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.

The present invention is related a square packed tower for collection of flue gas CO.sub.2. The square packed tower comprises an initial absorbent distributor on the lower end of the flue gas outlet, a vertical plate packer on the lower end of the initial absorbent distributor and a radial diversion gas distributor at the bottom of the square packed tower for delivery of carbon dioxide contained in the flue gas. The radial diversion gas distributor comprises a gas inlet pipe, a butterfly base plate, a butterfly seal plate and numerous radial deflectors. The butterfly base plate is connected with outlet of the gas inlet pipe. The radial deflectors are in radial arrangement between the butterfly base plate and butterfly seal plate along the outlet of gas inlet pipe.

The invention relates to an absorber column and to the use thereof for separation of unwanted, especially acidic, gas constituents, for example carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, from a crude synthesis gas by absorption with an absorbent, especially under low load states of the absorber column in relation to the synthesis gas velocity. According to the invention, a defined concentration of carbon dioxide in the clean synthesis gas is established by mixing at least a portion of the absorbent regenerated by flash regeneration with the absorbent regenerated by means of hot regeneration prior to the recycling thereof into the absorber column.

The invention relates to a distributor tray (100) for a column for contact between a gas (G) and a liquid (L), comprising a plurality of compartments defined on one face of the tray by secant partitions (104) which are perforated (105) to allow the flow of liquid between adjacent compartments. Each compartment comprises at least one means for the passage of the liquid through the tray or a chimney (102) projecting from the tray for the exclusive passage of said gas (G) through the tray. The shape of the chimney is identical to the shape of the compartment containing it, and the chimney has an internal volume at least equal to the volume of the compartment containing it.

A rotor for rotating packed bed units (RPBs) is described. The rotor comprises a first plate and a second plate. The rotor further comprises a plurality of sets of rings concentrically interposed between the first plate and the second plate. Each set of rings comprises a plurality of rings are arranged cylindrically. Further, each ring comprises a plurality of packing elements. The rotor further comprises at least one metallic ring interposed between the plurality of sets of rings.

A vapor/smoke capturing trap system featuring a smoke chamber trap for precipitating the smoke dispersed in the chamber. The chamber includes a bottom pool for containing a reservoir of a liquid solvent, and a gas filled portion in which a lower smog portion contains fog-sized droplets of the liquid solvent and into which the smoke is introduced, and an upper clear portion in which the concentration of the smoke and the droplets is decreased, respective of their concentration in the smog portion. A fog-condenser, disposed between the smog portion and the clear portion, precipitates the fog droplets of the smog portion into the pool. A fine mist generator streams a jet of fog-sized droplets of the liquid solvent mixed with smoke toward a concentration of the smoke at the smog portion. A closed loop gas circulator withdraws gas from the clear portion and recirculates the gas under pressure through the fine mist generator into the smog portion. Fresh smoke is introduced into the gas circulator via a smoke conveying conduit. A complementary smoke capturing method includes filling the reservoir, streaming the jet of fog-sized droplets toward a concentration of smoke dispersed within the lower smog portion of the gas filled portion, precipitating droplets, in the smog portion, into the pool by a fog-condenser disposed between the lower smog portion and the upper clear portion of the gas filled portion, recirculating under pressure, in a closed loop gas circulator, gas withdrawn from the clear portion into the smog portion through the fine mist generator, and conducting fresh smoke via smoke conveying conduit into the gas circulator.

Configurations and related processing schemes of direct or indirect inter-plants heating systems (or both) synthesized for grassroots medium grade crude oil semi-conversion refineries to increase energy efficiency from specific portions of low grade waste heat sources are described. Configurations and related processing schemes of direct or indirect inter-plants heating systems (or both) synthesized for integrated medium grade crude oil semi-conversion refineries and aromatics complex for increasing energy efficiency from specific portions of low grade waste sources are also described.

A two-stage liquid distribution device for use within an internal region of a mass transfer column to distribute liquid to an underlying mass transfer bed. The two-stage liquid distribution device includes a lower distributor with a lower parting box and lower troughs and an upper distributor with an upper parting box and upper troughs. The lower and upper parting boxes and troughs are enclosed to allow a liquid head in a lower downpipe section and an upper downpipe section that feed liquid to the lower distributor and the upper distributor to cause pressurization of liquid within the lower and upper parting boxes and troughs. The pressurization makes the lower and upper distributors less susceptible to rocking motion of the mass transfer column and reduces any maldistribution of liquid discharged from the lower and upper troughs to the mass transfer bed.

The invention is a tray 2 for a column for heat and/or matter exchange between a gas and a liquid, comprising at least one chimney 4 projecting from the upper part of tray 2 for exclusive passage of the gas through the tray, at least one means 5 enabling passage of the liquid through tray 2 and the inside of at least one of the chimneys providing exclusive gas passage being provided with a material dispersive towards said gas. The invention also relates to an exchange column comprising such a distributor tray and to the use of such a column.

Embodiments described herein relate to systems, devices, and methods for uptake of CO.sub.2 from ambient air. In some aspects, a device can include a platform with a top portion and a bottom portion, an elevation mechanism configured to move the platform vertically, a plurality of orifices defined by the top portion of the platform, the plurality of orifices configured to dispense liquid toward a tray, and an actuator configured to move laterally along a bottom side of the top portion of the platform, the actuator configured to urge the tray to move laterally. In some embodiments, the bottom portion can support the tray as the tray moves laterally. In some embodiments, the elevation mechanism can include at least one of a chain or a linear actuator driven by a motor.