The invention rel ^a es to control unit for phase contacting apparatus applicable in technolo¬ gical establishments serving for the purpose αf distillation, absorption, extraction, or similar purposes.

Phase contacting apparatuses are extensively used in the chemical industry and chemical proces¬ sing industry, ωhich are built intα columns. Liquid, gas and gaseous agents of diffsreπt specific weight and consisting of tωα or several phases are con¬ tacted in the columns, thereby ensuring the reac¬ tion, etc. of the components of the various phases. One αf the groups of these apparatuses is ^* the so- ¹ called plate-type, the further development and im¬ provement of ωhich is the tαωer provided ωith vent¬ . ing system.

It is knoωπ, that the venting phase contact¬ ing apparatuses are plate-shaped. Their characte¬ ristic feature is that the ascending vapour αr gas opens the control units - known by the experts under the name αf "Glitschballast" - depending on the load, until tne liquid oasses out through the perforation in one αf the cascade plates and through

the ωeir in case of the overflow plates.

These control devices known in the practice are extremely diversified. Thus for instance accord¬ ing tα the French patent specification Mo. 1 237 299 they are discs, αr catches, according to the GFR patent specification No. S7 364 locking plates, and similar is the device described in the GOR patent specification No. 2 US 338, but the solution accord¬ ing tα the Hungarian patent specification No. 154 070 is also known, where the control devices represent a ring system αf different diameter, while accord¬ ing tα the Hungarian patent specification Nα. ISS 433 they are tilting elements with limited movement.

The common shortcoming αf the generally accepted and used apparatuses known in the practice is, that they fundamentally determine the pressure loss caused by the weight, i.e. by the density and geo¬ metrical dimensions of the control unit.

This fact significantly limits the applica¬ bility αr field of utilization of the mentioned apparatuses. Thus for instance the venting plate devices under vacuum operation ade - though for their favourable properties they would be in demand - have not gained general acceptance, or are usea ls only to a very limited extant.

The present invention is aimed at elimination αf the adverse properties of the known apparatuses, while preserving rue advantages, moreover increas¬ ing them in given case.

The invention relates tα phase contacting control unit mainly for chemical industrial, en¬ vironment protective ύ similar apparatuses, the determinative feature αf ωhich is its formation o allowing turn around real αr imaginary centre of rotation or axis αf rotation, provided with locking member, the opening αf ωhich is controlled by the flow αf fluid and has a moment-equalizing member influencing .the moment αf the lacking member. The structural material αf said units is identical.

In a suitable construction the moment-equa¬ lizing member is formed for cα-actiαn with several locking units, in given case suitable for the si¬ multaneous shutting αf the lacking members.

According to a further construction the cont¬ rol unit consists of several locking members, one or several moment-equalizing members and at least one formation allowing turn.

According to a further construction form the m3men equalizing me.-r.bers and/or locking -embers are the u-iits aliαwir. the turn.

Favourable is also the cαnstructiαn, where the moment-equalizing member is complemented with spring force, - itably with coil spring or torsiαπ spring, αr laminated spring.

Advantage of the control unit according to the invention is, that the pressure loss αf the apparatus can be s^t tα the required extent irres¬ pective αf the density and specific weight αf the structural material, it is uniform in a wide load range and suitable for improving the efficiency. Advantages αf the control unit according tα the invention are prominent mainly in the apparatuses functioning wi.th vacuum operation made.

The construction forms of the contra! unit according tα the invention are described uith the aid αf drawings, in ωhich: Figure 1.: Side view αf the cαntrt.1 unit, Figure 2.: One mαmeπt-equalizing member with se¬ veral lacking members, Figure 3.: Control unit with several locking members, Figure 4.: .-lament-equalizing member increased with spring force, Figure 5.: lament-equalizing member formed as spatial curve, Figure S.: Special formation aliouiπg turn,

Figure 7.: Formation allowing turn constructed as tαrsion shaft.

The central unit according to the invention is formed ωith locking member 1 and αment-equaliz- iπg member 2 and operation αf the two members is made possible by a formation allowing the turn.

In the ccnstructiαn according to Figure 1., the locking member 1, moment-equalizing member 2 and formation 3 allowing turn are made αf a simple structural material, e.g. by bending. The forma¬ tion allowing turn is an axis of rotation, where the moment-equalizing member has a moment arm "k ^,τ in the force line ^,τ z", while the locking member 1 has a moment arm "m" in force line "p".

In the construction according to Figure 2., the moment-equalizing member 2 co-acts with se¬ veral locking members 1 and ensures the simulta¬

< ; neous opening and shutting αf the locking members 1. The moment-equalizing member 2 and lacking mem¬ ber 1 are built from separate elements. This type of construction is used suitably by mounting it on a shaft. Its advantage is manifest in the sim¬ plified assembly. This construction differs from the former one in that the contra! units are lαosa- ly mounted on a shaft along c for-ation 3 allowing

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the turn. The flo crass section is covered with several sets αf control unit which form the ope¬ rating unit, i.e. the plate αf the apparatus at the same time. This solution allows the formation of the plate -incorporating alternately opening cont¬ rol units, whereby - owing tα the mixing αf the material at a higher rate - favourable efficiency can be attained. While the construction according tα Figure 1 displays individually operating cont¬ rol units, the construction according tα Figure 2. shows the cα-actiαn αf the groups ωhich amounts tα the already mentioned simplified assembly work.

In the construction according to Figure 3 the control unit has several locking members 1 counterbalanced with less number αf moment-equaliz¬ ing members 2. The moment ratios correspond tα those shown in Figure 2. It is advisable to use this solution preferably in a bearing-type setting. Its application advantage appears similarly in the further simplified assembly.

Figure 4. shows such cαnstructiαπ where the locking member 1 is complemented with flexible moment-equalizing member. Here the moment arm "k" acts with the coil spring arranged in force line "z" en tha force line "p" acting against the moment arm "m"

'

The formation 3 allowing the turn is identical with the one shown in Figure 3. This solution is used to advantage in case of shutting off the perfora¬ tions, the moment-equalizing member 2 acting with the cαil spring, consequently its space demand is small.

In the construction according tα Figure 5., the extent αf opening the locking members 1 is de¬ termined by butting on the the moment-equalizing members 2. The moment-equalizing members 2 are spatial curvy geometrical configurations. This so¬ lution too is used tα advantage - due tα its small space demand - when with the use αf adjacent pa¬ rallel shafts the transverse opening αf the lack¬ ing members 1 is also ensured, and at the same time there is no need for separate buffer element de¬ termining the extent of opening αf the lacking mem¬ bers 1., i.e. the separate element is omissible as a result of the space geometry.

The formation 3 allowing the turn arranged between the locking member 1 and moment-equalizing member 2 αf the construction according to Figure α is formed as a supporting fiance on which the cont¬ rol unit can turn and tilt, whereby it fulfils its function. This construction form is used to advantage

especially in case αf polluted agents, when the control unit sits on the deposited pollution.

Figure 7 shows such construction form, where the formation 3 allowing the turn is essentially a torsion spring, the moment-equalizing member 2 and locking member 1 are arranged above each other and reaching intα each other, the force line "p" and force line "z" are similarly on both sides αf the formation 3 allowing the turn, but the torsion spring effect too has a rale in the farce play of the moment-equalizing member 2. This solution does not require holding method uith pin αr bearing, consequently it can be used tα advantage in case of solutions requiring small space.

During operation αf the control unit accord¬ ing to the invention, the locking member 1 cont¬ rolling the free flaw cross section is lifted by the ascending vapour αr gas. The moment-equalizing member 2 - since it fundamentally determines the pressure loss of the apparatus - is selected accord¬ ing to the weight (mass) of the locking member 1 and according tα the torque of the force component of the moment-equalizing member 2 acting through the centre αf rotation αf the control unit. By suitable formation αf the moment ratios, i.e.

force effects "p" and ^,τ z" and moment arms " ", the pressure loss of the apparatus can be influenced tα the required extent and set tα the necessary value irrespective of the weight αf -lacking mem¬ ber 1, but depending an the resistance factor.

The moment-equalizing member 2 and locking member 1 are made suitably of the same material

_ ωith pin, or bearing-type axis αf rotation, ωhich does hat exclude the use of different material. The moment equalizing member 2 may function uith one αr several locking member(s) 1, but it may fulfil other functions as well, as for instance it may be an axis of rotation, or may fill in the rale af an element limiting the opening range of the locking members 1, or an element ensuring the simultaneous opening of the locking members 1, or a fluid distributor. Owing tα the formation of the moment-equalizing member 2 it assists the trans¬ fer αf material in that the dribbling fluid forms a film layer on the extension, then it drops dawn in tiny pearly drops, ensuring good fluid distri¬ bution in the full cross section of the plara. Formation of the control unit allowing ens turn around or_ along a real or imaginary axis a ring embracing the axis of rotation partially or fully,

but it may be a supporting flange or torsion shaft or for instance pin αr pin-end, or shaft turning in bearing.

During operation αf the control unit according to the invention, the members αf the unit open according tα the load, αr quantity αf the lighter phase (generally gas αr vapour) flowing upwards from the bottom, thereby allowing the downward flow αf the heavier phase (generally fluid). The solution according to the invention is particular¬ ly advantageous in case of plates ωith cascade system, since the moment-equalizing .member 2 en¬ sures the fluid distribution as well, whereby it eliminates the wall-action αr formation αf liquid channel, ωhich - as uell known - deteriorates the efficiency of the whole apparatus.

In view αf the foregoing, advantage αf the invention under identical conditions is, that the loss is only a fraction αf the pressure loss of the venting apparatuses generally used in the prac¬ tice, hence it is applicable in vacuum operated apparatuses and in cσrrαsion-agrsssivs agents.

The correct formation of the moment-equaliz¬ ing member 2 allows operation of the cascade towers in their full cross section, since tne

uniformly distributed fluid dribbling down from the moment-equalizing member 2 intensively participates in the transfer of material and at the same time it makes the use αf separate liquid distributors unnecessary, and this way it allows the reduced dimensions (weight and height) of the usual tower- type phase contacting apparatuses.

As further advantage of the invention, the control units according tα the invention are pro¬ ducible in a simple way and at low cost, e.g. from plate αr wire by bending and their assembly is easy.

The preferable field αf application of the invention is the execution αf operations based on gas or vapour - liquid, furthermore liquid-liquid phase contacting, but it can be used tα advantage for the treatment αf agents in gaseous αr vapour \ state containing solid phase (e.g. dusty air), for instance for dedusting, consequently it is signi¬ ficant in respect of environment protection as well.