Provided herein are metal alloy components which are useful for the removal of impurities from alcohol-containing mixtures. Also provided herein are distillation apparatuses comprising the described metal alloy components, and methods for using said components and apparatuses for the removal of impurities from alcohol-containing mixtures.

A contact tray for use in a mass transfer column and having a tray deck for receiving a liquid stream and a plurality of valves distributed across the tray deck through which vapor ascends for interacting with the liquid stream. Each valve has an opening in the tray deck in the form of a central segment and extensions that extend outwardly from opposite ends of the central segment. The valves each include a valve body with a valve cover positioned in covering relationship above and extending outwardly beyond the opening and legs that are attached to the valve cover at recesses located at opposite ends of the valve cover. The legs extend downwardly through the extensions in the opening and include stops in portions of the legs positioned below the tray deck to permit limited vertical movement of the legs to allow the valve body to move between open and closed positions in response to ascending vapor pressure against an undersurface of the valve cover. Deflectors are positioned at opposite sides of the legs to restrict vapor passage around the legs.

A mass transfer column comprising: a shell (12); an open internal region (14) defined by said shell; and a mass transfer assembly (16) positioned in the open internal region (14), the mass transfer assembly (16) comprising: a dividing wall (18) forming first and second sub-regions; one or more zones of mass transfer structures positioned in the first and second sub-regions (22 and 24); and a liquid flow divider (48) positioned above the dividing wall (18) for delivering a volumetric split of liquid to the first and second sub-regions. The liquid flow divider (48) may comprise a moveable weir (68) or a valve (180) in order the change the ratio of liquid flow between the two sub-regions.

Present disclosure relates to a novel process for purification of lipid material for further use as such as, for example, a source of fuel of chemicals.

Multiple downcomer trays having increased active area for vapor-liquid contact and separation are described. The increased active area of the tray is achieved by adding raised bubble promoters surrounded by perforated vertical contactors on the tray deck. The bubble promoters and surrounding vertical contactors are located under the downcomers from the tray above. The bubble promoter and surrounding vertical contactor promote uniform fluid flow and contact.

The present disclosure relates to a valve tray for use in a chemical process column. The valve tray includes a plurality of apertures formed therein. A plurality of valves are maintained in a spaced relationship relative to individual apertures of the plurality of apertures. An area of the individual apertures is less than an area of individual valves of the plurality of valves.

The invention relates to a fluid collection device (8), in particular a support collector unit, for collecting fluid flowing through a packing (4) of a material exchange column (1). The fluid collection device (8) includes a support ring (11), a plurality of support profiles (12-16) secured to the support ring (11) for supporting the at least one packing (4), and a plurality of collection channels (19-21) secured to the support ring (11) for collecting the fluid. The collection channels (19-21) are positioned in parallel to the support profiles (12-16) and the support profiles (12-16) are arranged in such a way that they are each arranged in a no-flow area (40, 41) of one of the collection channels (19-21).

A mass transfer column comprising: a shell (12); an open internal region (14) defined by said shell; and a mass transfer assembly (16) positioned in the open internal region (14), the mass transfer assembly (16) comprising: a dividing wall (18) forming first and second sub-regions; one or more zones of mass transfer structures positioned in the first and second sub-regions (22 and 24); and a liquid flow divider (48) positioned above the dividing wall (18) for delivering a volumetric split of liquid to the first and second sub-regions. The liquid flow divider (48) may comprise a moveable weir (68) or a valve (180) in order the change the ratio of liquid flow between the two sub-regions.

A mass transfer assembly has at least one dividing wall, zones of mass transfer structures on opposite sides of the dividing wall, and a vapor flow restrictor that is operable to vary the split of vapor ascending through the zones of mass transfer structures on the opposite sides of the dividing wall.

A method for producing an epoxyalkane includes the step of separating a stream containing an epoxyalkane and an extracting agent in a separation column having a column kettle reboiler. A part of a stream in the column kettle of the separation column enters an extracting agent purifier and is treated to obtain a gas phase light fraction that returns to the separation column and a liquid phase heavy fraction that is subjected to a post-treatment. The method can be used in the industrial production of an epoxyalkane.