Use of downcomer beam to support adjacent cross flow trays within a mass transfer column and process involving same
AssigneeKoch-Glitsch, LP
InventorsDarran Matthew Headley, David R. Ewy, Gary W. Gage
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Cross flow trays in a mass transfer column are provided with downcomers having one or more walls that extend from a tray deck of one the cross flow trays to an elevation below a tray deck of an underlying one of the cross flow trays. The downcomer walls are connected to and provide structural support for the tray decks of the cross flow trays.
Claims20
An upper cross flow tray paired with a lower cross flow tray for facilitating interaction between fluid streams in a mass transfer column, said upper and lower cross flow trays each having a tray deck with apertures and a downcomer, at least one of said downcomers comprising a wall extending downwardly from a tray deck of one of said upper and lower cross flow trays to below the tray deck of the other one of said upper and lower cross flow trays, wherein said wall is connected to and provides structural support for both of said tray decks.
A mass transfer column comprising a shell and an open internal region in which a plurality of pairs of horizontally-extending upper cross flow trays and lower cross flow trays are positioned in vertically spaced-apart relationship, said upper and lower cross flow trays each having a tray deck with apertures and a downcomer, at least one of said downcomers comprising a chordal wall extending downwardly from a tray deck of one of said upper and lower cross flow trays to below the tray deck of an underlying one of said upper and lower cross flow trays and discharge openings positioned in said wall at a location to permit liquid to pass through said discharge openings and onto said tray deck of the underlying one of said upper and lower cross flow trays, wherein said wall is connected to and provides structural support for said tray deck of said one of said upper and lower cross flow trays and said tray deck of said underlying one of said upper and lower cross flow trays.
A method of supporting tray decks of cross flow trays in a mass transfer column using a downcomer positioned on one of said cross flow trays and having a chordal wall that extends downwardly from said one of said cross flow trays to below an underlying one of said cross flow trays, said method comprising the steps of securing an upper margin of the wall to the tray deck of said one of said cross flow trays along all or substantially all of the chordal length of the wall and securing a lower margin of the wall to the tray deck of an underlying one of said cross flow trays along all or substantially all of the chordal length of the wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.