Abstract: The invention relates to a process and apparatus to establish contact between liquid and vapour or gas on tray used in distillation and/or absorption columns. According to the process the liquid is accelerated upon arriving on the tray (1) perforated with holes (6) to such extent, that its velocity exceeds the velocity of the vapour or gas bubbles ascending from the liquid upon the buoyant effect. Then this accelerated flow rate is impacted with the downflow weir (9) and/or with the induction of vapour and/or gas jets having a component, oriented towards the interior of the tray (1), and a lubricant flow rate of greater layer thickness (h.sub.2) slowed down below the earlier mentioned limit velocity is produced. No bubbles separate from the accelerated flow in the accelerating zone (1) of the tray, because they are entained by the liquid. On the other hand, the vapour or gas bubbles delivered and passing through the holes of the tray (1), leave the degasifying zone 11, where the flow is turbulent.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for the preliminary determination of the efficiency of the trays of distillation and/or absorption columns in order to establish the actual tray number of the columns, as well as for those columns the tray number of which was determined thereby. Each column section of different geometry or load is loaded with a set of trays (12) with air water system consisting at least of two trays having identical geometry (13,13a) and one air distributor (14). On the basis of the recognition that each set of trays (12) may be regarded as a cascade consisting of mixers which include series-connected mixers formed from the trays (13,13a), the liquid content of which is mixed by ascending vapor, or gas, in this case by air.

Abstract: A plate for columns performing distillation and/or absorption processes in which through openings in the plate body are provided with an inlet weir and with an outlet weir and in such openings inserts (8-21; 30) are fixedly mounted containing through holes with changing cross-sections, each insert (8-12; 30) contains a through hole which with respect to the flow direction of vapor and/or gas has an inlet zone (19;25) with an inwardly decreasing cross-section, an intermediate cylindrical zone (20, 26) connected thereto and, as a continuation thereof, an outlet zone (21;27) having an outwardly increasing cross-section; the plate body (2) and the upper surface of the inserts (8-12; 30) are aligned in a common or essentially common plane and, at least some of the inserts (8-12; 30); have through holes with their geometrical axis (x) being inclined under an acute angle (.alpha.) with respect to the upper plane of the plate body (2).