GB848818A - Method and apparatus for contacting of liquids with gases - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0848818/III/1> In a process for refining a fat containing small proportions of fatty acids and oderiferous components with steam there is employed an apparatus which comprises a vessel 10 having a gas or vapour inlet and outlet 20 and 18 respectively and a liquid inlet and outlet 17 and 19 respectively, a plurality of transverse dams 43 dividing the lower portion of the vessel into a plurality of chambers, a plurality of divider members in the form of split rings 16 which extend around a major segment of the upper portion of the vessel, each dam 43 being situated between two adjacent divider members, a shaft 12 rotatably mounted and carrying a plurality of liquid impellers 13 which dip at their lower ends into the chambers formed by the dams 43 and on rotation project liquid from the chambers into the gas or vapour introduced at 20 and flowing through the upper portion of the vessel, the projected liquid on flowing back down the walls of the vessel being divided into a portion which is returned to the same chamber and a portion which is directed to the next downstream chamber or in the case of the last chamber to the liquid outlet 19. The position of the dams 43 and the divider members 16 may be adjusted to adjust the relative sizes of the portions of the liquid returned to the same chamber and the liquid passed downstream. Each chamber also has a weir 42 and the level of liquid in the vessel is such that it is above the height of the weirs 42 but below that of the dams 43. The impellers (see Group XXIX), are preferably rotated at speeds such that the value for the square of the peripheral velocity, in feet per second, divided by the radius of the impeller, in feet, lies in the range between 500 and 7500. The vessel 10 may be operated in a horizontal position or it may be tilted up to about 15 degrees, the liquid inlet end of the vessel being the higher. The vessel 10 is surrounded by a jacket 11 through which a nealing fluid may be circulated to maintain any desired temperature within the vessel. Specification 812,474 and U.S.A. Specification 1,736,863 are referred to.