Gas and liquid contacting process

A process of conducting a gas-liquid interaction with a heat effect in a first mass of fluid that comprises one or more fluid streams in a first processing zone under a first pressure P.sub.1 and providing a heat interaction between the first mass of fluid and a second mass of matter in a second processing zone under a second pressure through a metallic heat conducting wall, the process requiring to maintain a substantial pressure differential between the two processing zones and to enhance both the rate of mass transfer associated with the gas-liquid interaction and the rate of transferring heat to supply the heat needed in the interaction or to remove the heat released in the interaction, characterized in:

• (a) that the first processing zone is enclosed within a multitude of vertical processing conduits formed from two metal sheets, denoted respectively as A-sheet and B-sheet, by first forming strips of grooves on at least one sheet, say A-sheet, and then bonding the two metal sheets along the grooved regions to form a unitary assembly with an array of alternate and closely spaced strips of bonded regions and the multitude of void regions, the void regions becoming the vertical processing conduits, the bonded regions providing strength against the parting force developed by the pressure differential of the two processing zones, and that each processing conduit is provided with a nozzle means to apply a liquid film on the inner surface of the conduit, and that external fluid supply and fluid removal conduits are bonded along the upper and lower edges of said metal sheets;
• (b) that the process comprises:
• (1) a first step of applying a mass of liquid that is at least a portion of the first mass of fluid on the inner surface of each processing conduit to thereby form a falling liquid film on the surface, thereby providing a gas-liquid interface;
• (2) a second step of transferring heat between the first mass of fluid in the first processing zone and the second mass of matter in the second processing zone through the metal wall and the falling liquid film;
• (3) a third step of conducting the desired gas-liquid interaction on the gas-liquid interface provided by Step 1 upon meeting the heat effect requirement by the heat interaction provided by Step 2, the mass and heat transfer rates being enhanced by the formation of the falling liquid film inside of the processing conduits.