Patent ID: 6948705

Claim:
A gas/liquid contacting apparatus, comprising, a) an upwardly extending column having an interior comprising, an upper section, a gas/liquid permeable, gas/liquid contacting, intermediate section, and a lower, liquid collecting section, b) liquid inlet means to, and gas outlet means from, the upper section, c) liquid outlet means from, and gas inlet means to, the lower section, and d) an entrained substance depleting, gas distributing assembly in the lower section, the assembly comprising, i) a gas conveying duct connected to the gas inlet and having an interior that decreases in cross section downstream from the gas inlet, the duct extending around at least a major portion of the lower section, and having entrained substance depleted gas outlets, at spaced positions therealong, from inner, upwardly extending upper wall portions thereof, and entrained substance concentrate gas outlets, at spaced positions therealong, from inner, downwardly extending lower wall portions thereof, and ii) for each entrained substance depleted gas outlet, an entrained substance depleted gas deflector for directing gas flow from that gas outlet inwardly and upwardly in the lower section, and iii) for each entrained substance concentrate gas outlet an entrained substance concentrate gas deflector for directing entrained substance containing gas flow from the entrained substance concentrate gas outlet towards a lower portion of the lower section.