Patent ID: 6293528
Filing Date: 2001-09-25
Classification: B01D,B01J

Abstract:
A vapor-liquid contacting apparatus comprising:(a) a vertical enclosed column (1) having a circular cross section, an upper first end (20) and a lower second end (21);(b) a plurality of evenly spaced-apart fractionation trays including a pair of vertically spaced apart fractionation trays (2), comprising a lower first and an upper second tray, with the trays being substantially planar and extending horizontally across substantially all of the cross-sectional area of the column (1), and with the trays (2) having perforations (15) evenly distributed across decking sections (5) of the tray (2), which decking sections are devoid of downcomers (12,6); and,(c) a layer comprising low surface area structured grid packing (3) supported by and resting upon an uppermost part of the first tray (2) the first tray (2) of said pair of fractionation trays, with the layer of structured grid packing (3) extending upward toward the second tray for a distance equal to from about one-tenth to about three-quarters of the vertical distance between the first and second trays with the low surface area structured grid packing comprising bent blades (8) having inclined surfaces.