Liquid distributor, packed tower and air separator

Abstract

To provide a liquid distributor capable of suppressing, while suppressing an increase of a magnitude of a main channel, an influence of a flow rate of the liquid supplied to a liquid distributor, a packed tower provided with the liquid distributor, and, an air separator provided with the packed tower.SOLUTION: The liquid distributor according to the present disclosure is a pipe-type liquid distributor for a packed tower, comprising: a main channel having an inlet; a feed pipe that extends from outside to inside of the main channel through the inlet and has a liquid supply passage extending from a liquid flow inlet located outside the main channel to a liquid flow outlet located inside the main channel; and an arm protruding from the main channel and having a plurality of liquid flow down holes through which the liquid flows down, wherein the total area of the liquid flow outlets of the feed pipe is larger than the cross-sectional area of the supply passage at the inlet position of the main channel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid distributor, a packed column, and an air separation unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Liquid distributors for uniformly distributing liquid to packing in a packed tower are known. Patent Document 1 discloses such a liquid distributor. The liquid distributor described in Patent Document 1 includes a main channel and a plurality of arms connected to the main channel. The arms extend in a direction perpendicular to the main channel, and a plurality of holes are arranged along the extension direction of the arms. In such a liquid distributor, liquid is introduced into the arms through the main channel and discharged from the plurality of holes in the arms, thereby being distributed to the packing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 5,501,079 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the liquid distributor described above, the amount of liquid discharged from the holes in the arms may vary depending on the position of the holes due to the influence of the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the liquid distributor. Specifically, for example, the amount of liquid discharged from a hole located near the connection of the arm with the main channel may differ from that discharged from a hole located near the tip of the arm.

[0005] The above-mentioned variation in the amount of discharged liquid depending on the position of the hole may undesirably reduce the efficiency of gas-liquid contact in the packed tower.

[0006] On the other hand, in order to suppress the influence of the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the liquid distributor, there is a method of increasing the size of the main channel and reducing the flow rate of the liquid passing through the inside of the main channel. However, increasing the size of the main channel affects the size and shape of the entire liquid distributor, and may be undesirable in some cases, for example, when there is a limit to the diameter of the packed column in which the liquid distributor is installed.

[0007] The present disclosure aims to provide a liquid distributor that can suppress the effect of the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the liquid distributor while suppressing an increase in the size of the main channel, a packed tower equipped with this liquid distributor, and an air separation unit equipped with this packed tower. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A liquid distributor according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes: (1) A pipe-type liquid distributor for a packed column, a main channel having an inlet; a feed pipe extending from the outside to the inside of the main channel through the receiving port and including a liquid supply flow path leading from a liquid inlet located outside the main channel to a liquid outlet located inside the main channel; an arm protruding from the main channel and having a plurality of liquid flow holes through which the liquid flows; A liquid distributor, wherein the total area of ​​the liquid outlets of the feed pipe is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the supply flow path at the location of the receiving inlet of the main channel.

[0009] A liquid distributor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: (2) The receiving port is formed in a side wall of the main channel, The feed pipe is an upstream pipe section that extends across the outside and the inside of the main channel through the receiving port of the main channel and in which the liquid inlet of the supply flow path is formed; a downstream pipe section connected to the upstream pipe section, extending along the extension direction of the main channel, and in which the liquid outlet of the supply flow path is formed, The liquid distributor according to (1) above.

[0010] A liquid distributor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: (3) A liquid distributor as described in (1) or (2) above, which is provided with a buffer plate that divides the inside of the main channel into an upstream space where the liquid outlet is located and a downstream space that communicates with the inside of the arm, and that includes a communication passage that connects the upstream space and the downstream space.

[0011] A liquid distributor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: (4) The liquid distributor according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the main channel is assembled in a disassembled manner.

[0012] A packed tower according to a second aspect of the present disclosure comprises: (5) A liquid distributor according to any one of (1) to (4) above; and a packing disposed below the liquid distributor.

[0013] An air separation unit according to a third aspect of the present disclosure comprises: (6) An air separation unit comprising the packed tower described in (5) above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a liquid distributor that can suppress the effect of the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the liquid distributor while suppressing an increase in the size of the main channel, a packed tower equipped with this liquid distributor, and an air separation unit equipped with this packed tower. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective view showing a liquid distributor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the liquid distributor shown in FIG. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the feed pipe shown in FIG. [Figure 3B] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the feed pipe shown in FIG. [Figure 3C] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the feed pipe shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the main channel shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the main channel shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a packed tower equipped with the liquid distributor shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an air separation apparatus equipped with the packed column shown in FIG.

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of a liquid distributor, a packed tower, and an air separation unit according to the present disclosure will be illustrated and described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0017] <Liquid distributor 22> First, with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the configuration of a liquid distributor 22 according to one embodiment of the liquid distributor of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the liquid distributor 22. Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the liquid distributor 22. The liquid distributor 22 is a pipe-type liquid distributor. Here, the pipe-type liquid distributor refers to a liquid distributor in which the main body 42 of the main channel 40, which will be described later, is configured to be cylindrical. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the liquid distributor 22 includes a main channel 40, a feed pipe 50, and an arm 60.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the main channel 40 has an inlet 41a. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the main channel 40 extends linearly. Note that the main channel 40 of this embodiment is arranged in a packed tower 15 (see Figure 6), which will be described later, so as to extend horizontally. For ease of explanation, the following description will be based on a state in which the liquid distributor 22 is arranged so that the extension direction of the main channel 40 is horizontal.

[0019] The main channel 40 has surrounding side walls perpendicular to the extension direction. In this embodiment, the inlet 41a is formed in the top wall, which is the upper side wall of the main channel 40. More specifically, in this embodiment, the inlet 41a is formed in the top wall of the main channel 40 at the center in the extension direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the main channel 40. The position of the inlet 41a is not limited to the center of the top wall of the main channel 40, and may be formed in a position offset to either side in the extension direction of the main channel 40.

[0020] The main channel 40 of this embodiment includes a cylindrical body portion 42 and a cylindrical receiving portion 41 protruding from the body portion 42. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the receiving port 41a of this embodiment is formed at the tip of the receiving portion 41, which is provided in the top wall serving as a side wall of the main channel 40. As shown in Fig. 1, the width (depth) W of the receiving portion 41 and the body portion 42 are the same dimension, but this is not limited thereto, and the width W of the receiving portion 41 and the body portion 42 may be different dimensions.

[0021] 1 and 2, the main body 42 and receiving portion 41 of the main channel 40 are formed of square pipes as hollow members with rectangular cross sections. The cross-sectional shapes of the main body 42 and receiving portion 41 are not limited to rectangular and may be circular, for example. The cross-sectional shapes of the main body 42 and receiving portion 41 do not have to be the same and may be different shapes, for example, the cross-sectional shape of the receiving portion 41 may be circular and the cross-sectional shape of the main body 42 may be rectangular.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, both ends of the main body 42 in the extension direction are closed. Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the receiving portion 41 has the aforementioned receiving inlet 41a formed at its tip, through which the upstream pipe portion 51 of the feed pipe 50 passes. The receiving inlet 41a is connected to the interior of the main body 42 via the receiving portion 41. In this embodiment, the receiving inlet 41a is an opening having the same shape as the cross section of the receiving portion 41. However, the receiving inlet 41a is not limited to such an opening and may be any opening as long as it can pass the upstream pipe portion 51 of the feed pipe 50 through it. Specifically, for example, the tip of the receiving portion 41 may be closed by a tip wall portion, and the receiving inlet 41a may be a hole formed in the tip wall portion that closes the tip of the receiving portion 41. Alternatively, the receiving inlet 41a may be a hole formed directly in the side wall of the main body 42. In this case, the main channel 40 does not need to have a receiving portion 41 protruding from the main body 42.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1 , a notch 43 is provided in the side wall of the main channel 40 at a position where the arm 60 is connected. The notch 43 is arranged in the side wall of the main body 42 so as to face the receiving portion 41. More specifically, the notch 43 in this embodiment is formed in a position on the bottom wall, which is the lower side wall of the main channel 40, facing the top wall of the main channel 40 in which the receiving port 41a is provided. The notch 43 also serves as an opening that connects the inside and outside of the main channel 40. The main channel 40 in this embodiment is closed except for the receiving port 41a and the notch 43. In other words, the inside of the main channel 40 is connected to the outside of the main channel 40 only by the receiving port 41a and the notch 43.

[0024] 1 and 2, the feed pipe 50 includes an upstream pipe section 51 and a downstream pipe section 52. The upstream pipe section 51 extends from the outside to the inside of the main channel 40 through the inlet 41a of the main channel 40. The downstream pipe section 52 is disposed inside the main channel 40 so as to be surrounded by the side wall of the main channel 40, and protrudes from the end of the upstream pipe section 51 located inside the main channel 40, extending along the extension direction of the main channel 40. Therefore, the feed pipe 50 of this embodiment is T-shaped as a whole.

[0025] 1 and 2, the upstream pipe section 51 and the downstream pipe section 52 of the feed pipe 50 are round pipes that are hollow members with circular cross sections. The cross-sectional shapes of the upstream pipe section 51 and the downstream pipe section 52 are not limited to circular and may be rectangular, for example. The cross-sectional shapes of the upstream pipe section 51 and the downstream pipe section 52 do not have to be the same and may be different shapes, for example, the upstream pipe section 51 may have a circular cross-sectional shape and the downstream pipe section 52 may have a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

[0026] 1 and 2, the feed pipe 50 has a liquid inlet 51a, which is an opening through which the liquid flows in, at the upper end, which is the tip of the upstream pipe section 51 located outside the main channel 40. The feed pipe 50 also has liquid outlets 52a, which are openings through which the liquid flows out, at the two tips of the downstream pipe section 52 located inside the main channel 40. As shown in FIG. 2, the upstream pipe section 51 and the downstream pipe section 52 define a supply flow path 53, which is a liquid flow path extending from the liquid inlet 51a to the liquid outlet 52a. This allows the liquid that flows in from the liquid inlet 51a to flow out from the liquid outlet 52a through the supply flow path 53.

[0027] 1 and 2, the arm 60 protrudes from the main channel 40. Specifically, the arm 60 extends in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the main body 42 of the main channel 40, and is liquid-tightly connected to the side wall of the main channel 40. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inside of the arm 60 communicates with the inside of the main channel 40 through the notch 43.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 1, the arm 60 of this embodiment is connected to the main channel 40 at the center of the arm 60 in the longitudinal direction, but this is not limited thereto, and the arm 60 may be connected to the main channel 40 at a position closer to either end of the arm 60. As shown in Fig. 2, three arms 60 of this embodiment are provided to protrude from the main channel 40, but the number of arms 60 protruding from the main channel 40 is not limited thereto. The arms 60 of this embodiment are arranged so that the intervals between adjacent arms 60 are all equal, but the size of the intervals between adjacent arms 60 is not particularly limited.

[0029] 1 and 2, the arm 60 of this embodiment is formed of a square pipe as a hollow member with a rectangular cross section. Both ends of the arm 60 in the extension direction are closed. However, the cross-sectional shape of the arm 60 is not limited to the rectangular shape of this embodiment, and may be, for example, circular.

[0030] The liquid that flows into the main channel 40 is supplied to the arm 60 through the notch 43 .

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the arm 60 has liquid flow holes 60a, which are holes for allowing liquid to flow down. A plurality of liquid flow holes 60a are provided in the bottom wall, which is the lower side wall of the arm 60. The liquid flow holes 60a connect the inside and outside of the arm 60. As shown in Figure 1, the plurality of liquid flow holes 60a are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the arm 60. In this embodiment, the intervals between adjacent liquid flow holes 60a are approximately equal, but this configuration is not limited to this. The intervals between adjacent liquid flow holes 60a may vary depending on the position in the extension direction of the arm 60.

[0032] There are no particular limitations on the materials of the main channel 40, the feed pipe 50, and the arm 60. Examples of materials for the main channel 40, the feed pipe 50, and the arm 60 include steel, stainless steel, vinyl chloride, and acrylic. The main channel 40, the feed pipe 50, and the arm 60 may all be made of the same material, or may be made of different materials.

[0033] Next, the arrangement of the liquid distributor 22 inside the packed tower 15 (see FIG. 6 ) will be described below. As described above, the liquid distributor 22 is arranged inside the packed tower 15 so that the extension direction of the main channel 40 is horizontal. In other words, the liquid distributor 22 is arranged inside the packed tower 15 so that the extension direction of the main channel 40 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the packed tower 15. In this case, in the liquid distributor 22 of this embodiment, the liquid inlet 51 a of the feed pipe 50 is the upper end of the liquid distributor 22. Also, the liquid downflow hole 60 a of the arm 60 is the lower end of the liquid distributor 22. The liquid inlet 51 a of the feed pipe 50 opens vertically upward, and the liquid downflow hole 60 a opens vertically downward.

[0034] The upstream pipe section 51 of the feed pipe 50 extends vertically, and a liquid inlet 51a at its upper end is located above the main channel 40. The lower end of the upstream pipe section 51 enters the main channel 40 through the receiving port 41a of the main channel 40. The downstream pipe section 52, which is continuous with the lower end of the upstream pipe section 51, extends within the main channel 40 in the extension direction of the main channel 40.

[0035] Next, a detailed description will be given of the discharge of liquid when using the liquid distributor 22. First, liquid is supplied from the liquid inlet 51a of the feed pipe 50.

[0036] The liquid supplied from the liquid inlet 51a passes through the supply flow path 53 and flows out from the two liquid outlets 52a into the main channel 40. More specifically, the liquid supplied from the liquid inlet 51a flows downward in the upstream pipe section 51, passes through the downstream pipe section 52, and flows out from the two liquid outlets 52a into the main channel 40. The liquid that flows out into the main channel 40 then accumulates inside the main channel 40 and flows into the arm 60 through the notch 43. The liquid that flows into the arm 60 then travels inside the arm 60 along the extension direction of the arm 60 and flows out to the outside of the arm 60 through the multiple liquid downflow holes 60a. In this way, the liquid can be supplied while being dispersed to the packing 21 (see FIG. 6 ), which will be described later and is located below the liquid distributor 22.

[0037] Furthermore, as the liquid is supplied into the main channel 40, the liquid level 65 (see FIG. 1) rises over time from the start of the supply of the liquid. Thereafter, when the flow rate of the liquid supplied from the liquid inlet 51a of the feed pipe 50 becomes equal to the flow rate of the liquid discharged through the liquid downflow hole 60a of the arm 60, the rise of the liquid level 65 stops and the position of the liquid level 65 becomes constant.

[0038] Next, the feed pipe 50 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 1, the feed pipe 50 of this embodiment is formed of a round pipe, and the inner diameters of the upstream pipe section 51 and the downstream pipe section 52 are approximately the same. Therefore, the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a (see arrow B in Figure 2), which is the sum of the areas of the two liquid outlets 52a of the feed pipe 50, is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the supply flow path 53 at the position of the inlet 41a of the main channel 40 (see arrow A in Figure 2).

[0039] In this way, by making the total area of ​​the liquid outlet 52a of the feed pipe 50 larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the supply flow path 53 at the position of the receiving inlet 41a of the main channel 40, the effect of the flow rate of the liquid supplied into the liquid distributor 22 can be suppressed while suppressing an increase in the size of the main channel 40.

[0040] Specifically, the flow rate of the liquid flowing out from the liquid outlet 52a is calculated by dividing the amount of liquid supplied per unit time from the liquid inlet 51a by the total area of ​​the liquid outlet 52a. On the other hand, the flow rate of the liquid passing through the supply channel 53 at the position of the receiver 41a is calculated by dividing the amount of liquid supplied per unit time from the liquid inlet 51a by the cross-sectional area of ​​the supply channel 53 at the position of the receiver 41a. If the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a of the feed pipe 50 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the supply channel 53 at the position of the receiver 41a of the main channel 40, the flow rate of the liquid flowing out from the liquid outlet 52a will be smaller than the flow rate of the liquid passing through the supply channel 53 at the position of the receiver 41a of the main channel 40. Therefore, by making the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the supply flow passage 53 at the position of the inlet 41a of the main channel 40, it is easier to reduce the flow rate of the liquid flowing out from the liquid outlets 52a, compared to when the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a is equal to or smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the supply flow passage 53 at the position of the inlet 41a of the main channel 40. In this way, by using the feed pipe 50 configured as described above and reducing the flow rate of the liquid flowing out from the liquid outlets 52a, it is possible to suppress the effect of the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the liquid distributor 22 while suppressing an increase in the size of the main channel 40.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a of the feed pipe 50 is larger than the total area of ​​the liquid inlets 51a of the feed pipe 50. Therefore, in this embodiment, the flow rate of the liquid flowing out of the liquid outlets 52a is smaller than the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the liquid inlet 51a.

[0042] Specifically, as described above, the flow rate of the liquid flowing out of the liquid outlet 52a is calculated by dividing the amount of liquid supplied per unit time from the liquid inlet 51a by the total area of ​​the liquid outlet 52a. On the other hand, the flow rate of the liquid passing through the liquid inlet 51a is calculated by dividing the amount of liquid supplied per unit time from the liquid inlet 51a by the area of ​​the liquid inlet 51a. When the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a of the feed pipe 50 is larger than the area of ​​the liquid inlet 51a, the flow rate of the liquid flowing out of the liquid outlet 52a is smaller than the flow rate of the liquid passing through the liquid inlet 51a. Therefore, by making the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a larger than the area of ​​the liquid inlet 51a, the flow rate of the liquid flowing out of the liquid outlet 52a is more likely to be reduced compared to when the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a is equal to or smaller than the area of ​​the liquid inlet 51a. In this way, by using the feed pipe 50 of the above configuration and reducing the flow rate of the liquid flowing out from the liquid outlet 52a, it is possible to suppress the influence of the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the liquid distributor 22 while suppressing an increase in the size of the main channel 40.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a of the feed pipes 50 is larger than the area of ​​the inlets 41a of the main channels 40. By providing the liquid distributor 22 with such feed pipes 50, it is easier to reduce the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the main channels 40 compared to when the liquid distributor 22 does not include the feed pipes 50 and the liquid is directly supplied to the inlets 41a of the main channels 40. This makes it possible to suppress the effect of the flow rate of the liquid supplied into the liquid distributor 22 while suppressing an increase in the size of the main channels 40.

[0044] As described above, by using the feed pipe 50 of this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the influence of the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the liquid distributor 22 while suppressing an increase in the size of the main channel 40, thereby improving the performance of the liquid distributor 22. In other words, it is also possible to reduce the overall volume (compactness) of the liquid distributor 22 while maintaining performance similar to that of a conventional pipe-type liquid distributor. By reducing the overall volume of the liquid distributor 22, it is possible to reduce the amount of liquid required to operate the liquid distributor 22. This makes it possible to reduce the work time required to replace the liquid used to operate the packed tower 15 with new liquid.

[0045] As described above, the downstream pipe section 52 protrudes from the lower end of the upstream pipe section 51 located inside the main channel 40 and extends along the extension direction of the main channel 40. In other words, the feed pipe 50 is T-shaped as a whole. With this configuration, it is easier to increase the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a compared to when the feed pipe 50 is simply rod-shaped as a whole (for example, when the feed pipe 50 is composed of only the upstream pipe section 51). Specifically, an example of increasing the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a is when the feed pipe 50 is composed of only the upstream pipe section 51 and holes through which the liquid can be discharged are formed on the side of the upstream pipe section 51 of the feed pipe 50 located inside the main channel 40. In such a case, the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a can be adjusted by adjusting the number and size of the holes on the side of the upstream pipe section 51. However, considering the strength of the upstream pipe section 51, it is difficult to ensure a desired total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a. In contrast to this, by providing a downstream pipe section 52 that is connected to the upstream pipe section 51 and extends along the extension direction of the main channel 40, and adjusting the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a by the cross-sectional area of ​​this downstream pipe section 52, it becomes easier to ensure the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a without considering the strength, etc. of the upstream pipe section 51. Furthermore, when the feed pipe 50 is T-shaped as a whole, that is, when the downstream pipe section 52 protrudes on both sides from the lower end of the upstream pipe section 51, it becomes easier to ensure the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a compared to a configuration in which the downstream pipe section 52 protrudes on only one side.

[0046] 3A to 3C are perspective views of feed pipes 50A to 50C as modified examples of feed pipe 50. Note that parts having the same basic functions as feed pipe 50 described above are given the same reference numerals in the drawings, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0047] 3A differs from the feed pipe 50 described above in that a pipe perpendicular to the downstream pipe section 52 is added to the tip of the upstream pipe section 51, thereby increasing the number of liquid outlets 52a to four. By increasing the number of liquid outlets 52a to four, it is easier to increase the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a than when two liquid outlets 52a are provided. This further reduces the effect of the flow rate of the liquid supplied into the liquid distributor 22.

[0048] 3B is configured such that the pipe diameter at the tip of the downstream pipe section 52 is increased, thereby increasing the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a, compared to the configuration of the feed pipe 50 described above. By increasing the pipe diameter at the tip of the downstream pipe section 52, the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a can be increased more than in a case where the pipe diameter at the tip of the downstream pipe section 52 is not increased. This makes it possible to further suppress the effect of the flow rate of the liquid supplied into the liquid distributor 22.

[0049] The feed pipe 50C shown in FIG. 3C differs from the feed pipe 50 described above in that it does not include a downstream pipe section 52 and the pipe diameter of the tip of the upstream pipe section 51 located inside the main channel 40 is increased. In the example shown in FIG. 3C , the liquid outlet 52a is formed at the tip of the upstream pipe section 51 located inside the main channel 40. This allows the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the supply flow path 53 at the position of the inlet 41a of the main channel 40, even without providing the downstream pipe section 52. This reduces the effect of the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the liquid distributor 22. However, as described above, from the perspective of design flexibility, it is preferable to provide the downstream pipe section 52 and use this downstream pipe section 52 to adjust the total area of ​​the liquid outlets 52a.

[0050] Next, modified examples of the main channel 40 will be described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a main channel 40A as a modified example of the main channel 40. Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the main channel 40A shown in Fig. 4. Note that parts having the same basic functions as the main channel 40 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0051] 5, the main channel 40A is formed by assembling a framework 70, a buffer plate 80, and a cover 90. The framework 70 includes a horizontal portion 71 extending horizontally, a rising portion 72 rising vertically from one end of the horizontal portion 71 in the extension direction, a falling portion 73 hanging down from the other end of the horizontal portion 71 in the extension direction, and side plate portions 75 in which a plurality of fastening holes 74 are arranged. The buffer plate 80 includes a top plate portion 81 extending horizontally, communication passages 82 which are a plurality of holes arranged in the top plate portion 81 at regular intervals in the extension direction of the buffer plate 80, and side plate portions 83 which hang down from both widthwise ends of the top plate portion 81 and in which a plurality of fastening holes 84 are arranged. The cover body 90 comprises a bottom plate portion 91 extending horizontally, an arm mounting port 92 arranged on the bottom plate portion 91, side plate portions 93 rising vertically from both widthwise ends of the bottom plate portion 91, and multiple fastening holes 94 arranged on each of the bottom plate portion 91 and the side plate portion 93.

[0052] The communication passage 82 is not limited to a hole, and may be, for example, a notch formed in the end of the top plate portion 81.

[0053] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the main channel 40A is formed by assembling the framework 70, the buffer plate 80, and the cover body 90. Here, the receiving portion 41 and the receiving opening 41a of the main channel 40A are formed by the rising portion 72 of the framework 70 and the side plate portion 93 of the cover body 90. Furthermore, the main body portion 42 of the main channel 40A is formed by the horizontal portion 71 of the framework 70, the falling portion 73 of the framework 70, the top plate portion 81 of the buffer plate 80, the bottom plate portion 91 of the cover body 90, and the side plate portion 93 of the cover body 90. Furthermore, the arm attachment opening 92 corresponds to the above-mentioned notch 43 (see Figure 2).

[0054] As shown in FIG. 4, when the main channel 40A is assembled, the buffer plate 80 divides the interior of the main channel 40A into an upstream space 100 sandwiched between the framework 70 and the buffer plate 80, and a downstream space 101 sandwiched between the buffer plate 80 and the cover body 90. The downstream space 101 communicates with the interior of the arm 60 (see FIG. 1, etc.) through an arm attachment port 92. The arm attachment port 92 is disposed between adjacent communication passages 82 in the extension direction of the buffer plate 80 in a top view. That is, the arm attachment ports 92 and the communication passages 82 are disposed alternately in the extension direction of the buffer plate 80 in a top view. During operation of the liquid distributor 22, the feed pipe 50 is disposed such that the liquid outlet 52a is sandwiched between the framework 70 and the buffer plate 80. That is, the liquid outlet 52a is located in the upstream space 100. By adopting the above-described configuration, the influence of the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the liquid distributor 22 can be suppressed when the liquid distributor 22 is in operation.

[0055] Specifically, during operation of the liquid distributor 22, the liquid flowing out from the liquid outlet 52a of the feed pipe 50 flows into the upstream space 100. Thereafter, the liquid that has flowed into the upstream space 100 flows into the downstream space 101 through the communicating passage 82, with a portion of the liquid being blocked by the buffer plate 80. Here, because the arm attachment openings 92 and the communicating passages 82 are alternately arranged in the extending direction of the buffer plate 80 in a top view, the liquid that has flowed into the downstream space 101 cannot flow straight from the arm attachment opening 92 into the arm 60. As a result, the liquid that has flowed into the downstream space 101 flows into the arm 60 from the arm attachment opening 92 in a detouring manner. By going through the above-described process of blocking and detouring, the flow velocity of the liquid flowing out from the liquid outlet 52a is reduced, and the effect of the flow velocity of the liquid supplied to the liquid distributor 22 can be suppressed.

[0056] The framework 70, buffer plate 80, and cover 90 are in face-to-face contact with each other at the side plate portions 75, 83, and 93, and are fixed and assembled by inserting fasteners into the fastening holes 74, 84, and 94. The fasteners are removable after fixing, and examples thereof include bolts, rivets, and fixing pins. This allows the main channel 40A to be disassembled into three components, making it possible to disassemble and perform maintenance on the main channel 40A even after it has been assembled. Note that the types of fasteners are not limited to those described above.

[0057] Furthermore, because the main channel 40A can be disassembled into three components, even a feed pipe 50 (see FIG. 1, etc.) that is disposed inside the main channel 40A and has a portion that cannot pass through the inlet 41a of the main channel 40A, such as the feed pipe 50 having the downstream pipe portion 52 described above, can be easily assembled into the main channel 40A. Specifically, the assembly procedure involves first assembling the cover body 90 and the buffer plate 80. Then, the feed pipe 50 is placed on the buffer plate 80 in the same manner as when the liquid distributor 22 is in operation. Then, the framework 70 is assembled to the cover body 90 and the buffer plate 80 so as to cover them from above.

[0058] <Filled tower 15> Next, with reference to Fig. 6, the configuration of a packed tower 15 including the above-described liquid distributor 22 as one embodiment of the liquid distributor according to the present disclosure will be described. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the packed tower 15. As shown in Fig. 6, the packed tower 15 of this embodiment includes packing 21, a liquid distributor 22, a collector 23, and a condenser 24. Also, as shown in Fig. 6, the packed tower 15 includes, as gas or liquid paths, a raw material gas introduction path 25, a bottoms liquid discharge path 26, a tower top gas discharge path 27, a descending liquid introduction path 28, and an effluent liquid discharge path 29.

[0059] <Air separation unit 10> Next, with reference to FIG. 7, the configuration of an air separation unit 10 including the above-described packed tower 15 as one embodiment of the packed tower according to the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the air separation unit 10. As shown in FIG. 7, the air separation unit 10 of this embodiment includes a compression section 11, a purification section 12, and a cryogenic separation section 13. The air separation unit 10 of this embodiment is an apparatus that separates air 1 by cryogenic separation to produce oxygen 2, nitrogen 3, and argon 4. Note that cryogenic separation is a method of separating air components by utilizing differences in boiling points between the components.

[0060] The liquid distributor, packed tower, and air separation unit according to the present disclosure are not limited to the specific configurations shown in the above-described embodiments and modified examples, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0061] The present disclosure relates to a liquid distributor, a packed column, and an air separation unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1:Air 2: Oxygen 3: Nitrogen 4: Argon 11: Compression section 12: Refining department 13: Cryogenic separation section 14:Heat exchange part 15: Packed tower 21: Filling 22:Liquid distributor 23: Collector 24: Condenser 25: Raw material gas introduction route 26: Bottom liquid discharge route 27: Top gas outlet route 28: Downstream liquid introduction route 29: Effluent drainage path 40: Main channel 40a: Main channel 41:Reception Department 41a: Inlet 42: Main body 50: Feed pipe 50A~50C: Feed pipe 50a:Liquid outlet 51: Upstream pipe section 51a:Liquid inlet 52: Downstream pipe section 52a:Liquid outlet 53: Supply channel 60: Arm 60a: Liquid flow hole 65:Liquid level 70:Framework 71:Horizontal part 72: Rising section 73: Falling section 74: Fastening hole 75: Side plate part 80:Buffer plate 81: Top plate 82: Communication path 83: Side plate part 84: Fastening hole 90: Cover body 91: Bottom plate part 92: Arm mounting port 93: Side plate part 94: Fastening hole

Claims

1. A pipe-type liquid distributor for a packed column, a main channel having an inlet; a feed pipe extending from the outside to the inside of the main channel through the receiving port and including a liquid supply flow path leading from a liquid inlet located outside the main channel to a liquid outlet located inside the main channel; an arm protruding from the main channel and having a plurality of liquid flow holes through which the liquid flows; A liquid distributor, wherein a total area of ​​the liquid outlets of the feed pipe is greater than a cross-sectional area of ​​the supply flow path at the position of the receiving inlet of the main channel.

2. The receiving port is formed in a side wall of the main channel, The feed pipe is an upstream pipe section that extends across the outside and the inside of the main channel through the receiving port of the main channel and in which the liquid inlet of the supply flow path is formed; a downstream pipe section connected to the upstream pipe section, extending along the extension direction of the main channel, and in which the liquid outlet of the supply flow path is formed, The liquid distributor of claim 1 .

3. 3. The liquid distributor according to claim 1, further comprising a buffer plate that divides the interior of the main channel into an upstream space where the liquid outlet is located and a downstream space that communicates with the inside of the arm, and that includes a communication passage that connects the upstream space and the downstream space.

4. The liquid distributor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main channel is assembled in a disassembly manner.

5. The liquid distributor according to claim 1 or 2; and a packing disposed below the liquid distributor.

6. An air separation unit comprising the packed tower according to claim 5.

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