US 12,458,940 B2
Co-current and countercurrent contactor for immiscible fluids
Peter J. Photos, Boerne, TX (US); Franklin Hailey Brown, II, San Antonio, TX (US); John Bourdon, Peculiar, MO (US); and Trey Taylor, Belton, TX (US)
Assigned to Streamline Innovations, Inc., San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed by Streamline Innovations, Inc., San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/552,727.
Prior Publication US 2023/0330607 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. B01F 25/421 (2022.01); B01F 23/21 (2022.01); B01F 23/232 (2022.01); B01F 35/00 (2022.01); B01D 53/52 (2006.01); B01D 53/78 (2006.01); B01F 25/00 (2022.01); B01F 101/00 (2022.01)
CPC B01F 25/4232 (2022.01) [B01F 23/214 (2022.01); B01F 23/2321 (2022.01); B01F 23/2322 (2022.01); B01F 35/165 (2022.01); B01D 53/52 (2013.01); B01D 53/78 (2013.01); B01D 2251/90 (2013.01); B01F 2025/918 (2022.01); B01F 2101/2204 (2022.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A contactor configured to contact a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein the second fluid includes a greater density than the first fluid, the contactor comprising:
a tubular chamber defined by a chamber wall, the chamber extending vertically a first height;
a first inlet port in the chamber wall, the first inlet port configured to allow the first fluid to enter the chamber;
a second inlet port in the chamber wall, the second inlet port being above the first inlet port, and the second inlet port configured to allow the second fluid to enter the chamber;
a first outlet port in the chamber wall, the first outlet port being above the first inlet port, and the first outlet port configured to allow a countercurrent and a co-current contacted first fluid to be released from the chamber;
a second outlet port in the chamber wall, the second outlet port being below the second inlet port, and the second outlet port configured to release a first portion of contacted second fluid from the chamber, the first portion of contacted second fluid being a countercurrent contact stream;
a third outlet port in the chamber wall, the third outlet port being laterally spaced apart from the second outlet port, and the third outlet port configured to release a second portion of the contacted second fluid from the chamber, the second portion of the contacted second fluid being a co-current contact stream; and
a weir connected to an interior surface of the chamber wall, the weir extending vertically a second height which is less than the first height such that the weir partially divides the chamber into a first chamber section and a second chamber section, the first chamber section including the first inlet port and second outlet port for releasing the countercurrent contact stream and the second chamber section including the third outlet port for releasing the co-current contact stream,
wherein the first inlet port is positioned in the chamber wall across from the weir and within the second height of the weir.