Patent ID: 9671173
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: B01D,F28B,F28D,F28F

Claim:
1. An apparatus for vapor-liquid contacting, comprising a vertically oriented column having disposed therein a plurality of condenser tubes; an upper section of the vertically oriented column configured for receiving vapor rising upwardly from a lower contacting section of the column; a vapor flow-directing device disposed within the column and having a vapor inlet above at least a co-current contacting section of the tubes and defining a vapor-liquid disengagement volume, wherein the vapor inlet is in fluid communication with the upper section of the column for redirecting at least a portion of the vapor rising in the upper section downwardly through the co-current contacting section of the tubes; a non-condensed vapor outlet external to the column and in communication with the vapor-liquid disengagement volume; a condensed liquid outlet internal to the column and in communication with the vapor-liquid disengagement volume; and a divider plate extending into the vapor flow-directing device and dividing the co-current contacting section of the tubes, in a contacting volume, from a disengagement section of the tubes, in the vapor-liquid disengagement volume, wherein the divider plate extends substantially vertically and wherein: the condenser tubes extend substantially horizontally and each include a U-bend portion; and the U-bend portions of the condenser tubes are located in the disengagement section.