Vapor/liquid separation apparatus

A vapor/liquid separation apparatus comprising:

• (a) a vertical drum having an upper cap section, a middle section comprising a circular wall, and a lower cap section;
• (b) an overhead vapor outlet attached to said upper cap section;
• (c) at least one tangential inlet for a feedstream in the circular wall of said middle section providing an annular flow along the inside of the wall;
• and
• (d) a boot of less diameter than said middle section, said boot comprising:
• (1) an upper portion communicating with said lower cap section,
• (2) a middle portion comprising a gas-liquid contact surface, wherein said gas-liquid contact surface is sufficient to provide at least 20% of a theoretical distillation stage and wherein at least a portion of said gas-liquid contact surface is provided by at least one distillation tray comprising i) a bottom which comprises at least one passage for admitting vapor upward to the tray, and ii) a weir over which liquid can spill, extending from and above said bottom, and wherein said middle portion comprises a side inlet for introducing a feedstream to said distillation tray, located at a level above the weir of said distillation tray,
• (3) a lower portion for receiving liquid and holding it at a liquid level, which further comprises a lower outlet for removing said liquid and an inlet for introducing a stripping gas into said boot below said gas-liquid contact surface.

A vapor/liquid separation apparatus comprising:

• (a) a vertical drum having an upper cap section, a middle section comprising a circular wall, and a lower cap section;
• (b) an overhead vapor outlet attached to said upper cap section;
• (c) at least one tangential inlet for a feedstream in the circular wall of said middle section providing an annular flow along the inside of the wall;
• and
• (d) a boot of less diameter than said middle section, said boot comprising:
• (1) an upper portion communicating with said lower cap section,
• (2) a middle portion comprising a gas-liquid contact surface,
• (3) a lower portion for receiving liquid and holding it at a liquid level, which further comprises a lower outlet for removing said liquid and an inlet for introducing a stripping gas into said boot below said gas-liquid contact surface,
• the apparatus further comprising at least one perforated baffle lacking perforations in its center section area, located at a lower part of said middle section providing a surface slanting downwardly from the center of said drum toward the circular wall and providing a gap between said baffle and said circular wall for directing liquid drops along or near the circular wall to said lower cap section.

A vapor/liquid separation apparatus comprising:

• (a) a vertical drum having an upper cap section, a middle section comprising a circular wall, and a lower cap section;
• (b) an overhead vapor outlet attached to said upper cap section;
• (c) at least one tangential inlet for a feedstream in the circular wall of said middle section providing an annular flow along the inside of the wall;
• and
• (d) a boot of less diameter than said middle section, said boot comprising:
• (1)an upper portion communicating with said lower cap section,
• (2)a middle portion comprising a gas-liquid contact surface,
• (3) a lower portion for receiving liquid and holding it at a liquid level, which further comprises an inlet for introducing a cooled liquid for quenching, a lower outlet for removing said liquid and an inlet for introducing a stripping gas into said boot below said gas-liquid contact surface.