Patent ID: 6110326
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: B01D,B01J,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for operating a column to facilitate mass transfer between liquid and vapor streams flowing through the column and to effect catalytic reaction of the liquid stream concurrently with said lass transfer, comprising: providing a column containing a plurality of vertically spaced apart distillation structures, each of said distillation structure comprising a horizontally elongated container sized to fill a substantial portion of a horizontal cross section of the column and comprising an upper surface across which said liquid stream is able to flow, a lower surface, spaced below said upper surface, and a catalyst bed retained between said upper and lower surfaces, said upper and lower surfaces being permeable to the downward flow of said liquid stream, said container further comprising a plurality of passages substantially free of catalyst and extending through the upper surface catalyst bed and lower surface, of the container to allow upward passage of the vapor stream through the container, each of said passages being formed by an outer wall that defines a vapor flow path having a preselected horizontal cross-sectional area; supplying a liquid stream to one of said distillation structures and flowing said liquid stream along the upper surface of the associated container; directing a first portion of the flowing liquid stream downwardly through said container and catalyst bed for catalytic reaction to form a reaction product; directing a second portion of said flowing liquid stream from the associated container downwardly through a downcomer to an underlying distillation structure without passing through said catalyst bed, flowing at least part of said first and second portions of the liquid stream across the upper surface of the container of the underlying distillation structure after passage of said first portion downwardly through said catalyst bed and passage of the second portion downwardly through the downcomer; and directing a vapor stream upwardly through said passages in the containers for interaction and mass transfer with the liquid stream on the upper surfaces of the containers.