Patent ID: 6076813
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A vapor-liquid contact tray comprising:a tray deck having an opening for removing liquid from an upper surface of the tray deck and a plurality of apertures for allowing vapor to flow upwardly through the tray deck;an upstream downcomer extending downwardly at said opening in the tray deck and having an upper inlet to receive at least a portion of the liquid entering said opening from the tray deck and a lower discharge outlet through which liquid exits the upstream downcomer;a downstream downcomer extending downwardly at said opening in the tray deck and having a lower discharge outlet through which liquid exits the downstream downcomer;a liquid impermeable partition wall separating said downstream downcomer from said upstream downcomer along at least a portion of the length of said downstream and upstream downcomers;an opening in the partition wall which forms both an intermediately positioned inlet into the downstream downcomer and the discharge outlet of the upstream downcomer,wherein said discharge outlet of the upstream downcomer is in fluid flow communication with the downstream downcomer to feed substantially all of the liquid exiting the upstream downcomer into the downstream downcomer; andan upper inlet in the downstream downcomer positioned to receive another portion of the liquid entering said opening from the tray deck.