Abstract: A gas-liquid contact tower comprises a tower shell and a plurality of superimposed generally horizontal contact plates mounted in vertically spaced relation within the tower shell, with the plates being grouped into at least one subassembly thereof. A supporting and sealing arrangement is provided for removably supporting said plate subassembly within the tower shell and for preventing any of the contact liquid from bypassing the plate subassembly. The supporting and sealing arrangement includes a first annular component permanently secured and sealed to adjacent inner surfaces of the tower shell, and a second annular component joined circumferentially to the plate subassembly and sealed detachably and circumferentially to the first supporting and sealing component. An annular gasket arrangement is inserted generally between the first and second components of the supporting and sealing arrangement and is circumferentially loaded by a loading arrangement mounted on at least one of the components.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement is disclosed for sealing a stationary member to a rotatable member and comprises a pair of rubbing seals mounted on one of the rotatable and stationary members in rubbing engagement with the other of the members. The rubbing seals are relatively closely spaced to form a sealant space therebetween extending radially from the rotatable member to the stationary member and circumferentially and continuously about the rotatable member. The stationary member has a sealant passage extending therethrough in communication with the sealant space. An arrangement is provided for injecting fluid sealant through the sealant passage and into the sealant space so that the sealant space is completely filled with sealant to form a continuous sealing band of fluid sealant extending circumferentially about the rotatable member.

Abstract: A prepackaged coiler assembly is disclosed and includes a housing, a plurality of wrapper rolls, a support for each of the wrapper rolls movably mounted on the housing, and motive hold-downs coupled to each of the supports and mounted on the housing. The motive hold-downs are disposed for urging the supports and the rolls toward a mandrel mounted independently and centrally of the wrapper rolls and for withdrawing the supports and rolls from the mandrel and from a strip coil thereon to permit ejection of the coil through a side opening in the housing. At least one of the motive hold-downs is disposed for withdrawing the associated wrapper roll and support to a further withdrawn position to permit lifting of the prepackaged assembly over the mandrel. The housing is provided with a bottom opening for passage of the mandrel therethrough.

Abstract: A gas-liquid contact tower comprises an outer tower shell and a plurality of superimposed generally horizontal contact plates within the tower shell. The plates are grouped into at least one sub-assembly thereof, and an arrangement is provided for removably supporting the plate assembly within the tower shell. A baffle arrangement is mounted within the tower shell and adjacently overlying the plate sub-assembly and is shaped to minimize or substantially preclude splashing of the shell walls. The baffle arrangement includes a cylindrical section closely but removably fitted within adjacent wall surfaces of the tower shell and a frustoconical section for directing fluid from the cylindrical baffle section onto a contact plate immediately underlying the baffle arrangement. The cylindrical baffle section has sufficient height to afford that flow resistance which would substantially preclude flow of condensible vapor between the adjacent wall surfaces and the baffle arrangement.