Tower packing element, tower packing, and packing tower and mixer comprising the same

A tower packing element, a tower packing, a packing tower, and a mixer comprising the tower packing element are provided. The tower packing element are manufactured by a deformed plate and comprises a plurality of strip assemblies arranged along a longitudinal direction of the tower packing element and a connecting plate portion connected between adjacent strip assemblies. Each of the strip assemblies defines a central passage therein, and the central passage is extended in a lateral direction of the tower packing element. The connecting plate portion is extended along the lateral direction of the tower packing element. The adjacent strip assemblies and the connecting plate portion connected therebetween define a side passage parallel to the central passage.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/CN2014/072575, filed on Feb. 26, 2014, which claims priority from Chinese Application No. 201310389841.1, filed on Aug. 30, 2013, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to chemical devices, more particularly to a tower packing element, a tower packing comprising the tower packing element, a packing tower and a mixer comprising the tower packing.

BACKGROUND

Packing towers are used to transfer a gas-liquid stream or a liquid-liquid stream by means of continuous contact. Tower packings in the packing tower play a key role in mass or heat transfer, and the flowing passages of the gas-liquid stream or the liquid-liquid stream, as well as the transferring method are determined by the tower packings. There are two types of tower packings, including a random tower packing and a structured tower packing. The random tower packing is composed of a plurality of tower packings packed in the packing tower randomly. As passages for gas and liquid in the random tower packing is not straight, the flowing distance for the gas or liquid stream in the packing tower are long. Further, the random tower packing holds a large quantity of liquid, such that a contact time between the gaseous phase and the liquid phase of the stream is long, which increases the turbulent intensity of the contacting surface between the gaseous phase and the liquid phase of the stream, and finally improves the mass or heat transferring efficiency. As described above, the random tower packing is advantageous in an absorption process with chemical reactions or with a condition of a high pressure system or a large quantity of liquid loading. However, the random tower packing has a small specific surface area which causes a great resistance during the flowing of the stream. In this condition, a diameter-height ratio of the random tower packing is increased so that the random tower packings may be achieved regularly as far as possible. In addition, a wall of the tower packing is further broadened in order to reduce a pressure drop of the random tower packing and improve the processing capacity and efficiency of the random tower packing.

The structured tower packing is composed of a plurality of tower packings arranged in the packing tower regularly and each having a uniform shape. The structured tower packings define a regular passage for the gas stream and the liquid stream, such that the pressure drop therein is small. Further, compared with the random tower packing with an equal specific surface area, the structured tower packing holds a smaller quantity of liquid and has a higher processing capacity.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention seek to solve at least one of the problems existing in the prior art to at least some extent. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a tower packing element, which may increase the amount of liquid held by the tower packing, so as to increase the contact time between the gaseous phase and the liquid phase of a transferred gas-liquid stream or between the liquid phases of a transferred liquid-liquid stream and improve the processing capacity of the tower packing.

Another object of the present invention is to a tower packing having the tower packing element.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a packing tower or a mixer having the tower packing.

According to embodiments of a first aspect of the present invention, a tower packing element is provided. The tower packing element is manufactured by a deformed plate and comprises: a plurality of strip assemblies arranged along a longitudinal direction of the tower packing element, each of the strip assemblies defining a central passage therein, and the central passage being extended in a lateral direction of the tower packing element, and a connecting plate portion connected between adjacent strip assemblies and extended along the lateral direction of the tower packing element, wherein the adjacent strip assemblies and the connecting plate portion connected therebetween define a side passage parallel to the central passage.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the tower packing element has a structure similar to that of a random tower packing. With the tower packing element according to embodiments of the present invention, the amount of liquid held by the tower packing as well as the contact time between the gaseous phase and the liquid phase of the transferred gas-liquid stream or between the liquid phases of the transferred liquid-liquid stream are both increased, thus improving the mass/heat transferring efficiency of the tower packing. Meanwhile, with the central passage and the side passage being spaced apart from each other and the tower packing elements arranged regularly like a structured tower packing, the flowing passage for the gas or liquid may be defined. Therefore, the pressure drop in the tower packing is reduced, and the processing capacity of the tower packing is further improved.

In some embodiments, each of the strip assemblies comprises a plurality of strip units arranged along the lateral direction of the tower packing element.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the strip unit comprises a first edge and a second edge positioned at opposite sides of the connecting plate portion in a thickness direction of the tower packing element respectively and distributed staggerly along the lateral direction of the tower packing element, in which the first and second edges are parallel to each other.

In some embodiments, projections of the first edge and the second edge on a reference plane parallel to the first edge and the second edge define a first region, in which the first region has a shape of polygon having more than three sides.

Alternatively, the first region has a substantially rhombic shape or substantially hexagonal shape.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the polygon has at least two sides transitioned into each other via an arc.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the polygon has at least one arc-shaped side.

In an embodiment of the present invention, projections of the first edge and the second edge on a reference plane parallel to the first edge and the second edge define a first region, in which the first region has a circular shape or a substantially oval shape.

According an embodiment of the present invention, the strip unit further comprises a third edge and a fourth edge disposed staggerly along the lateral direction of the tower packing element, and positioned at opposite sides of the connecting plate portion in the thickness direction of the tower packing element and between the first edge and the second edge, in which the third and fourth edges are parallel to each other.

Alternatively, the second edge and the third edge are at the same side of the connecting plate portion in the thickness direction of the tower packing element, and the first edge and the fourth edge are at the same side of the connecting plate portion in the thickness direction of the tower packing element.

Alternatively, projections of the third edge and the fourth edge on the reference plane parallel to the first edge and the second edge define a second region, in which the second region has a shape of polygon having more than three sides, and the second region is partly overlapped with the first region.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first region has a shape of a first tetragon, and the second region has a shape of a second tetragon, in which one diagonal of the first tetragon is coincided with one diagonal of the second tetragon, and the first tetragon and the second tetragon are symmetrical with respect to the one diagonal respectively.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first tetragon or the second tetragon has at least two sides transitioned into each other via an arc.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first tetragon or the second tetragon has at least one arc-shaped side.

Alternatively, projections of the third edge and the fourth edge on the reference plane parallel to the first edge and the second edge define a second region, in which the second region has a shape consisting of two diamonds connected via a connecting side.

In an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the two diamonds has at least two sides transitioned into each other via an arc.

In an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the two diamonds has at least one arc-shaped side.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first to fourth edges have the same width in the lateral direction of the tower packing element.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an angle between an extending direction of the first edge and the lateral direction of the tower packing element ranges from 5 to 175 degrees.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the deformed plate is a metal sheet, a plastic sheet, a ceramic sheet, or a metal mesh.

The tower packing element according to the present invention may improve the mass transferring efficiency, reduce the pressure drop and improve the processing capacity of the tower packing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a tower packing is provided. The tower packing comprises a plurality of tower packing elements described above, in which the plurality of tower packing elements are arranged parallel to each other in a thickness direction of the tower packing element, and the extending directions of the central passages of the adjacent tower packing elements are intersected.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a packing tower is provided. The packing tower comprises: a tower body and a plurality of tower packings described above, and the tower packings are configured to transfer mass or heat of a gas-liquid stream or a liquid-liquid stream and arranged in the tower body along a flowing direction of the gas-liquid stream or the liquid-liquid stream, an angle between an extending direction of the central passage of the tower packing element and the flowing direction of the gas-liquid stream or the liquid-liquid stream is in a range of 0 to 180 degrees, and the longitudinal directions of the tower packing elements of the adjacent tower packings are intersected.

Alternatively, the extending directions of the central passages of the adjacent tower packing elements of each tower packing are inclined and symmetrical with respect to the flowing direction of the gas-liquid stream or the liquid-liquid stream.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a mixer is provided. The mixer comprises: a mixer body and at least one tower packing described above, the tower packing is disposed in the mixer body and configured to mix a stream, in which the stream flows through the central passage and the side passage along the same direction.

Additional aspects and advantages of embodiments of present invention will be given in part in the following descriptions, become apparent in part from the following descriptions, or be learned from the practice of the embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention. The embodiments described herein with reference to drawings are explanatory, illustrative, and used to generally understand the present invention. The embodiments shall not be construed to limit the present invention. The same or similar elements and the elements having same or similar functions are denoted by like reference numerals throughout the descriptions.

In the specification, unless specified or limited otherwise, relative terms such as “longitudinal”, “lateral”, “a direction of thickness”, “front”, “rear”, “right”, “left”, “inner”, “outer”, as well as derivative thereof (e.g., “horizontally”, “downwardly”, “upwardly”, etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawings under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the present invention be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. In addition, terms such as “first” and “second” are used herein for purposes of description and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or significance. In the description of the present invention, “a plurality of” relates to two or more than two.

The tower packing element100for a tower packing will be described below with reference toFIGS. 1-13.

According to embodiments of the present invention, a tower packing element100for a tower packing is provided. The tower packing element100is manufactured by a deformed plate. In an embodiment, the deformed plate is a metal sheet, a plastic sheet, a ceramic sheet, or a metal mesh.

As shown inFIG. 1, the tower packing element100includes: a plurality of strip assemblies10arranged along a longitudinal direction of the tower packing element100and a connecting plate portion20connected between adjacent strip assemblies10and extended along a lateral direction of the tower packing element100. Each of the strip assemblies100defines a central passage30therein, and the central passage30is extended in the lateral direction of the tower packing element100. The adjacent strip assemblies100and the connecting plate portion20connected therebetween define a side passage40parallel to the central passage30. A person having ordinary skill in the art will understand that the lateral direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

The tower packing element100according to embodiments of the present invention has a structure similar to that of a random tower packing in the related art, thus improving the amount of liquid held by the tower packing element100and a contact time between the gaseous phase and the liquid phase of the transferred gas-liquid stream or between the liquid phases of the transferred liquid-liquid stream, so as to improve the processing capacity of the tower packing element100. In addition, with the central passage30and the side passage40being spaced apart from each other and arranged in a similar manner to a structured tower packing in the related art, flowing passages for liquid and gas are regulated in the tower packing. In this way, a pressure drop in the tower packing is reduced, thus improving the processing capacity of the tower packing element100. It is to be understood that, the random tower packing and the structured tower packing are known to a person having ordinary skill in the art, such that detailed description thereof will be omitted herein.

As shown inFIG. 1, each of the strip assemblies10includes a plurality of strip units1arranged along the lateral direction of the tower packing element100.

Referring toFIGS. 1-3b, the strip unit1includes a first edge11and a second edge12. The first and second edges11,12are positioned at opposite sides of the connecting plate portion20in a thickness direction of the tower packing element100respectively and distributed staggerly along the lateral direction of the tower packing element100. The first and second edges11,12are parallel to each other. A person having ordinary skill in the art will understand that the thickness direction is perpendicular to the plane defined by the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction.

In some embodiments, projections of the first edge11and the second edge12on a reference plane parallel to the first and second edges define a first region15.

The shape of the first region15is not limited. For example, the first region15may have a shape of polygon having more than three sides. Alternatively, the first region15may have a substantially rhombic shape, as shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 7. In an embodiment, the first region15has a substantially hexagonal shape, as shown inFIG. 5andFIG. 8. In some embodiments, the first region15may have an irregularly tetragonal shape or a rhomboid shape, as shown inFIG. 10andFIG. 11. For example and without limits, the first region15may have a circular shape as shown inFIG. 6or a substantially oval shape (not shown).

In an embodiment of the present invention, when the first region15has a shape of a polygon, the polygon has at least two sides transitioned into each other via an arc. Specifically, as shown inFIGS. 2, 5, 7-8, the first edge11includes at least two first straight segments11B and at least one first arc-shaped segment11A connected between adjacent first straight segments11B, and the second edge12includes at least two second straight segments12B and at least one second arc-shaped segment12A connected between adjacent second straight segments12B.

As shown inFIG. 2, the first region15has a substantially rhombic shape. The first edge11includes two first straight segments11B and one first arc-shaped segment11A connected between the two first straight segments11B, and the second edge12includes two second straight segments12B and one second arc-shaped segment12A connected between the two second straight segments12B.

As shown inFIG. 5, the first region15has a substantially hexagonal shape. The first edge11includes three first straight segments11B and two first arc-shaped segment11A each connected between two adjacent first straight segments11B, and the second edge12includes three second straight segments12B and two second arc-shaped segment12A each connected between two adjacent second straight segments12B.

In some embodiments, the polygon has at least one arc-shaped side. Specifically, as shown inFIGS. 4-5, the first straight edge11B and the second straight edge12B are arc-shaped sides.

As shown inFIGS. 10-11, the strip unit1further includes a third edge13and a fourth edge14. The third and fourth edges13,14are disposed staggerly along the lateral direction of the tower packing element100, and positioned at opposite sides of the connecting plate portion20in the thickness direction of the tower packing element100and between the first edge11and the second edge12, as shown inFIGS. 12a-12b. In addition, the third and fourth edges13,14are parallel to each other.

As shown inFIGS. 10-11, the second edge12and the third edge13are at the same side of the connecting plate portion20in the thickness direction of the tower packing element100, and the first edge11and the fourth edge14are at the same side of the connecting plate portion20in the thickness direction of the tower packing element100.

In some embodiments, projections of the third edge13and the fourth edges14on a reference plane parallel to the first edge11and the second edge12define a second region16. The second region16has a shape of polygon having more than three sides, and the second region16is partly overlapped with the first region15.

As shown inFIGS. 10 and 11, the first region15has a shape of a first tetragon, and the second region16has a shape of a second tetragon. One diagonal of the first tetragon is coincided with one diagonal of the second tetragon, and the first and second tetragons are symmetrical with respect to the one diagonal respectively.

In some embodiments, each of the first and second tetragons has at least two sides transitioned into each other via an arc. Specifically, as shown inFIGS. 10-11, the first edge11includes two first straight segments11B and one first arc-shaped segment11A connected between the two first straight segments11B, the second edge12includes two second straight segments12B and one second arc-shaped segment12A connected between the two second straight segments12B, the third edge13includes two third straight segments13B and one third arc-shaped segment13A connected between the two third straight segments13B, and the fourth edge14includes two fourth straight segments14B and one fourth arc-shaped segment14A connected between the two fourth straight segments14B.

In some embodiments, each of the first tetragon and/or the second tetragon has at least one arc-shaped side.

As shown inFIGS. 5-8, projections of the third edge13and the fourth edge14on a reference plane parallel to the first edge11and the second edge12define a second region16, and the second region16has a shape consisting of two diamonds connected via a connecting side161. In other words, as shown inFIGS. 5-8, the third edge13and the fourth edge14are disposed staggerly in the reference plane, thus forming a substantially X-shaped structure.

In some embodiments, at least one of the two diamonds has at least two sides transitioned into each other via an arc. Specifically, as shown inFIGS. 5-8, the third edge13includes two third straight segments13B and one third arc-shaped segment13A connected between the two third straight segments13B, and the fourth edge14includes two fourth straight segments14B and one fourth arc-shaped segment14A connected between the two fourth straight segments14B.

In some embodiments, at least one of the two diamonds has at least one arc-shaped side, as shown inFIG. 5.

The first to fourth edges11to14have the same width in the lateral direction of the tower packing element100, as shown inFIGS. 3a-3b, 9a-9b, and 12a-12b.

In some embodiments, an angle between an extending direction of the first edge11and the lateral direction of the tower packing element100ranges from 5 to 175 degrees, i.e., an angle between the lateral direction of the tower packing element100and the reference plane parallel to the first edge11and the second edge12ranges from 5 to 175 degrees.

The tower packing element according to the present invention may improve the mass transferring efficiency, reduce the pressure drop and improve the processing capacity of the tower packing.

According to embodiments of a second aspect of the present invention, a tower packing300is provided. The tower packing300includes a plurality of tower packing elements100described above. The plurality of tower packing elements100are arranged parallel to each other in a thickness direction of the tower packing element100, and extending directions of the central passages30of adjacent tower packing elements100are intersected, as shown inFIG. 13.

According to embodiments of a third aspect of the present invention, a packing tower is provided. The packing tower includes a tower body200and a plurality of tower packings300described above. The plurality of tower packings300are configured to transfer mass or heat of a gas-liquid stream or a liquid-liquid stream and arranged in the tower body200along a flowing direction of the gas-liquid stream or the liquid-liquid stream. An angle between an extending direction of the central passage30of the tower packing element100and the flowing direction of the gas-liquid stream or the liquid-liquid stream is in a range of 0 to 180 degrees, and longitudinal directions of the tower packing elements100of adjacent tower packings300are intersected. Specifically, as shown inFIG. 13, two tower packings300aand300bare disposed adjacent to each other in an up and down direction, and the longitudinal directions of the tower packing300aand the tower packing300bare intersected.

In some embodiments, the extending directions of central passages30of adjacent tower packing elements100of each tower packing are inclined and symmetrical with respect to the flowing direction of the gas-liquid stream or the liquid-liquid stream. For example, in the packing tower shown inFIG. 13, the flowing direction of the gas-liquid stream or the liquid-liquid stream is an axial direction of the tower body200, i.e., the up and down direction. The extending direction of the central passage30of the tower packing element100aof each tower packing300is the lateral direction of the tower packing element100a, and the extending direction of the central passage30of the tower packing element100bof the each tower packing adjacent to the tower packing element100ais the lateral direction of the tower packing element100b. The lateral directions of the tower packing element100aand the tower packing element100bare inclined oppositely to each other and symmetrical with respect to the flowing direction of the gas-liquid stream or the liquid-liquid stream.

According to embodiments of a fourth aspect of the present invention, a mixer is provided. The mixer includes a mixer body, and at least one tower packing described above. The tower packing is disposed in the mixer body and configured to mix a stream. The stream flows through the central passage and the side passage along the same direction.

Each of the tower packing element, the tower packing, the packing tower, and the mixer according to embodiments of the present invention may comprise other components known to a person having ordinary skill in the art, such that detailed description thereof will be omitted herein.

Although explanatory embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the art that the above embodiments cannot be construed to limit the present invention, and changes, alternatives, and modifications can be made in the embodiments without departing from spirit, principles and scope of the present invention.