Gas and liquid contact apparatus – Contact devices – Porous mass
Patent
1997-01-24
1998-07-21
Chiesa, Richard L.
Gas and liquid contact apparatus
Contact devices
Porous mass
261110, B01F 304
Patent
active
057831190
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATION
This application is a .sctn.371 of PCT/CH95/00203 Sep. 12, 1995.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a liquid distributor for columns. Such a liquid distributor is, for example, provided for substance exchanger columns and heat exchanger columns or also for catalytic fixed bed reactors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a distribution apparatus is known from DE-PS 27 52 391. It consists of U-shaped, upwardly open channels which are arranged parallel to one another and which have V-slit-shaped liquid outlet openings at the upper edge of the turned-up limbs. Continuous guide walls are placed at a small distance in front of the outlet openings. For the use of this apparatus in the low load region, provision is made to insert a wire mesh in the gap between the guide wall and the channel limb, via which the liquid is distributed over the gap by means of capillary forces. Since this known apparatus is substantially an overflow system and is thus very sensitive to inclined positions, it is practically impossible to discharge preselectable amounts of liquid via the individual outlet openings.
In other known liquid distributors (see for example CH-PS 658 198=P.5779), in which the outlet openings are hole-shaped and in which a driving pressure difference is generated via banking of the liquid (banking height at least approximately 25 mm), the discharged amount of liquid per hole can easily be preselected. However, these apparatuses cannot be used in the low load region since a sufficient number of dripping points per unit of area cannot be manufactured with them.
The requirement for a low load distributor is that a minimum amount of 25 l/m.sup.2 can be uniformly distributed per hour over the column cross-section on a column packing. The expression "uniform" means that the liquid--depending on the fineness of the packing structure--is supplied via at least 80 to 200 drip points per square meter of the column cross-section.
The hole diameter should not fall short of a minimum size for different reasons. For example, there is danger of clogging the holes with dirt particles which are in the liquid to be distributed. The lower limit for the hole diameter is approximately 1.5 mm for reasons of manufacturing technology and discharge flow conditions. This means that for a banking height of 25 mm, a discharge amount of approximately 3 l/h results. This means that at least 24 drip points must be allocated to each outlet opening in the extreme case with at least 200 drip points/m.sup.2 and 25 l/m.sup.2 h (or 0.125 l/h per drip point).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the invention to provide a low load distributor with which a uniform distribution for the precedingly named extreme case can be achieved.
The fine distribution results because of capillary forces in a manner similar to DE-PS 27 52 391. However, the difference is that the distribution occurs over a distribution zone and drain-off zone which extends along a horizontal, closed curve. No edge effects result which could lead to a deviation from the uniform distribution because of this particular feature, specifically, the curve being closed.
Surprisingly, it has been shown that a good distribution can also be achieved without banking of liquid in the fine distribution element. Because of this characteristic, the fine distribution element functions over a wide load region which at least comprises one order of magnitude.
The lower edge of the guide wall extends preferably parallel to the named curve of the distribution zone and drain-off zone; then the drip points are distributed practically continuously over the lower edge of the guide wall so that the requirement with regard to the amount of drip points is fulfilled. The lower edge can also be indented; then a drip point corresponds to each indentation and the amount of drip points can thus be preselected by the number of indentations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a plan view on a distributor in ac
REFERENCES:
patent: 2632638 (1953-03-01), Turner
patent: 3006623 (1961-10-01), Ross et al.
patent: 3363843 (1968-01-01), Ballard et al.
patent: 4816191 (1989-03-01), Berven
patent: 4855089 (1989-08-01), Michels
patent: 5192465 (1993-03-01), Petrich et al.
patent: 5250234 (1993-10-01), Meyer et al.
Fehr Emil
Ulrich Herbert
Chiesa Richard L.
Sulzer Chemtech AG
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