Patent ID: 8899557

Claim:
A co-current contactor for the separation of components in a fluid stream, the contactor comprising: a mass transfer vessel having a first end and a second end; a first inlet configured to receive the fluid stream proximate the first end of the mass transfer vessel; a second inlet configured to receive a liquid contacting stream also proximate the first end of the mass transfer vessel; a mixing section within the mass transfer vessel configured to receive the fluid stream and the liquid contacting stream and to provide a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase; a separator proximate the second end of and in-line with the mass transfer vessel, configured to receive the two-phase flow from the mass transfer vessel and then separate the vapor phase from the liquid phase; a gas outlet at the at the separator configured to release the vapor phase as a treated gas stream; and a liquid-phase outlet at the separator configured to release the liquid phase as a loaded treating solution; wherein the separator is designed to separate fluid components without substantially relying upon gravity separation; and wherein the mass transfer vessel and the separator defines a single cylindrical wall forming an outer diameter of the co-current contactor, and that houses the mixing section and the separator.