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US 6,475,349 B1Granted
Distillation column and method for promoting a uniform vapor flow
AssigneeThe BOC Group, Inc.
InventorsKevin McKeigue, Nancy Christine Irwin
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AssigneeThe BOC Group, Inc.
InventorsKevin McKeigue, Nancy Christine Irwin
Estimating the term…
A distillation column and method in which a plurality of beds of structured packing are provided within a column shell and are configured to contact liquid and vapor phases of the mixture to be distilled. At least one liquid redistributor is located between the beds of structured packing to redistribute the liquid of the liquid phase and an annular collector is located above the liquid distributor to direct liquid to the liquid distributor. The annular collector acs as a constriction to produce a central flow of the vapor phase which can result in decreased performance of overlying beds of structured packing. In order to overcome this potential problem, a truncated bed of structured packing is provided directly above the annular collector to promote a more uniform distribution of such central vapor flow in a transverse direction of the column shell. The truncated bed of structured packing is fabricated from layers of structured packing each having a height less than that of packing layers of overlying beds of structured packing.
A distillation column comprising:
A distillation column comprising:
A method of distillation comprising using a distillation column having beds of structured packing, at least one liquid redistributor located between beds of structured packing and an annular collector located above the at least one liquid redistributor to direct liquid to said at least one liquid redistributor, the annular collector having an inner open area that acts as a constriction to produce a central vapor flow of a vapor phase, providing a truncated bed of structured packing directly above said annular collector to promote a more uniform vapor flow through said distillation column, and introducing said vapor flow from said annular collector into said truncated bed of structured packing included in the beds of structured packing fabricated from layers of packing each having a height less than that of packing layers of an overlying bed of structured packing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.