Gas-liquid contactor

Abstract

To provide a gas-liquid contact device which is advantageous for improving gas-liquid contact efficiency.SOLUTION: A gas-liquid contact device 1 comprises a gas liquid contact unit 2 which has a plurality of areas which are in communication with each other in a horizontal direction and each of which has a filler 22 installed therein. The filler 22 includes first filling members 50 and second filling members 51 which are shaped in plates parallel to a direction of supply of liquid L to the fillers 22 and a direction of supply of a gas G, and which are laid on top of each other. The first filling members 50 and the second filling members 51 are at least partially waved plates, where a waviness direction of the wave plates of the first filling member 50 and a waviness direction of the wave plates of the second filling member 51 are inclined in opposite directions to each other with respect to a vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a gas-liquid contactor. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, gas separation and capture systems have been used in chemical plants, thermal power plants, etc., which utilize gas-liquid contact to separate, remove, or capture specific gases from a gas to be treated, such as exhaust gas containing various types of gases. For example, a carbon dioxide separation and capture system absorbs and separates carbon dioxide by bringing a gas containing carbon dioxide into contact with an absorption liquid such as an aqueous monoethanolamine solution, and then releases the carbon dioxide into the gas phase and captures it by heating the absorption liquid and bringing it into gas-liquid contact.

[0003] Typically, gas-liquid contactors used in gas separation and recovery systems include a gas-liquid contact section with packing material to increase the contact area between the liquid and the gas. When the liquid and gas come into contact on the surface of the packing material, specific gas components and heat in the gas are absorbed by the liquid. Furthermore, gas-liquid contactors have multiple such gas-liquid contact sections arranged vertically to further increase the contact area between the gas and liquid, thereby improving contact efficiency. In particular, gas-liquid contact sections using multiple parallel vertical flat plates as packing material have low pressure loss due to gas flow resistance, so even if multiple gas-liquid contact sections are stacked in multiple stages, energy consumption in the gas-liquid contact process can be kept low. However, with a multi-stage structure in which multiple gas-liquid contact sections are stacked vertically, there is a limit to how much contact efficiency can be improved by increasing the number of stages. Furthermore, with gas-liquid contactors such as absorption towers, there is a limit to how much volumetric ratio of the gas-liquid contact sections can be increased.

[0004] In contrast, Patent Document 1 discloses a gas-liquid contactor having a multi-stage structure in which a plurality of gas-liquid contact sections, each having a plate-like packing material installed therein, are arranged in the horizontal direction. With such a gas-liquid contactor, when an attempt is made to add more gas-liquid contact sections, the expansion is made in the horizontal direction, making it easier to add more sections than with a gas-liquid contactor in which the number of sections is increased in the vertical direction.

[0005] Furthermore, in a gas-liquid contactor in which multiple gas-liquid contact sections are stacked vertically, the liquid and gas flow in countercurrent directions in the gas-liquid contact sections. In contrast, in the gas-liquid contactor disclosed in Patent Document 1, the liquid flows vertically and the gas flows horizontally in the gas-liquid contact sections, making it less likely to experience the so-called flooding phenomenon, which causes the system to become inoperable due to a decrease in pressure. Therefore, the gas-liquid contactor disclosed in Patent Document 1 makes it easier to increase the flow rate of the liquid than a gas-liquid contactor in which multiple gas-liquid contact sections are stacked vertically. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-86635 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The gas-liquid contactor disclosed in Patent Document 1 is advantageous over a gas-liquid contactor in which multiple gas-liquid contact sections are stacked vertically in the above respects, but there is room for further improvement, for example, by further improving the gas-liquid contact efficiency.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a gas-liquid contactor that is advantageous in improving gas-liquid contact efficiency or reducing manufacturing costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A gas-liquid contactor according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a gas-liquid contact section having a plurality of regions that are horizontally connected to one another and each have a packing material disposed therein; a liquid supply system that supplies the liquid to the packing material from above in the vertical direction for each region while sequentially circulating the liquid through the plurality of regions along the arrangement of the plurality of regions; and a gas supply system that sequentially circulates a gas through the plurality of regions along the arrangement of the plurality of regions to bring the gas into contact with the liquid for each region, wherein the packing material includes first and second packing members that are plate-shaped and parallel to the liquid supply direction and the gas supply direction to the packing material and are alternately stacked, at least a portion of the first and second packing members being corrugated plates, and the corrugation direction of the corrugated plate of the first packing member and the corrugation direction of the corrugated plate of the second packing member are inclined in opposite directions relative to the vertical direction, and in adjacent regions, far The pitch of the corrugations in the corrugated plates that make up the filler in the side area is close The pitch of the corrugations is smaller than that of the corrugated sheets that make up the filler in the side region.

[0010] In the gas-liquid contactor, the first and second packing members may be entirely corrugated. Each of the first and second packing members may have a corrugated portion on its vertically upper side and a flat portion on its vertically lower side. The liquid supply system may include a pump for each of the multiple regions that supplies liquid temporarily stored below the packing material in the vertical direction to the packing material in the vertical direction, and the pump capacity may differ for each of the multiple regions in accordance with the difference in the pitch of the corrugated plate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a gas-liquid contactor that is advantageous in improving gas-liquid contact efficiency or reducing manufacturing costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a gas-liquid contactor according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2]1 is a cross-sectional view of the gas-liquid contactor according to the first embodiment, taken along the YZ plane. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a third filler including a partially exploded view in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a plan view of the third filling material in the first embodiment as seen from above in the Z direction. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view illustrating an example of a substitute for the filler in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a gas-liquid contactor according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the gas-liquid contactor according to the second embodiment, taken along the YZ plane. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a third filler, including a partially exploded view, according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, several exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, the dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values ​​shown in the embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the present disclosure unless otherwise specified. In the drawings, piping systems through which liquids flow are simply indicated by solid lines. Furthermore, elements having substantially the same functions and configurations are assigned the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanation, and elements not directly related to the present disclosure are not shown.

[0014] (First embodiment) 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a gas-liquid contactor 1 according to a first embodiment. The gas-liquid contactor 1 brings a liquid L into contact with a gas G, thereby causing a specific gas component contained in the gas G to be absorbed into the liquid L as an absorbing liquid.

[0015] Examples of the gas G include exhaust gas and reaction gas generated in facilities such as chemical plants and thermal power plants. In this case, the gas-liquid contactor 1 treats carbon dioxide and acidic gases such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides as specific components.

[0016] The liquid L is selected depending on the specific components to be removed from the gas G. When capturing and removing carbon dioxide, an aqueous solution of an alkaline agent such as a cyclic amine compound, an alkanol amine, a phenol amine, or an alkali metal salt may be used as the liquid L. When removing sulfur oxides, an aqueous solution of an alkaline agent such as a calcium compound or a magnesium compound may be used as the liquid L. For example, if an aqueous solution of monoethanolamine (MEA) is used as the liquid L when capturing and removing carbon dioxide, the reaction with carbon dioxide will produce carbamates, amine salts (carbamates), carbonates, bicarbonates, etc.

[0017] The gas-liquid contactor 1 includes a gas-liquid contact section 2, a liquid supply system 3, a gas supply system 4, and a container 21 that configures the gas-liquid contact section 2 therein. In each of the figures from Fig. 1 onwards, the Z direction is defined as the vertical direction as an example, and in the following description, the upper side of the Z direction may be simply referred to as "upper", and the lower side of the Z direction may be simply referred to as "lower".

[0018] The container 21 has a horizontally elongated shape. In Fig. 1 and subsequent figures, the X direction is defined as the longitudinal direction of the container 21, for example. The container 21 has, for example, a top plate 21t, a bottom plate 21b, and a pair of side walls 21s along the X direction, and a first end wall 21a and a second end wall 21d at both ends in the X direction. In other words, more specifically, the shape of the container 21 is a substantially quadrangular prism whose cross section parallel to the YZ plane perpendicular to the X direction is substantially rectangular.

[0019] The gas-liquid contact section 2 has four regions, namely, a first region 2a, a second region 2b, a third region 2c, and a fourth region 2d, which are allocated so as to be arranged laterally along the X direction. Each region of the gas-liquid contact section 2 corresponds to a conventional one-stage gas-liquid contact section or gas-liquid contact phase.

[0020] Furthermore, the gas-liquid contact section 2 has packing materials 22 installed in each region. Hereinafter, the packing material 22 installed in the first region 2a will be referred to as the first packing material 22a. Similarly, the packing material 22 installed in the second region 2b will be referred to as the second packing material 22b, the packing material 22 installed in the third region 2c will be referred to as the third packing material 22c, and the packing material 22 installed in the fourth region 2d will be referred to as the fourth packing material 22d. The specific shape of the packing materials 22 will be described in detail below.

[0021] The vessel 21 also has an upper partition wall 23 and a lower partition wall 24 facing the upper partition wall 23 in the Z direction at the boundary between two adjacent regions in the gas-liquid contact section 2.

[0022] The plurality of upper partition walls 23 each protrude from the top plate 21t toward the bottom plate 21b. Of the plurality of upper partition walls 23, the one located at the boundary between the first region 2a and the second region 2b is the first upper partition wall 23a. Similarly, the one located at the boundary between the second region 2b and the third region 2c is the second upper partition wall 23b. The one located at the boundary between the third region 2c and the fourth region 2d is the third upper partition wall 23c.

[0023] The plurality of lower partition walls 24 each protrude from the bottom plate 21b toward the top plate 21t. Of the plurality of lower partition walls 24, the one located at the boundary between the first region 2a and the second region 2b is the first lower partition wall 24a. Similarly, the one located at the boundary between the second region 2b and the third region 2c is the second lower partition wall 24b. The one located at the boundary between the third region 2c and the fourth region 2d is the third lower partition wall 24c.

[0024] An opening 25 is formed between the upper partition wall 23 and the lower partition wall 24 that faces the upper partition wall 23 in the Z direction. The first region 2a and the second region 2b communicate in the X direction via a first opening 25a sandwiched between the first upper partition wall 23a and the first lower partition wall 24a. Similarly, the second region 2b and the third region 2c communicate in the X direction via a second opening 25b sandwiched between the second upper partition wall 23b and the second lower partition wall 24b. The third region 2c and the fourth region 2d communicate in the X direction via a third opening 25c sandwiched between the third upper partition wall 23c and the third lower partition wall 24c.

[0025] In this embodiment, four regions are allocated to the gas-liquid contact section 2, but the number of regions allocated may be any number equal to or greater than 2. In this embodiment, four regions are allocated equally to the gas-liquid contact section 2, but for example, the lengths of the regions in the X direction may be different.

[0026] The liquid supply system 3 supplies the liquid L to each of the packing materials 22 arranged in the plurality of regions of the gas-liquid contact section 2. The liquid supply system 3 has a liquid inlet 31a for introducing the liquid L into the container 21, a liquid outlet 31b for discharging the liquid L from the container 21, and a circulation system 33 provided for each of the plurality of regions.

[0027] In this embodiment, as will be mentioned in the description of the gas supply system 4, spatial regions are provided in the container 21 between the gas inlet 41 and the fourth region 2d and between the gas outlet 42 and the first region 2a. In this case, the liquid inlet 31a may be provided on the bottom plate 21b of the container 21 so as to communicate with the spatial region between the gas outlet 42 and the first region 2a. The liquid outlet 31b may be provided on the bottom plate 21b of the container 21 so as to communicate with the spatial region between the gas inlet 41 and the fourth region 2d.

[0028] Furthermore, in the vessel 21, as one of the plurality of lower partition walls 24, a fourth lower partition wall 24d is installed at the boundary between the fourth region 2d and the spatial region between the gas inlet part 41 and the fourth region 2d.

[0029] For each region in the gas-liquid contact section 2, the circulation system 33 includes a liquid recovery port 34 provided below, a liquid distributor 35 provided above, and a reflux pipe 36 connecting the liquid recovery port 34 and the liquid distributor 35. Hereinafter, the circulation system 33 for the first region 2a will be referred to as the first circulation system 33a. Similarly, the circulation system 33 for the second region 2b will be referred to as the second circulation system 33b, the circulation system 33 for the third region 2c as the third circulation system 33c, and the circulation system 33 for the fourth region 2d as the fourth circulation system 33d. In line with these notations, the liquid recovery port 34, liquid distributor 35, and reflux pipe 36 included in the first circulation system 33a will be referred to as the first liquid recovery port 34a, the first liquid distributor 35a, and the first reflux pipe 36a, respectively. Similarly, the liquid recovery port 34, liquid distributor 35, and return pipe 36 included in the second circulation system 33b are referred to as second liquid recovery port 34b, second liquid distributor 35b, and second return pipe 36b, respectively. The liquid recovery port 34, liquid distributor 35, and return pipe 36 included in the third circulation system 33c are referred to as third liquid recovery port 34c, third liquid distributor 35c, and third return pipe 36c, respectively. The liquid recovery port 34, liquid distributor 35, and return pipe 36 included in the fourth circulation system 33d are referred to as fourth liquid recovery port 34d, fourth liquid distributor 35d, and fourth return pipe 36d, respectively.

[0030] Here, the bottom plate 21b of the container 21 is formed in a concave shape, a so-called funnel shape, that is inclined so that the center is lowest, for example, for each region of the gas-liquid contact section 2. The plurality of liquid recovery ports 34 are each connected to the bottom of the concave shape of the corresponding bottom plate 21b.

[0031] The liquid distributor 35 distributes the liquid L supplied through the reflux pipe 36 downward. The liquid distributor 35 is, for example, a liquid distributor having a drip point density (number of liquid supply points per area) of 100 to 3000 points / m. 2 Approximately 500 to 3000 points / m is more preferable. 2A shower head type liquid distributor, which has a capacity of about 1000 sq. m, can be used. The shower head type liquid distributor is mainly composed of a distribution pipe for guiding and distributing the liquid L to each drip point, for example.

[0032] A pump 37 is installed in the return pipe 36 between the liquid recovery port 34 and the liquid distributor 35 as a power source that supplies liquid transport energy. The liquid L collected in the liquid recovery port 34 is supplied to the liquid distributor 35 by driving the pump 37. The flow rate of the liquid L flowing through the return pipe 36 can be adjusted by an operator by adjusting the drive speed of the pump 37. Hereinafter, the pump 37 for the first region 2a will be referred to as the first pump 37a. Similarly, the pump 37 for the second region 2b will be referred to as the second pump 37b, the pump 37 for the third region 2c will be referred to as the third pump 37c, and the pump 37 for the fourth region 2d will be referred to as the fourth pump 37d.

[0033] A heat exchanger 38 for adjusting the temperature of the liquid L may be installed in the reflux pipe 36. As will be described in detail below, in this embodiment, the liquid L introduced into the gas-liquid contact section 2 from the liquid inlet 31a moves sequentially from the first region 2a to adjacent regions. If a temperature change occurs in the liquid L due to gas-liquid contact while the liquid L moves sequentially between regions, the heat exchanger 38 can be used to suppress the temperature change of the liquid L. Hereinafter, the heat exchanger 38 for the first region 2a will be referred to as the first heat exchanger 38a. Similarly, the heat exchanger 38 for the second region 2b will be referred to as the second heat exchanger 38b, the heat exchanger 38 for the third region 2c will be referred to as the third heat exchanger 38c, and the heat exchanger 38 for the fourth region 2d will be referred to as the fourth heat exchanger 38d.

[0034] In the liquid supply system 3, the liquid L is first introduced into the first region 2a in the gas-liquid contactor 2 through the liquid inlet 31a. Because the liquid inlet 31a is connected to the bottom plate 21b of the container 21, the introduced liquid L flows toward the first liquid recovery port 34a in the first region 2a. Next, when the first pump 37a is driven, the liquid L recovered through the first liquid recovery port 34a is supplied to the first liquid distributor 35a through the first return pipe 36a. The first liquid distributor 35a then sprays the supplied liquid L downward. Because the first filler 22a is disposed below the first liquid distributor 35a, the first filler 22a is wetted with the liquid L as a result of the spraying of the liquid L by the first liquid distributor 35a. The liquid L adhering to the first filler 22a eventually flows down toward the bottom plate 21b in the first region 2a. The first liquid recovery port 34a is connected to the bottom plate 21b, so that the liquid L circulates within the first region 2a.

[0035] Meanwhile, a first lower partition wall 24a is provided on the bottom plate 21b of the container 21 at the boundary between the first region 2a and the second region 2b. Therefore, even when the liquid L is introduced through the liquid inlet 31a and the liquid L flows down from the first filler 22a, a certain amount of liquid L is temporarily stored on the bottom plate 21b in the first region 2a. However, as the introduction of the liquid L from the liquid inlet 31a progresses, the amount of liquid L stored in the first region 2a gradually increases. Then, when the liquid level of the stored liquid L exceeds the height of the first lower partition wall 24a, the amount of liquid L corresponding to the newly introduced amount flows over the first lower partition wall 24a and into the adjacent second region 2b.

[0036] The liquid L that flows into the second region 2b flows toward the second liquid recovery port 34b within the second region 2b. When the second pump 37b is driven, the liquid L recovered at the second liquid recovery port 34b is supplied to the second liquid distributor 35b through the second return pipe 36b and sprayed downward from the second liquid distributor 35b. As the second liquid distributor 35b sprays the liquid L, the second filler 22b disposed below the second liquid distributor 35b is wetted with the liquid L. The liquid L adhering to the second filler 22b eventually flows down toward the bottom plate 21b within the second region 2b and is recovered again at the second liquid recovery port 34b. In other words, the liquid L circulates within the second region 2b. Meanwhile, a second lower partition wall 24b is provided at the boundary between the second region 2b and the third region 2c on the bottom plate 21b. Therefore, similar to the first region 2a, a certain amount of liquid L is temporarily stored on the bottom plate 21b in the second region 2b. However, when the liquid level of the stored liquid L exceeds the height of the second lower partition wall 24b, the liquid L corresponding to the new inflow amount from the first region 2a flows over the second lower partition wall 24b and into the adjacent third region 2c.

[0037] The liquid L that flows into the third region 2c flows toward the third liquid recovery port 34c within the third region 2c. When the third pump 37c is driven, the liquid L recovered at the third liquid recovery port 34c is supplied to the third liquid distributor 35c through the third return pipe 36c and sprayed downward from the third liquid distributor 35c. As the third liquid distributor 35c sprays the liquid L, the third filler 22c disposed below the third liquid distributor 35c is wetted with the liquid L. The liquid L adhering to the third filler 22c eventually flows down toward the bottom plate 21b within the third region 2c and is recovered again at the third liquid recovery port 34c. In other words, the liquid L circulates within the third region 2c. Meanwhile, a third lower partition wall 24c is installed at the boundary between the third region 2c and the fourth region 2d on the bottom plate 21b. Therefore, similar to the first region 2a, a certain amount of liquid L is temporarily stored on the bottom plate 21b in the third region 2c. However, when the liquid level of the stored liquid L exceeds the height of the third lower partition wall 24c, the amount of liquid L corresponding to the new inflow from the second region 2b flows over the third lower partition wall 24c and into the adjacent fourth region 2d.

[0038] The liquid L that flows into the fourth region 2d flows toward the fourth liquid recovery port 34d within the fourth region 2d. When the fourth pump 37d is driven, the liquid L recovered at the fourth liquid recovery port 34d is supplied to the fourth liquid distributor 35d through the fourth return pipe 36d and sprayed downward from the fourth liquid distributor 35d. As the fourth liquid distributor 35d sprays the liquid L, the fourth filler 22d disposed below the fourth liquid distributor 35d is wetted with the liquid L. The liquid L adhering to the fourth filler 22d eventually flows down toward the bottom plate 21b within the fourth region 2d and is recovered again at the fourth liquid recovery port 34d. In other words, the liquid L circulates within the fourth region 2d. A fourth lower partition wall 24d is provided at the boundary between the fourth region 2d on the bottom plate 21b of the container 21 and the spatial region between the gas inlet 41 and the fourth region 2d. Therefore, similar to the first region 2a, a certain amount of liquid L is temporarily stored on the bottom plate 21b in the fourth region 2d. However, when the liquid level of the stored liquid L exceeds the height of the fourth lower partition wall 24d, the liquid L corresponding to the new inflow amount from the third region 2c flows over the fourth lower partition wall 24d and into the spatial region between the gas inlet 41 and the fourth region 2d.

[0039] The liquid L that has flowed into the spatial region between the gas inlet 41 and the fourth region 2d flows toward the liquid outlet 31b and is discharged from the container 21 to the outside.

[0040] The gas supply system 4 distributes the gas G through the gas-liquid contact section 2. The gas supply system 4 has a tubular gas inlet section 41 and a tubular gas outlet section 42. In this embodiment, the gas G is distributed through the fourth region 2d, the third region 2c, the second region 2b, and the first region 2a in this order. That is, in each region, the direction in which the liquid L is sprayed by the liquid supply system 3 and the direction in which the gas G is supplied by the gas supply system 4 intersect with each other.

[0041] The gas inlet 41 is provided approximately in the center of the second end wall 21d of the container 21 so as to communicate with the fourth region 2d, which is the first region to flow through. The gas outlet 42 is provided approximately in the center of the first end wall 21a of the container 21 so as to communicate with the first region 2a, which is the last region to flow through. Spatial regions are provided in the container 21 between the gas inlet 41 and the fourth region 2d, and between the gas outlet 42 and the first region 2a.

[0042] Furthermore, in the gas supply system 4, a demister 43 may be installed in the spatial region between the gas discharge part 42 and the first region 2a in order to prevent minute droplets from being entrained and discharged in the gas G discharged from the gas discharge part 42. As the demister 43, a mesh or porous member such as a wire mesh or a perforated plate can be used.

[0043] In this embodiment, the gas G is supplied in the gas supply system 4 by utilizing the flow pressure of the gas G supplied from the outside, and no power source for the gas supply is shown in the drawing. However, if necessary, an air supply means such as a pump or a fan may be used.

[0044] In the gas supply system 4, gas G is first introduced from the gas inlet 41 into the fourth region 2d in the gas-liquid contact section 2. Because a fourth filler 22d is disposed in the fourth region 2d, gas G passes through the internal space of the fourth filler 22d and heads toward the third opening 25c. Next, gas G is introduced from the fourth region 2d into the third region 2c through the third opening 25c. Because a third filler 22c is disposed in the third region 2c, gas G passes through the internal space of the third filler 22c and heads toward the second opening 25b. Next, gas G is introduced from the third region 2c into the second region 2b through the second opening 25b. Because a second filler 22b is disposed in the second region 2b, gas G passes through the internal space of the second filler 22b and heads toward the first opening 25a. Next, gas G is introduced from the second region 2b into the first region 2a through the first opening 25a. Since the first filler 22a is disposed in the first region 2a, the gas G passes through the internal space of the first filler 22a and heads toward the gas discharge part 42. Then, the gas G is discharged from inside the container 21 to the outside through the gas discharge part 42.

[0045] Here, the heights of the plurality of upper partition walls 23 on the top plate 21t side are set so that their lower ends contact the packing material 22. As a result, the upper partition walls 23 can prevent the gas G from avoiding the internal space of the packing material 22 and flowing above it. On the other hand, the heights of the plurality of lower partition walls 24 on the bottom plate 21b side are set so that they are higher than the lower end of the packing material 22 and so that the accumulation of the liquid L can be maintained at a constant level. In other words, the liquid level of the liquid L accumulated in each region in the gas-liquid contact section 2 is set to approximately reach the lower end of the packing material 22, that is, so that the lower end of the packing material 22 is in contact with the accumulated liquid L. As a result, the lower partition walls 24 can prevent the gas G from avoiding the internal space of the packing material 22 and flowing below it.

[0046] Next, the packing material 22 employed in this embodiment will be described in detail. Four packing materials, namely, a first packing material 22a, a second packing material 22b, a third packing material 22c, and a fourth packing material 22d, exist in the gas-liquid contact section 2. In this embodiment, these packing materials have the same shape, etc. Therefore, in the following description of the packing materials 22, the third packing material 22c will be taken as a representative example.

[0047] Fig. 2 corresponds to a cross section II-II set in the third region 2c of the gas-liquid contact section 2 shown in Fig. 1, and is a cross-sectional view of the gas-liquid contactor 1 cut along the YZ plane. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the third packing material 22c, including a partially exploded view.

[0048] The third filler 22c is formed by combining a plurality of filler members. Each of the plurality of filler members is a corrugated plate. In this embodiment, each filler member is classified into two types of filler members having different corrugation directions, namely, first filler members 50 and second filler members 51. In this embodiment, the corrugation pitch and thickness of the first filler members 50 and second filler members 51 are the same. However, the pitch of the first filler members 50 and the second filler members 51 may be different from each other. The thickness of the first filler members 50 and the second filler members 51 may be different from each other.

[0049] Furthermore, when the first filling member 50 and the second filling member 51 are regarded as a single flat plate, the main plane of the flat plate is parallel to the XZ plane. That is, the first filling member 50 and the second filling member 51 are maintained in a position along the XZ plane in the third filling material 22c. Here, the X direction corresponds to the direction in which the gas G is introduced into the third filling material 22c. The Z direction corresponds to the direction in which the liquid L is sprayed from the third liquid distributor 35c to the third filling material 22c. In this embodiment, the dimensions of the first filling member 50 and the second filling member 51 in the X, Y, and Z directions are approximately the same.

[0050] The first filling member 50 has a plurality of first peaks 50a protruding in the Y direction and a plurality of first valleys 50b protruding in the opposite direction from the first peaks 50a. In other words, the waveform of the first filling member 50 is formed by an alternating combination of the first peaks 50a and the first valleys 50b. As shown in FIG. 3, the extension direction of the first peaks 50a and the first valleys 50b is inclined by a first angle θ1 toward the negative side of the X direction with respect to the Z direction. The wavy direction of the first filling member 50 intersects at a right angle on the XZ plane with the extension direction of the first peaks 50a and the first valleys 50b.

[0051] The second filling member 51 has multiple second peaks 51a protruding in the Y direction and multiple second valleys 51b protruding in the opposite direction from the second peaks 51a. In other words, the waveform of the second filling member 51 is formed by an alternating combination of the second peaks 51a and the second valleys 51b. As shown in FIG. 3, the extension direction of the second peaks 51a and the second valleys 51b is inclined by a second angle θ2 toward the positive side of the X direction with respect to the Z direction. The wavy direction of the second filling member 51 intersects at a right angle on the XZ plane with the extension direction of the second peaks 51a and the second valleys 51b.

[0052] As described above, the inclination directions of the first angle θ1 and the second angle θ2 with respect to the Z direction are opposite to each other in the X direction. That is, the corrugation direction of the corrugated sheet of the first filling member 50 and the corrugation direction of the corrugated sheet of the second filling member 51 are inclined in opposite directions with respect to the Z direction. In this embodiment, the first angle θ1 and the second angle θ2 are each 45°. In this case, the corrugation direction of the first filling member 50 and the corrugation direction of the second filling member 51 are perpendicular to each other on the XZ plane. The first angle θ1 and the second angle θ2 may be values ​​other than 45°, but should be at least within the range of 1° to 89°. The values ​​of the first angle θ1 and the second angle θ2 may be different from each other.

[0053] In the third filling material 22c, the first filling members 50 and the second filling members 51 are alternately stacked along the Y direction. In this embodiment, the third filling material 22c includes, as an example, four first filling members 50 and four second filling members 51. In other words, the third filling material 22c is configured by combining eight filling members. Since the eight filling members can be regarded as flat plates having the same general shape, the general shape of the third filling material 22c is a rectangular parallelepiped.

[0054] Each component of the gas-liquid contactor 1 is made of a material resistant to the components of the gas G and the chemicals contained in the liquid L. Examples of such materials include metals such as stainless steel, aluminum, nickel, titanium, carbon steel, brass, copper, Monel, silver, tin, and niobium, as well as resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and PTFE. Furthermore, the first filler member 50, the second filler member 51, and other filler elements constituting the filler 22 are also made of a corrosion-resistant material, at least on the surface of which they do not react (corrode) with the gas G or the liquid L. The filler element material may be surface-roughened by forming minute irregularities on the surface through surface treatment such as sanding, sandblasting, ultraviolet ozone treatment, or plasma treatment. Alternatively, the filler element material may be surface-modified by coating or other methods to suit the operating conditions.

[0055] Next, the operation of the gas-liquid contactor 1 will be described.

[0056] First, the gas-liquid contactor 1 operates the liquid supply system 3 to supply the liquid L to the gas-liquid contact section 2. As a result, the liquid L is sequentially sprayed onto each of the packing materials 22 arranged in each of the first region 2a, the second region 2b, the third region 2c, and the fourth region 2d in the gas-liquid contact section 2.

[0057] 4 is a plan view of the third filler 22c, which is a representative example of the plurality of fillers 22, viewed from above in the Z direction. In each of the fillers 22, including the third filler 22c, the first filler members 50 and the second filler members 51 are combined alternately and in contact with each other. Here, the first filler members 50 and the second filler members 51 are each corrugated plates. Therefore, when the first filler members 50 and the second filler members 51 are combined, portions of the first valley portions 50b and the second peak portions 51a, and portions of the second valley portions 51b and the first peak portions 50a, respectively, are in contact with each other.

[0058] Furthermore, in the first filling member 50 and the second filling member 51, the spaces between the walls forming the corrugations are defined. Meanwhile, the extension direction of the first peaks 50a and the first valleys 50b of the first filling member 50 is inclined at a first angle θ1 with respect to the Z direction. Similarly, the extension direction of the second peaks 51a and the second valleys 51b of the second filling member 51 is inclined at a second angle θ2 with respect to the Z direction. Therefore, when the third filling member 22c is viewed from above in the Z direction as shown in FIG. 4, a portion of either the wall of the first filling member 50 or the second filling member 51 is visible through the spaces present in the first filling member 50 and the second filling member 51. In other words, when the third filling member 22c is viewed from above in the Z direction, the inner side of the third filling member 22c cannot be seen through the spaces present in the first filling member 50 and the second filling member 51.

[0059] 2, for example, the liquid L sprayed from the third liquid distributor 35c toward the third filler 22c in the third region 2c comes into contact with some portion of the third filler 22c before reaching the reservoir portion on the bottom plate 21b below the third filler 22c. The liquid L that reaches the third filler 22c flows along the wall surface of the first filler member 50 inclined at the first angle θ1 or the wall surface of the second filler member 51 inclined at the second angle θ2, forming a liquid film on each wall surface. Finally, the liquid L flows down toward the bottom plate 21b.

[0060] Meanwhile, the liquid L is initially sprayed in the Z direction from the third liquid distributor 35c toward the third filler 22c. However, after the liquid L reaches the third filler 22c, the direction of travel of the liquid L changes according to the inclination of the waveform of each filler member. If the waveforms of the multiple filler members constituting the filler 22 are biased so as to be inclined toward either the positive side or the negative side of the X direction, the direction in which the liquid L flows down within the filler 22 will be biased. Therefore, in this case, the filler 22 may be largely divided into areas that are easily wetted by the liquid L and areas that are difficult to wet by the liquid L.

[0061] In contrast, in this embodiment, third filling material 22c is formed by alternately overlapping first filling members 50 whose waveforms are inclined toward the negative side of the X-direction and second filling members 51 whose waveforms are inclined toward the positive side of the X-direction. Therefore, third filling material 22c is not easily divided into regions that are easily wetted by liquid L and regions that are not easily wetted by liquid L. As a result, a liquid film of liquid L can be formed over as wide an area as possible on the wall surfaces of first filling members 50 and second filling members 51.

[0062] 4, attention has been focused on the third filler 22c as a representative of the plurality of fillers 22, but the other fillers, the first filler 22a, the second filler 22b, and the fourth filler 22d, are also similarly wetted by the liquid L. The movement of the liquid L in the gas-liquid contact section 2 is as described above for the liquid supply system 3.

[0063] Next, the gas-liquid contactor 1 operates the gas supply system 4 to supply gas G to the gas-liquid contact section 2. First, gas G introduced into the gas-liquid contact section 2 from the gas inlet 41 flows toward the fourth packing material 22d in the fourth region 2d. Similar to the third packing material 22c described above, the fourth packing material 22d is composed of alternating stacks of first packing members 50 and second packing members 51. Therefore, even if gas G enters either the first packing member 50 or the second packing member 51, it is influenced by the waveforms of the opposing first packing members 50 and second packing members 51 and is discharged from the fourth packing material 22d generally along the X direction. Subsequently, gas G discharged from the fourth packing material 22d flows through the third region 2c, the second region 2b, and the first region 2a in this order. As a result, in each region, the liquid film of the liquid L formed on each filler 22 comes into contact with the gas G supplied from the gas supply system 4, and the specific gas components and the like in the gas G are absorbed by the liquid L. Then, the liquid L having absorbed the specific gas components and the like is eventually discharged to the outside of the container 21 from the liquid outlet 31b.

[0064] In this embodiment, the order in which the liquid L supplied by the liquid supply system 3 flows through each region is opposite to the order in which the gas G supplied by the gas supply system 4 flows through each region, and therefore countercurrent contact is performed throughout the gas-liquid contactor 2. In contrast, if the gas inlet 41 and the gas outlet 42 are installed in the opposite positions in the gas-liquid contactor 1 and the liquid L and gas G are supplied to each region in the same order, parallel current contact can be performed.

[0065] Here, the flow resistance of the gas G when the gas G contacts the liquid L affects the energy consumption during operation of the gas-liquid contactor 1. Therefore, the size and number of packing members in one packing material 22, the plate thickness of each packing member, or the pitch dimension defining the waveform of each packing member are set in consideration of the wetted area (gas-liquid contact area) per unit volume of the packing material 22, etc.

[0066] In the above description, the shapes of the packing materials 22 installed in the respective regions of the gas-liquid contact section 2 are the same, but the shapes of the packing materials 22 may differ from region to region.

[0067] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view illustrating a first filler 122a, a second filler 122b, a third filler 122c, and a fourth filler 122d that can replace the first filler 22a, the second filler 22b, the third filler 22c, and the fourth filler 22d in the gas-liquid contact section 2.

[0068] The first filler 122a is a filler placed in the first region 2a, replacing the first filler 22a. In FIG. 5, a corrugated first filler member 60 having first peaks 60a is depicted as part of the first filler 122a. The pitch of the corrugations of the first filler member 60, expressed as the distance between the first peaks 60a, is a first pitch P1. Although not shown, the first filler 122a includes a second filler member, similar to the second filler member 51 in the first filler 22a.

[0069] The second filler 122b is a filler placed in the second region 2b, replacing the second filler 22b. In FIG. 5, a corrugated first filler member 62 having first peaks 62a is depicted as part of the second filler 122b. The pitch of the corrugation of the first filler member 62, expressed as the distance between the first peaks 62a, is a second pitch P2. Although not shown, the second filler 122b includes a second filler member, similar to the second filler member 51 in the second filler 22b.

[0070] The third filler 122c is a filler placed in the third region 2c, replacing the third filler 22c. In FIG. 5, a corrugated first filler member 64 having first peaks 64a is depicted as part of the third filler 122c. The pitch of the corrugation of the first filler member 64, expressed as the distance between the first peaks 64a, is a third pitch P3. Although not shown, the third filler 122c includes a second filler member, similar to the second filler member 51 in the third filler 22c.

[0071] The fourth filler 122d is a filler placed in the fourth region 2d, replacing the fourth filler 22d. In FIG. 5, a corrugated first filler member 66 having first peaks 66a is depicted as part of the fourth filler 122d. The pitch of the corrugations of the first filler member 66, expressed as the spacing between the first peaks 66a, is a fourth pitch P4. Although not shown, the fourth filler 122d includes a second filler member, similar to the second filler member 51 in the fourth filler 22d.

[0072] When comparing multiple packing materials, packing materials with a smaller corrugation pitch and a larger number of packing sheets have a larger gas-liquid contact area but also increase the flow resistance of gas G. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the shapes of the multiple packing materials may be designed so that the corrugation pitch gradually decreases from the fourth packing material 122d closest to the gas G introduction position to the first packing material 122a farthest from the gas G introduction position. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the relationship is: fourth pitch P4 > third pitch P3 > second pitch P2 > first pitch P1. By designing the shapes of the multiple packing materials in each packing material 122 in this way, the gas-liquid contact area and the flow resistance of gas G can be balanced throughout the entire gas-liquid contact section 2, thereby achieving optimal gas-liquid contact efficiency.

[0073] 5, if the shape of the packing members constituting the packing material is changed for each region of the gas-liquid contact section 2, the allowable flow rate of the liquid L or gas G will also differ for each region. Therefore, the capacity required for each pump 37 present in each region as part of the liquid supply system 3 will also differ. Therefore, for example, if the capacity of the pump 37 can be reduced by changing the shape of the packing members in a certain region of the gas-liquid contact section 2, it is not necessary to use a pump 37 with a high capacity.

[0074] Next, the effects of the gas-liquid contactor 1 will be described.

[0075] The gas-liquid contactor 1 according to this embodiment includes a gas-liquid contactor 2 having multiple regions (e.g., a first region 2a, a second region 2b, a third region 2c, and a fourth region 2d) that are horizontally connected to one another and each include a packing material 22. The gas-liquid contactor 1 includes a liquid supply system 3 that supplies the liquid L to the packing material 22 from above in the vertical direction for each region while sequentially circulating the liquid L through the multiple regions along the array of the multiple regions. The gas-liquid contactor 1 also includes a gas supply system 4 that sequentially circulates the gas G through the multiple regions along the array of the multiple regions, bringing the gas G into contact with the liquid L for each region. The packing material 22 includes first and second packing members 50 and 51, each of which is plate-shaped and parallel to the liquid L supply direction and the gas supply direction to the packing material 22, and which are alternately stacked. At least a portion of the first and second packing members 50 and 51 is a corrugated plate. The corrugation direction of the corrugated sheet of the first filling member 50 and the corrugation direction of the corrugated sheet of the second filling member 51 are inclined in opposite directions relative to the vertical direction.

[0076] First, in the gas-liquid contactor 1, multiple regions, each equipped with packing materials 22, are arranged horizontally in the gas-liquid contact section 2. Therefore, when adding more gas-liquid contact sections, the expansion is horizontal, making it easier to add more sections than in a gas-liquid contactor where the number of sections is increased vertically. Furthermore, in the gas-liquid contactor 1, the liquid L flows roughly vertically and the gas G flows roughly horizontally in the gas-liquid contact section 2, making flooding less likely to occur. Therefore, in the gas-liquid contactor 1, the flow rate of the liquid L can be increased more easily than in a gas-liquid contactor where multiple gas-liquid contact sections are stacked vertically. However, the flow velocity of the gas G is preferably set to 1.0 m / s or less to prevent the liquid L from being blown off the surface of the packing materials 22 by the flow of the gas G.

[0077] In the gas-liquid contactor 1, at least a portion of each of the first and second packing members 50 and 51 constituting the packing material 22 is a corrugated plate. The corrugation direction of the first packing member 50 and the corrugation direction of the second packing member 51 are inclined in opposite directions relative to the vertical direction. The first packing members 50 and the second packing members 51 are alternately stacked. Given these conditions, as described with reference to FIG. 4 , the shape of the packing material 22 is such that in each region, the liquid L sprayed from the liquid distributor 35 toward the packing material 22 contacts some portion of the packing material 22 while flowing downward. Therefore, the gas-liquid contactor 1 can increase the gas-liquid contact area of ​​the packing material 22 and more efficiently form a liquid film of the liquid L on the wall surface of the packing material 22, thereby improving the gas-liquid contact efficiency.

[0078] As a comparative example, consider a case where the packing members constituting the packing material are all flat plates spaced apart at regular intervals. In this case, some of the liquid L sprayed from the liquid distributor 35 adheres directly to the flat plates, forming a liquid film on the wall surface, while other liquid L falls vertically downward without adhering to the flat plates. In other words, less liquid L is used for gas-liquid contact than in this embodiment.

[0079] 1 and the following figures, it is desirable that the first filling member 50 and the second filling member 51 are entirely corrugated plates in order to form a liquid film of the liquid L over a wider area in the filler 22. However, this is not the only option in the present embodiment, and if only a certain range of the first filling member 50 and the second filling member 51 is corrugated rather than partially corrugated, the above-mentioned effects can be achieved compared to when the entire members are flat plates.

[0080] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a gas-liquid contactor 1 that is advantageous in improving the gas-liquid contacting efficiency.

[0081] Note that the alternating stacking of the first filling members 50 and the second filling members 51 does not necessarily mean that the first filling members 50 and the second filling members 51 are alternately stacked one by one. For example, a unit in which two first filling members 50 are stacked and a unit in which two second filling members 51 are stacked may be alternately stacked.

[0082] In the gas-liquid contactor 1, the pitch of the corrugations in the corrugated plate may be different for each of the packing materials 22 installed in each of the multiple regions.

[0083] As explained using Figure 5, such a gas-liquid contactor 1 can achieve a balance between the size of the gas-liquid contact area and the flow resistance of the gas G throughout the entire gas-liquid contact section 2, thereby obtaining the most appropriate gas-liquid contact efficiency.

[0084] Furthermore, in the gas-liquid contactor 1, the liquid supply system 3 may include a pump 37 for each of the multiple regions that supplies the liquid L temporarily stored below the packing material 22 in the vertical direction to above the packing material 22 in the vertical direction. In this case, the capacity of the pump 37 may differ for each of the multiple regions in accordance with the difference in the pitch of the corrugated sheet.

[0085] 5, with such a gas-liquid contactor 1, it is not necessary to uniformly match the capacities of the pumps 37 installed in each region to the pump 37 requiring the largest capacity in a given region. Therefore, a pump 37 with a low capacity can be used depending on the region, and as a result, the manufacturing cost of the gas-liquid contactor 1 can be reduced.

[0086] (Second embodiment) FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a gas-liquid contactor 10 according to a second embodiment. In the first embodiment, the packing material 22 arranged in each region of the gas-liquid contactor 2 includes a plurality of packing elements having a corrugated overall shape. In contrast, in this embodiment, the packing material 222, which replaces the packing material 22 in the first embodiment, includes a plurality of packing elements having a corrugated partial shape. As in the first embodiment, the gas-liquid contactor 2 includes four packing materials, namely, a first packing material 222a, a second packing material 222b, a third packing material 222c, and a fourth packing material 222d. In this embodiment, the shapes and other features of these packing materials are identical to each other. Therefore, in the following description of the packing material 222, the third packing material 222c will be used as a representative. In the gas-liquid contactor 10, the same components as those in the gas-liquid contactor 1 according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0087] Fig. 7 corresponds to a cross section VII-VII set in the third region 2c of the gas-liquid contactor 2 shown in Fig. 6, and is a cross-sectional view of the gas-liquid contactor 10 cut along the YZ plane. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the third filler 222c, including a partially exploded view.

[0088] The third filler 222c is configured by combining a plurality of filler members, similar to the third filler 22c in the first embodiment. Specifically, the third filler 222c has a plurality of first filler members 70 corresponding to the first filler members 50 in the first embodiment, and a plurality of second filler members 71 corresponding to the second filler members 51 in the first embodiment.

[0089] The first filling member 70 includes a first corrugated plate portion 70a on the upper side in the Z direction and a first flat plate portion 70b on the lower side in the Z direction. The first corrugated plate portion 70a and the first flat plate portion 70b are connected at their opposing ends in the Z direction by welding, adhesive, or the like. Therefore, the first filling member 70 as a whole is considered to be a single flat plate body.

[0090] The shape of the first corrugated plate portion 70a is defined similarly to the shape of the first filling member 50 in the first embodiment. The first corrugated plate portion 70a has a plurality of first peaks 70c protruding along the Y direction and a plurality of first valleys 70d protruding on the opposite side of the first peaks 70c. As shown in FIG. 8, the extension direction of the first peaks 70c and the first valleys 70d is inclined by a first angle θ1 toward the negative side of the X direction with respect to the Z direction. Meanwhile, the first flat plate portion 70b is a flat plate whose main plane is parallel to the XZ plane. Because the first filling member 70 is also maintained in a position along the XZ plane in the third filling material 222c, the thickness of the first flat plate portion 70b is set to a level that provides sufficient strength to maintain that position.

[0091] The second filling member 71 includes a second corrugated plate portion 71a on the upper side in the Z direction and a second flat plate portion 71b on the lower side in the Z direction. The second corrugated plate portion 71a and the second flat plate portion 71b are connected at their opposing ends in the Z direction by welding, adhesive, or the like. Therefore, the second filling member 71, like the first filling member 70, is considered to be a single flat plate body as a whole.

[0092] The shape of the second corrugated plate portion 71a is defined similarly to the shape of the second filling member 51 in the first embodiment. The second corrugated plate portion 71a has multiple second peaks 71c protruding along the Y direction and multiple second valleys 71d protruding on the opposite side of the second peaks 71c. As shown in FIG. 8, the extension direction of the second peaks 71c and the second valleys 71d is inclined by a second angle θ2 toward the positive side of the X direction with respect to the Z direction. Meanwhile, the second flat plate portion 71b is a flat plate whose main plane is parallel to the XZ plane. Because the second filling member 71 is also maintained in a position along the XZ plane in the third filling material 222c, the thickness of the second flat plate portion 71b is set to a level that provides sufficient strength to maintain that position.

[0093] In this embodiment, the first corrugated plate portion 70a and the second corrugated plate portion 71a have the same overall dimension. In FIG. 7, the Z-direction dimension of the first corrugated plate portion 70a and the second corrugated plate portion 71a is denoted as a first height H1. Furthermore, the first flat plate portion 70b and the second flat plate portion 71b have the same overall dimension. In FIG. 7, the Z-direction dimension of the first flat plate portion 70b and the second flat plate portion 71b is denoted as a second height H2. In this case, the sum of the first height H2 and the second height H2 is the Z-direction dimension of each of the first filling member 70 and the second filling member 71.

[0094] In the third filling material 222c, the first filling members 70 and the second filling members 71 are alternately stacked along the Y direction. However, in this embodiment, the first corrugated plate portion 70a of the first filling member 70 and the second corrugated plate portion 71a of the second filling member 71 are directly stacked. At this time, the first flat plate portion 70b and the second flat plate portion 71b are maintained parallel to each other with a fixed interval between them, as shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the third filling material 222c includes, for example, four first filling members 70 and four second filling members 71, and the third filling material 222c has a general rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0095] In the first embodiment, each liquid supply system 3 is provided with a liquid distributor 35 that sprays liquid L toward the filler 22. In contrast, the liquid supply system 3 in the present embodiment does not employ the liquid distributor 35. In the present embodiment, the combination of the first corrugated plate portion 70a and the second corrugated plate portion 71a included in each filler 222 serves as a substitute for the liquid distributor 35.

[0096] In this case, the liquid supply system 3 in this embodiment has a discharge pipe 135 above the filler 222 in the Z direction, which drips the liquid L toward the filler 222. Hereinafter, the discharge pipe 135 for the first region 2a will be referred to as the first discharge pipe 135a. Similarly, the discharge pipe 135 for the second region 2b will be referred to as the second discharge pipe 135b, the discharge pipe 135 for the third region 2c will be referred to as the third discharge pipe 135c, and the discharge pipe 135 for the fourth region 2d will be referred to as the fourth discharge pipe 135d. In each liquid supply system 3, the discharge pipe 135 is connected to one end of the return pipe 36. Although not shown, the discharge pipe 135 has a plurality of discharge holes formed therein that enable the liquid L to be discharged.

[0097] Next, the operation of the gas-liquid contactor 10 will be described.

[0098] In the gas-liquid contactor 10, the basic operation of the liquid supply system 3 and the gas supply system 4 is the same as that of the gas-liquid contactor 1 according to the first embodiment, but the action of each filler 222 differs from that of each filler 22 of the gas-liquid contactor 1.

[0099] First, in each region of the gas-liquid contact section 2, the liquid L is dripped from the discharge pipe 135 toward each filler 222. Because the discharge pipe 135 is, for example, a simple pipe with multiple discharge holes, the dripped liquid L is not evenly distributed over each filler 222. However, the combination of the first corrugated plate portion 70a and the second corrugated plate portion 71a, which are located above each filler 222 in the Z direction and directly reach the liquid L dripped from the discharge pipe 135, has the same shape as the first filler member 50 and the second filler member 51 described in detail in the first embodiment. Therefore, the liquid L dripped from the discharge pipe 135 comes into contact with either the first corrugated plate portion 70a or the second corrugated plate portion 71a before reaching the storage portion on the bottom plate 21b below the filler 222. Therefore, the liquid L that passes through the combined portion of the first corrugated plate portion 70a and the second corrugated plate portion 71a is widely dispersed toward the first flat plate portion 70b and the second flat plate portion 71b below, similar to the dispersion by the liquid distributor 35 in the first embodiment. The liquid L dispersed toward the first flat plate portion 70b or the second flat plate portion 71b then flows along the wall surfaces of the first flat plate portion 70b or the second flat plate portion 71b, forming a liquid film on each wall surface. Finally, the liquid L flows down toward the bottom plate 21b.

[0100] In this case, gas-liquid contact between the gas G and the liquid L occurs mainly in the first flat plate portion 70b or the second flat plate portion 71b of the packing material 222. Meanwhile, in the packing material 222, the combined portion of the first corrugated plate portion 70a and the second corrugated plate portion 71a acts as a substitute for the liquid distributor 35 in the first embodiment. Therefore, the first height H1 of the first corrugated plate portion 70a and the second corrugated plate portion 71a may be shorter than the second height H2 of the first flat plate portion 70b and the second flat plate portion 71b.

[0101] The combined portion of the first corrugated plate portion 70a and the second corrugated plate portion 71a in the packing material 222 does not necessarily function as a substitute for the liquid distributor 35, but may also function as a portion that brings about gas-liquid contact between the gas G and the liquid L, as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the liquid distributor 35 is not employed, so more space can be secured within the gas-liquid contact section 2. Therefore, the Z-direction dimension of each of the first packing member 70 and the second packing member 71, which is expressed as the sum of the first height H2 and the second height H2, may be longer than the Z-direction dimension of each of the first packing member 50 and the second packing member 51 in the first embodiment.

[0102] In this way, in the gas-liquid contact device 10, the first filling member 70 and the second filling member 71 may each have a first corrugated plate portion 70a, which is a corrugated plate, on the upper side in the Z direction, and a first flat plate portion 70b, etc. on the lower side in the Z direction.

[0103] According to such a gas-liquid contactor 10, the combined portion of the first corrugated plate portion 70a and the second corrugated plate portion 71a acts as a substitute for the liquid distributor 35 employed in the first embodiment, so there may be cases where the liquid distributor 35 is not required. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the gas-liquid contactor 10 can be reduced compared to when the liquid distributor 35 is used.

[0104] The specific shapes of the container 21 shown in the gas-liquid contact device 1 according to each of the above embodiments and the circulation structure of the liquid L in the liquid supply system 3 are merely examples, and various modifications can be made provided that the basic structure of the gas-liquid contact section 2 is maintained.

[0105] Furthermore, the gas-liquid contact device 1 according to each of the above-described embodiments is not limited to devices for absorbing, separating, and removing specific components, but can also be applied to devices used in cooling, heating, stripping, etc., included in the processes of various chemical plants (cooling towers, heating towers, stripping towers (regeneration towers), etc.).

[0106] Although several embodiments have been described, the embodiments can be modified or varied based on the above disclosure. All components of the above embodiments and all features described in the claims may be individually extracted and combined, unless they are mutually inconsistent. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 1. Gas-liquid contactor 2. Gas-liquid contact area 2a 1st area 2b 2nd area 2c 3rd area 2d 4th area 3 Liquid Supply System 4 Gas supply system 22a 1st filler 22b Second filler 22c 3rd filler 22d Fourth Filler 37a First Pump 37b Second pump 37c Third pump 37d 4th pump 50 First filling member 51 Second filling member 70 First filling member 70a First corrugated plate section 70b 1st flat plate part 71 Second filling member 71a Second corrugated plate section 71b 2nd flat plate part 122a 1st filler 122b 2nd filler 122c 3rd filler 122d 4th filler 222a 1st filler 222b Second filler 222c 3rd filler 222d 4th filler G Gas L liquid

Claims

1. a gas-liquid contact section having a plurality of regions that are horizontally connected to each other and each of which is provided with a packing material; a liquid supply system that supplies the liquid to the filler from above in a vertical direction for each of the regions while sequentially circulating the liquid through the plurality of regions along the arrangement of the plurality of regions; a gas supply system that sequentially circulates gas through the plurality of regions along the arrangement of the plurality of regions, thereby bringing the gas into contact with the liquid in each of the regions; the filler includes first and second filler members each having a plate shape parallel to a supply direction of the liquid and a supply direction of the gas to the filler, the first and second filler members being alternately stacked on top of each other; At least a portion of the first filling member and the second filling member is a corrugated plate, the corrugation direction of the corrugated sheet of the first filling member and the corrugation direction of the corrugated sheet of the second filling member are inclined in opposite directions to each other with respect to the vertical direction, In the adjacent regions, the corrugated plate constituting the packing material in the region farther from the gas introduction position has a smaller corrugation pitch than the corrugated plate constituting the packing material in the region closer to the gas introduction position.

2. The gas-liquid contactor according to claim 1 , wherein the first packing member and the second packing member are entirely made of the corrugated plate.

3. 2. The gas-liquid contactor according to claim 1, wherein each of the first packing member and the second packing member has a corrugated plate portion that is the corrugated plate on an upper side in the vertical direction and a flat plate portion on a lower side in the vertical direction.

4. the liquid supply system includes a pump for supplying the liquid, which is temporarily stored below the filler in a vertical direction, to an upper portion of the filler in a vertical direction, for each of the plurality of regions; The gas-liquid contactor according to claim 1 , wherein the pump capacity varies for each of the plurality of regions in accordance with the difference in the pitch of the corrugated plate.

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