Patent ID: 7841585

Claim:
A compact high-efficiency separation column containing a plurality of vertically spaced apart separation trays, each of said plurality of separation trays comprising a normally horizontal upper wall and a normally horizontal lower wall defining an inner space between them; a means for admitting fluid to the inner space; a means for removing liquid from the inner space; a means for removing gas from the inner space; a plurality of primary separation devices within the inner space, for separating fluid into primary gas and liquid-enriched fluid, which primary separation devices comprise: a normally vertical tubular conduit having at its lower end an inlet for fluid, which inlet is in fluid communication with the means for admitting fluid, and having at its upper end an outlet for primary gas, from which outlet an outlet conduit extends to a primary gas outlet opening in the upper wall, which primary gas outlet opening forms part of the means for removing gas; a swirl-imparting means arranged in the conduit between the inlet for fluid and the outlet for primary gas, so as to cause, during normal operation, the formation of a layer of liquid-enriched fluid in an annular region adjacent the inner surface of the conduit downstream of the swirl-imparting means, which liquid-enriched fluid comprises secondary gas; and which separation tray further comprises a means for removing and guiding liquid-enriched fluid from each of the primary separation devices to a secondary separation means for removing entrained liquid from the secondary gas, wherein the secondary separation means for removing entrained liquid from secondary gas is formed by the free inner space between the upper and lower walls, which free inner space has in its lower part an outlet for liquid in fluid communication with the means for removing liquid and in its upper part a plurality of outlets for secondary gas, which extends to a plurality of secondary gas outlet openings in the upper wall, which secondary gas outlet openings are located above said means for removing and guiding liquid-enriched fluid and are separate from the primary gas outlet opening and forms part of the means for removing gas, at least one of which secondary gas outlet openings is arranged annularly around a primary gas outlet, and wherein the means for removing and guiding liquid-enriched fluid entirely surrounds the uppermost end of each conduit of each primary separation device and is arranged to admit all liquid-enriched fluid downwardly into the free inner space at a position within 30% of the spacing between upper and lower walls, counted from the lower wall, along a curved trajectory at a velocity such that the entrained liquid in the liquid-enriched fluid is separated from the secondary gas to about the same low liquid content as the primary gas.