Patent ID: 6494440
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A gas-liquid contacting column comprising:a plurality of axially spaced trays, each tray comprising: two tray sections separated along a diametrical line on the tray; a plurality of parallel rectangular downcomers within the tray sections having a width and a length comprising: an upper half; an upper end in the upper half; a lower half; and, a bottom end in the lower half comprising a plurality of liquid discharge openings; wherein the downcomers extend from a diametrical line of the tray to a circumferential of the tray in such a manner wherein the ends of the downcomers of two tray sections are positioned along the diametrical line in an alternating manner; a plurality of liquid receiving areas positioned just below the downcomer of a consecutive tray just above; and, a bubble area between the downcomers and the liquid receiving areas, wherein the area of the liquid discharge openings per downcomer length as viewed from below and close to the diametrical line is less than the average area of the liquid discharge openings per downcomer length as viewed from below.