Abstract: A valve contact tray for use in a mass transfer or heat exchange column and having a plurality of fixed or moveable valves distributed across a tray deck of the contact tray. Each of the valves includes an opening in the tray deck, a valve cover connected to attachment legs, and a weir surrounding the opening. The valve cover is wider than and extends outwardly beyond the underlying opening in the tray deck and has a perimeter region that extends downwardly. A louvered vent opening may be provided in a downstream one of the attachment legs.

Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of a rail end in a rail of a railway track includes a support structure mountable to a component of a rail vehicle. At least one magnetic field generator is carried by the support structure to generate a remanent magnetic field in the rail. A sensor arrangement is carried by the support structure in spaced relationship to the magnetic field generator to detect magnetic flux leakage associated with the remanent magnetic field. The sensor arrangement includes at least one pair of longitudinally spaced sensors, each sensor generating a measured signal based on the magnetic flux leakage detected by that sensor. A signal processing module is responsive to the measured signals to calculate a differential signal from the measured signals of the sensors of the at least one pair of sensors. The differential signal is indicative of the presence of a rail end in the rail.

Abstract: A static mixing device subassembly that can be joined with other static mixing device subassemblies to form a static mixing device. The subassembly comprises a first pair of intersecting grids of spaced-apart and parallel deflector blades and a second pair of intersecting grids of spaced-apart and parallel deflector blades. The deflector blades in each one of the grids are interleaved with the deflector blades in the paired intersecting grid and have uncut side portions that join them together along a transverse strip where the deflector blades cross each other and cut side portions that extend from the uncut side portions to the ends of the deflector blades. Each of the deflector blades in one of the grids in each pair of grids has a bent portion that places segments of the deflector blade on opposite sides of the uncut portion in offset parallel planes.

Abstract: A corrugated structured packing sheet has surface texturing that may be in the form of a grid of indented and raised structures. Each indented structure is separated from some or all of adjacent ones of the indented structures by the raised structures. The raised structures form rows of peaks and interconnecting saddles. Microchannels extend along adjacent ones of the indented structures and the interconnecting saddles and intersect the corrugation valleys at an angle in the range of 20 to 75 degrees. The surface texturing may be or include wavy parallel grooves in an upper edge region adjacent the upper edge and a lower edge region adjacent the lower edge and may be or include parallel groove segments in the bulk region that are oriented obliquely to upper and lower edges of the structured packing sheet.

Abstract: A cross-corrugated structured packing element is provided for use in mass transfer or heat exchange columns. The packing element has a plurality of packing layers positioned in an upright, parallel relationship to each other and including corrugations formed of alternating peaks and valleys and corrugation sidewalls extending between the peaks and valleys. The packing element also includes a plurality of apertures each presenting an open area. The apertures are distributed such that the corrugation sidewalls have a greater density of open areas than any density of the open areas that may be present in the peaks and valleys. Some of the apertures may be present in the peaks and the valleys to facilitate liquid distribution. The apertures may also be placed in rows or other patterns that are aligned in a direction along a longitudinal length of the corrugations.

Abstract: An inlet device for use in a vessel to facilitate separation of a gas phase from a liquid phase in a fluid stream. The inlet device has separation cans positioned at each of the outlet ends of a flow channel. Each separation can has a cylindrical wall and an elongated inlet opening in the cylindrical wall to allow the fluid stream to be introduced in a tangential direction into an open interior region where it swirls to facilitate separation of the gas phase from the liquid phase in the fluid stream. The liquid phase exits the separation can through slots in the cylindrical wall and through an open lower end of the open interior region. The gas phase exits the separation can by ascending upwardly through an open upper end of the open interior region.

Abstract: A contact tray for use in a mass transfer or heat exchange column and having a tray deck with an inlet area and a remotely positioned outlet for respectively receiving liquid on the tray deck and then removing the liquid after it has flowed across the tray deck and interacted with another fluid on and above the tray deck. A plurality of barriers are positioned between the inlet area and the outlet. The barriers each have spaced-apart pickets and openings in the spacing between adjacent ones of the pickets. The pickets impede the flow of the liquid and increase the upstream liquid loading on the tray deck as the liquid flows from the inlet area, through the openings, and then into the outlet. At low liquid flow rates, this increase in the liquid loading may significantly increase the vapor handling capacity of the tray.

Abstract: A liquid distributor is provided for receiving and distributing a liquid stream in a mass transfer column. The liquid distributor has a plurality of elongated primary troughs and a plurality of secondary troughs that are positioned adjacent the primary troughs at a location to receive at least some of the individual primary discharge streams from the primary troughs. Splash baffles are spaced a preselected distance from liquid discharge holes in the side walls of the secondary troughs to receive at least some of the individual secondary discharge streams and cause a lateral spreading thereof as the individual second discharge streams descend along the splash baffles and drip from lower edges thereof.

Abstract: A flow distributor for a liquid descending in a vertically elongated mass transfer column, a mass transfer column employing the same, and a method of treating a fluid stream in the mass transfer column is provided. The flow distributor includes a central distribution member for passing liquid to a plurality of outwardly extending side arm members, which, in turn, feed the liquid into a plurality of distribution troughs located below the elongated side members. The distribution troughs, which may be oriented substantially perpendicularly or substantially parallel to the elongated side members, include a bed of packing material disposed therein. Use of such distributors in vapor-liquid or liquid-liquid columns results in more uniform horizontal distribution of the liquid across the diameter of the column.

Abstract: A fixed valve contact tray for use in a mass transfer or heat exchange column and having a plurality of fixed valves distributed across a tray deck of the contact tray. Each of the fixed valves has a valve cover that is wider than and extends outwardly beyond an underlying opening in the tray deck, a perimeter region of the valve cover that is beveled downwardly, and a boundary region of the opening that is raised above a plane of the tray deck.

Abstract: A valve contact tray for use in a mass transfer or heat exchange column and having a plurality of fixed or moveable valves distributed across a tray deck of the contact tray. Each of the valves includes an opening in the tray deck, a valve cover connected to attachment legs, and a weir surrounding the opening. The valve cover is wider than and extends outwardly beyond the underlying opening in the tray deck and has a perimeter region that extends downwardly. A louvered vent opening may be provided in a downstream one of the attachment legs.

Abstract: Cross flow trays are provided with a support system. The support system interconnects the upper cross flow tray to a downcomer of the lower cross flow tray to provide support for the upper tray. In some aspects, the support system may also interconnect the downcomer of the lower cross flow tray to an upper tray of an underlying pair, providing additional support for the assembly. Such tray assemblies may facilitate easier installation without impeding the performance of the column.

Abstract: A cyclone for a cyclone mist eliminator. The cyclone has an inner wall enclosing an inner chamber having an inlet end and an opposed outlet end, an outer wall surrounding and spaced outwardly from the inner wall to create an outer chamber in a spacing between the inner wall and the outer wall, openings foamed in the inner wall to permit fluid in the inner chamber to pass through the openings and into the outer chamber, a swirler positioned at the inlet end of the inner chamber, and a fiber pad positioned in the outer chamber.

Abstract: A liquid distributor is provided for receiving and distributing a liquid stream in a mass transfer column. The liquid distributor has a plurality of elongated primary troughs and a plurality of secondary troughs that are positioned adjacent the primary troughs at a location to receive at least some of the individual primary discharge streams from the primary troughs. Splash baffles are spaced a preselected distance from liquid discharge holes in the side walls of the secondary troughs to receive at least some of the individual secondary discharge streams and cause a lateral spreading thereof as the individual second discharge streams descend along the splash baffles and drip from lower edges thereof.

Abstract: A liquid distributor is provided for receiving and distributing a liquid stream in a mass transfer column. The liquid distributor has a plurality of elongated primary troughs and a plurality of secondary troughs that are positioned adjacent the primary troughs at a location to receive at least some of the individual primary discharge streams from the primary troughs. Splash baffles are spaced a preselected distance from liquid discharge holes in the side walls of the secondary troughs to receive at least some of the individual secondary discharge streams and cause a lateral spreading thereof as the individual second discharge streams descend along the splash baffles and drip from lower edges thereof.

Abstract: A flow distributor for a liquid descending in a vertically elongated mass transfer column, a mass transfer column employing the same, and a method of treating a fluid stream in the mass transfer column is provided. The flow distributor includes a central distribution member for passing liquid to a plurality of outwardly extending side arm members, which, in turn, feed the liquid into a plurality of distribution troughs located below the elongated side members. The distribution troughs, which may be oriented substantially perpendicularly or substantially parallel to the elongated side members, include a bed of packing material disposed therein. Use of such distributors in vapor-liquid or liquid-liquid columns results in more uniform horizontal distribution of the liquid across the diameter of the column.

Abstract: A cyclone for a cyclone mist eliminator. The cyclone has an inner wall enclosing an inner chamber having an inlet end and an opposed outlet end, an outer wall surrounding and spaced outwardly from the inner wall to create an outer chamber in a spacing between the inner wall and the outer wall, openings foamed in the inner wall to permit fluid in the inner chamber to pass through the openings and into the outer chamber, a swirler positioned at the inlet end of the inner chamber, and a fiber pad positioned in the outer chamber.

Abstract: A liquid distributor is provided for receiving and distributing a liquid stream in a mass transfer column. The liquid distributor has a plurality of elongated primary troughs and a plurality of secondary troughs that are positioned adjacent the primary troughs at a location to receive at least some of the individual primary discharge streams from the primary troughs. Splash baffles are spaced a preselected distance from liquid discharge holes in the side walls of the secondary troughs to receive at least some of the individual secondary discharge streams and cause a lateral spreading thereof as the individual second discharge streams descend along the splash baffles and drip from lower edges thereof.