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.

A tray for a mass-transfer column may allow contact between liquid and gas phases. The tray may comprises a tray inlet via which the tray is supplied with a liquid phase, a tray outlet via which the liquid phase flows out from the tray, first guide means for guiding the liquid phase where the first guide means forms a first flow path along which the liquid phase flows from the tray inlet to the tray outlet, an inlet for a temperature-control fluid, an outlet for the temperature-control fluid, and second guide means for guiding the temperature-control fluid for heat exchange with the liquid phase. The second guide means forms a second flow path that overlaps with the first flow path and leads from the inlet to the outlet. The temperature-control fluid flows along the second flow path in a direction opposite the flow direction of the liquid phase.

A gas-distributing tray (20) and a column for exchange of heat and/or of material between a gas and a liquid containing the tray, and use of the tray, the tray having several protruding chimneys (80) which are substantially parallelepipedal and parallel to one another over a portion (21) of the upper face of the tray for the exclusive passage of the gas (g) through the tray and a zone for collecting the liquid (90) having two diametrically opposite weirs (91, 92) for collecting the liquid (l) on the tray. The chimneys each have an element for distribution of the gas (82) partially overlapping the zone for collecting the liquid.

A contact tray for use in a mass transfer or heat exchange column and having a tray deck with an inlet area and a remotely positioned outlet for respectively receiving liquid on the tray deck and then removing the liquid after it has flowed across the tray deck and interacted with another fluid on and above the tray deck. A plurality of barriers are positioned between the inlet area and the outlet. The barriers each have spaced-apart pickets and openings in the spacing between adjacent ones of the pickets. The pickets impede the flow of the liquid and increase the upstream liquid loading on the tray deck as the liquid flows from the inlet area, through the openings, and then into the outlet. At low liquid flow rates, this increase in the liquid loading may significantly increase the vapor handling capacity of the tray.

Gas/liquid separation column, containing a device for dispensing a liquid, intended for a gas/liquid separation column, comprising: a plate, in which several orifices are arranged, through which the liquid is able to leave the dispensing device; a plurality of stacks extending from the plate, each stack being configured to be followed by the gas; a plurality of plugging means respectively arranged at one end of one of the stacks, each plugging means having a gutter shape allowing a first portion of the liquid to be collected; a plurality of troughs for directly collecting a second portion of the liquid, at least one part of the orifices being distributed in the base of said troughs, each plugging means comprising a first open longitudinal end and a second closed longitudinal end.

A high capacity and high efficiency co-current and cross-flow vapor-liquid contacting apparatus and process is useful in distillation columns and other vapor-liquid contacting processes. The apparatus is characterized by an arrangement of offset contacting modules in horizontal stages. The modules define a co-current contacting volume and in an exemplary configuration the modules include a liquid distributor and a demister. Half modules comprise downcomers against the shell of the vessel for transporting liquid to the subjacent stage.

A distillation column and tray assembly is disclosed herein. The distillation column includes a removable inner tray assembly with adjustable downcomer tubes. The removable tray assembly enables the user to selectively change distillation plates when so removed. When removed, a distiller or brewer may adjust the downcomer tubes to change the fluid level on the distillation plates, or bypass certain distillation plates completely. Certain embodiments of the invention include a feature of an O-ring recessed around a perimeter of the plates permitting a tight seal and reducing manufacturing costs.

The present invention relates to a gas-redirecting device presenting an upper plane and a plurality of gas-redirecting tubes comprising an inlet end and an outlet end. For each gas-redirecting tube, the orthogonal projections of the inlet end and the outlet end onto the upper plane have an over-lapping area of at most 50% of the total area of the upper plane covered by the orthogonal projections. Also provided is a liquid-gas contacting column comprising a gas-redirecting device, a floating support comprising a liquid-gas contacting column, at least two packed beds and a method for improving the efficiency of a liquid-gas contacting column which is based on redirecting the gas from a wetted zone of a lower packed bed to a wetted zone of the higher packed bed.

An apparatus and process doubles the number of trays in a single fractionation column. A dividing wall is used to isolate a first side from a second side and fractionation on trays on each side is independent of the other. A transition vapor stream is ducted from a top of a first side to the bottom of the second side, and a transition liquid stream is ducted from a bottom of the second side to the top of the first side.

An apparatus and process doubles the number of trays in a single fractionation column. A dividing wall is used to isolate a first side from a second side and fractionation on trays on each side is independent of the other. A transition vapor stream is ducted from a top of a first side to the bottom of the second side, and a transition liquid stream is ducted from a bottom of the second side to the top of the first side.