GB492305A - Improved contacting process and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0492305/III/1> In the centrifugal treatment of fluids a rapidly moving stream of gas (or vapour) is restricted to move with a whirling vortical and spiral movement and a film of liquid is fed radially across the base of the vortex so that the liquid is atomized and retained within the gas stream from which the liquid products of the contact are subsequently separated and discharged. The process is applicable to the fractional condensation of hydrocarbon vapours which constitute the gas stream, by means of water &c. constituting the liquid film. Oil is vaporized in a still A and injected through pipes 7, 9 into the base of a column with vortical motion imparted by a tangential distributing head 91, heavy acids being separated by a flanged cylinder 11. The vapours rise through <PICT:0492305/III/2> a series of treating units 4 to which condensing liquid, e.g. water, is supplied in controlled amount through pipes 15, 16, the separated fractions being withdrawn through pipes 18 and passed through coolers 25. Each unit 4, Fig. 2, comprises a cylindrical shell in which is mounted a tuyere 5 provided with a series of closely spaced tangential blades 5a and supported on a flange 5f and cylindrical wall 5g forming annular passages 32, 5n, 5p, with the tuyere 5, the outer wall 4 and a dished element 5i. The base of the tuyere 5 is closed by a seating 5c having a central opening 5c1 covered by a deflecting plate 5q and joined to the pipe 16. In operation the vapours flow upwardly through the annular passage 32 and are deflected by the blades 5a to form a vortex against which the liquid introduced through pipe 16 is sprayed in a film formed by the deflecting plate 5q. The liquids are separated from the vortex by contact with the outer wall 4 and the dished element 5i, and, collecting in the annular passages 5n, 5p, are removed through the pipe 18. The supply of liquid to the pipe 16 is controlled by a valve comprising a disc 17 coacting with a seating 171, the disc being mounted on a valve stem 27 made of a metal of low coefficient of expansion which, in conjunction with the larger expansion of the metal shell 4, provides a limited thermostatic control of the valve opening. Adjustment of the valve opening is made by a squared end on the stem 27 extending beyond a packing box 29.