Patent ID: 7234691

Claim:
An assembly of a plurality of vertically spaced apart trays for fractional distillation in a divided wall exchange column having an inner column wall, a dividing wall, a cross sectional area, and an interior space between the inner column wall and the dividing wall, the assembly comprising: a first tray disposed in the interior space, the first tray having at least one radial downcomer adjacent the dividing wall and extending radially toward the inner column wall a first substantial distance across the cross sectional area, and a first liquid receiving area having a radial axis at a first angle to the dividing wall and extending radially toward the inner column wall a second substantial distance across the cross sectional area, wherein at least a portion of a flow of liquid received from above on the first liquid receiving area flows across a portion of the first tray from the first liquid receiving area to the at least one radial downcomer, the at least one radial downcomer being adapted to receive and transmit downward at least part of said flow of liquid; and a second tray disposed in the interior space below the first tray, the second tray having at least one other downcomer having a radial axis at a second angle to the dividing wall and extending radially toward the inner column wall a third substantial distance across the cross sectional area, and at least one second liquid receiving area adjacent the dividing wall and extending radially toward the inner column wall a fourth substantial distance across the cross sectional area, the at least one second liquid receiving area being adapted to receive at least a portion of said flow of liquid transmitted downward from the at least one radial downcomer, wherein at least part of a flow of liquid received on the second liquid receiving area flows across a portion of the second tray from the second receiving area to the at least one other downcomer, the at least one other downcomer being adapted to receive and transmit downward at least part of said flow of liquid.