate wall surface and the serrated drip points to generally uniformly distribute the liquid from said drip points through the next lower section of the gas-liquid contact column.

A method of distributing a downwardly flowing liquid in a gas-liquid contact column generally uniformly across the cross sectional area of said column, and to permit the upward flow of vapor, which method comprises:

• (a) introducing a liquid into a liquid distributor within a gas-liquid column;
• (b) discharging the liquid from the liquid distributor at a defined level from orifices in the liquid distributor;
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• (c) distributing the discharged liquid from the orifices from a plurality of distributing points to a lower portion of the column, the improvement which comprises:
• (i) deflecting the discharged liquid issuing from said orifices by splashing the liquid against the wall surface of a deflection plate generally spaced apart from the orifices;
• (ii) securing the deflection plate in a spaced apart position from the liquid distributor by a support plate and passing the gas upwardly through openings in the support plate;
• (iii) flowing the splashed liquid from the deflection plate through a plurality of openings in either the deflection plate or the support plate which are adjacent the intersection of the plates to permit the liquid to flow downwardly over a wall surface of the deflection plate;
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• (iv) distributing the spread liquid on the lower portion of the deflection plate surface to the lower level of the deflection plate and from a plurality of distribution points on the lower edge of the deflection plate to the lower portion of the gas-liquid column.