Structured packing
AssigneeThe BOG Group, Inc.
InventorsNancy Christine Irwin, Ramachandran Krishnamurthy, Kevin McKeigue
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A structured packing element comprises a plurality of corrugated sheets and one planar member positioned adjacent to each of the corrugated sheets. The planar member has a top edge and a bottom edge that are at least proximally aligned with the top and bottom edges respectively of the corrugated sheets. The planar member is further characterized by a middle portion having an open area percent that is higher than the open area percents of the top and bottom portions of the planar member. The structured packing element can be used to form structured packings for distillation applications.
Claims19
A structured packing element comprising:
- a plurality of perforated corrugated sheets each having a top edge and a bottom edge and corrugations characterized by a corrugation width;
- a planar member positioned adjacent to each said plurality of corrugated sheets;
- wherein said planar member comprises a top portion, a bottom portion and a middle portion, said top and bottom portions each having an open percent that is less than an open area percent of said middle portion, said top and bottom portions each having outermost edges that are at least proximally aligned with said top and bottom edges respectively of said perforated corrugated sheets.
A structured packing element comprising:
- a plurality of perforated corrugated sheets each having a top edge, a bottom edge, a height in a vertical direction, and corrugations characterized by a corrugation width;
- a planar member positioned adjacent to each of said plurality of perforated corrugated sheets;
- wherein said planar member comprises a top portion, a bottom portion and a middle portion, said top and bottom portions each having an open area percent less than about 20% and said middle portion having an open area percent at least about 50% and less than 100%, said top and bottom portions having outermost horizontal edges that are at least proximally aligned with said top and bottom edges respectively of said perforated corrugated sheets, and said top and bottom portions each has a height in a vertical direction that is at least about twice the corrugation width but not greater than about one-third of said height of said perforated corrugated sheets.
A structured packing for use in a distillation column, said structured packing comprising a plurality of structured packing elements, each of which comprises:
- a plurality of perforated corrugated sheets each having a height in a vertical direction, a top edge, a bottom edge and corrugations each characterized by a corrugation width;
- a planar member positioned adjacent to each of said plurality of corrugated sheets;
- wherein said planar member comprises a top portion, a bottom portion and a middle portion, said top and bottom portions each having an open area percent that is less than an open area percent of said middle portion, said top and bottom portions having outermost edges that are at least proximally aligned with said top and bottom edges respectively of said perforated corrugated sheets.
A method of cryogenically separating a fluid mixture within a distillation column operating at cryogenic temperatures, comprising:
- forming descending liquid and ascending gaseous phases of said fluid mixture within said distillation column;
- contacting said descending liquid and ascending gaseous phases of said fluid mixture within a structured packing contained within at least one section of said distillation column;
- said structured packing comprising a series of structured packing elements;
- wherein each of said structured packing elements comprises:
- a plurality of perforated corrugated sheets each having a height in a vertical direction, a top edge, a bottom edge and corrugations characterized by a corrugation width;
- a planar member positioned adjacent each of said plurality of corrugated sheets, said planar member comprises a top portion, a bottom portion and a middle portion, said top and bottom portions each having an open area percent that is less than an open area percent of said middle portion, and said top and bottom portions having outermost edges that are at least proximally aligned with said top and bottom edges of said perforated corrugated sheets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.