Perforated sieve-like plates

In plate columns the two phases are intensively mixed on each plate and separated between each plate (Fig. 6.7-5). For the distribution of the light phase through the liquid a lot of devices were developed. The simplest one is a perforated sieve tray, where the supercritical phase can pass through. To avoid weeping of the liquid through the holes different devices like bubble caps or valves (Fig. 6.7-6) were developed. 

The production method of the porous sintered plaque includes a dry method and a wet method. With respect to the dry method, carbonyl nickel powder is spread to a Ni wire grid with a sieve or the like, adjusted to a predetermined thickness, and then sintered at 800-1,000° [Celsius] in a reducible gas atmospheres, such as hydrogen gas or butane reformed gas. With respect to the wet method, carbonyl nickel powder, a binder such as CMC or MC, and water are mixed to prepare a slurry. The slurry is applied to a nickel-plated iron thin sheet (perforated sheet) which has an open area ratio of about 50 %, and the thickness is adjusted in a scratching pcrtimi. Then, after drying with a drying furnace, it is sintered at a temperature of 800-1,000° [Celsius] in a reducible gas atmosphere. The typical porosity of the porous sintered plaque is 80-87 %. 

Perforated plates that fit into bubble columns like sieve trays are still used in cocurrent bubble columns (11). Usually the resultant free area of the openings is very small, i.e. 1 - 5 % of the total plate area. These plates may totaly suppress backmixing by forming a gas buffer beyond each plate which prevents liquid backflow. Such plates cannot be used in countercurrent flow in as much as the required pressure drop through the holes prevents the liquid downflow. Several possibilities have been suggested for the utilization of perforated plates in countercurrent bubble columns, i.e. special kinds of downcomers with or without control valves (12) (13) or additional pulsing... 

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