Structured packing and use thereof
AssigneeAir Products and Chemicals, Inc.
InventorsVincent White, Mohammad Ali Kalbassi, Brian Waldie, Jonathan Wilson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
At least one section of structured packing where the length of the section is about 1 m to about 6 m; and where the specific surface area of the structured packing of the section is greater than 500 m2/m3, is used in a vapour/liquid contact column operating in locations where environmental conditions adversely affect steady state operation of the column to reduce maldistribution of liquid in the column under motion. The structured packing section has particular application offshore on a buoyant platform where tilt of the column out of vertical alignment due to the rolling motion of the platform can significantly affect the efficiency of the column.
Claims13
A method of operating at least one section of structured packing in a countercurrent vapour/liquid contact column to reduce maldistribution of a liquid in the countercurrent vapour/liquid contact column under sway motion conditions of ±3° tilt from the vertical, the method which comprises the steps of:
- providing the countercurrent vapour/liquid contact column under a sway motion of ±3° tilt from the vertical;
- providing a liquid to the countercurrent vapour/liquid contact column;
- and
- using as the at least one section of structured packing a section having a length of about 1 m to about 6 m and a specific surface area of about 600 m2/m3 to about 1500 m2/m3, wherein the at least one section of structured packing used in the countercurrent vapour/liquid contact column reduces maldistribution of the liquid and increases the efficiency of the countercurrent vapour/liquid contact column compared to a countercurrent vapour/liquid contact column under a sway motion of ±3° tilt from the vertical using structured packing with a specific surface area of less than 500 m2/m3.
A buoyant platform for supporting an offshore oil or natural gas processing facility, wherein the platform comprises at least one countercurrent vapour/liquid contact column subject to a sway motion of ±3° tilt from the vertical, and wherein the at least one countercurrent vapour/liquid contact column comprises at least one section of structured packing, the at least one section being characterised in that:
- (a) the length of the section is from about 1 m to about 6 m;
- and
- (b) the specific surface area of the structured packing of the section is about 600 m2/m3 to about 1500 m2/m3,
- wherein the at least one section of structured packing reduces maldistribution of a liquid and increases the efficiency of the countercurrent vapour/liquid contact column compared to a countercurrent vapour/liquid contact column under a sway motion of ±3° tilt from the vertical utilizing structured packing with a specific surface area of less than 500 m2/m3.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.