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.

A bubble cap for a distillation plate is provided. The bubble cap includes a substantially annular plate including an inner surface defining a first opening and substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces through which a plurality of second openings pass. The bubble cap further includes a cap assembly extending upwardly from the substantially annular plate and defining a cavity above the first opening for receiving a distillation plate riser.

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.

Disclosed is a vapor splitter including: a chimney tray dividing an internal space of a housing into an upper space and a lower space; a chimney provided on the chimney tray to enable the upper space and the lower space to communicate with each other; a cap covering the chimney with a gap therebetween such that a gas discharge hole is formed so that gas, coming out through the chimney, can be transferred to the upper space through the gas discharge hole; a liquid feeding unit for feeding liquid to the upper space; and a liquid discharging unit for discharging the liquid out of the upper space. The size of the gas discharge hole is adjusted by controlling the height of the liquid collected on the chimney. Further disclosed is a method of adjusting a vapor split ratio using the vapor splitter.

The disclosure includes techniques associated with a collector tray assembly for a cryogenic distillation tower disposed below a slurry mix zone and above a lower distillation zone, wherein the collector tray assembly comprises a deck at a lower end of the slurry mix zone, and wherein the deck comprises at least one vapor riser configured to pass the vapor from the lower distillation zone into the slurry mix zone, wherein the vapor riser comprises a substantially vertical heat transfer section configured to pass the vapor substantially upwards through the slurry mix zone, and a vapor outlet section comprising at least one vapor outlet, wherein the vapor outlet section is below the heat transfer section.

A distillation system includes a pot and a rectification column. Vapor is produced in the pot and the rectification column receives the vapor from the pot. The rectification column includes a first plate, a first ring, and a fluid distribution system. The first plate is positioned within the rectification column. The first ring is positioned within the rectification column. The first ring includes a first plurality of apertures. The fluid distribution system receives a pressurized cleaning fluid and provides the pressurized cleaning fluid to the first ring such that the pressurized cleaning fluid is propelled from the first ring via the first plurality of apertures into the rectification column. At least some of the first plurality of apertures are configured to cause the pressurized cleaning fluid propelled therefrom to contact the first plate.

A hybrid contact tray for a mass transfer column is provided. The contact tray includes a tray deck for passage of liquid along a liquid flow path thereon. The tray deck has a plurality of orifices for passage of ascending vapor through the tray deck, a cross-current vapor-liquid mixing section having a first portion of the plurality of orifices, and a co-current vapor-liquid mixing section including at least one co-current mixing device associated with a second portion of the plurality of orifices. The tray deck also has features capable of altering liquid head levels with respect to the plurality of orifices such that the liquid head level within the co-current vapor-liquid mixing section is greater than the liquid head level within the cross-current vapor-liquid mixing section.

A multiple downcomer tray and a tray column comprising the same are provided. The multiple downcomer tray comprises: a tray body; at least one anti-jump plate disposed on the tray body to divide the tray body into at least two sections; and at least two downcomer assemblies disposed corresponding to the at least two sections respectively, in which each of the at least two downcomer assemblies comprises at least one tray floor, at least one downcomer and at least one liquid receiving pan which are disposed parallel to each other, and the liquid receiving pan and the downcomer are positioned at two sides of the tray floor respectively.

The present invention relates to a column (1) for thermal treatment of fluid mixtures, having a cylindrical, vertically aligned column body (2) which forms a column cavity (3), having a sequence of vertically spaced-apart dual-flow mass transfer trays (8) which are mounted in the column cavity (3) and which have orifices for passage of liquid and gas in countercurrent, and having at least one gas entry orifice (5) disposed below the lowermost of the sequence of dual-flow mass transfer trays (8). It is a characteristic feature of the column of the invention that a gas distribution tray (9) which is disposed between the lowermost of the sequence of dual-flow mass transfer trays (8) and the gas entry orifice (5) has orifices (32) for vertical passage of gas which can be introduced into the column cavity (3) via the gas entry orifice (5), the orifices (32) being formed so as to bring about equal gas distribution over the column cross section. The invention further relates to a process for thermal treatment of fluid mixtures in such a column (1).

The present invention relates to a chimney tray (3) for a column (1) for thermal treatment of fluid mixtures, comprising a collecting tray (4) and at least two chimneys (5-1, 5-2) spaced apart horizontally in the collecting tray (4), where each chimney (5-1, 5-2) forms a vertically aligned chimney body (6-1, 6-2) which forms a passage orifice (7-1, 7-2) through the collecting tray (4), and has a cover unit (8-1, 8-2) arranged spaced apart from the chimney body (6-1, 6-2), and where the cover unit (8-1, 8-2) covers the respective passage orifices (7-1, 7-2) in the vertical direction. The chimney tray (3) of the invention is characterized by a screen (9) which extends around the chimney body (6-1) of a first chimney (5-1), with the lower annular edge (14) of the screen (9) below the upper edge (13) of the chimney body (6-1) of the first chimney (5-1) and the upper annular edge (11) of the screen (9) above the lower outer edge (12) of the cover unit (8-1) of the first chimney (5-1) or adjoining the lower outer edge (12) of the cover unit (8-1) of the first chimney (5-1).