Fractionation tray having a manway unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9849403-B2
Application number	US-201514714865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2015
Priority date	May 23, 2014
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A fractionation tray includes a manway unit positioned to cover a manway opening in the fractionation tray. The manway opening is framed by one or more fractionation tray panels having apertures therethrough adjacent to the manway opening. The manway unit includes a first manway panel having: perforations for the passage of fluid; first and second opposing side edges and two opposing end edges; and finger elements extending from the second side edge. The finger elements of the second side edge are received within the apertures adjacent to a first side of the manway opening. The manway unit is configured to open and close by rotation of the finger elements within the apertures.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fractionation tray comprising a manway unit positioned to cover a manway opening in the fractionation tray, the manway opening being framed by one or more fractionation tray panels having apertures therethrough from one major surface to another major surface adjacent to the manway opening, the manway unit comprising:
(i) a first manway panel comprising:
perforations for the passage of fluid;
first and second opposing side edges and two opposing end edges; and
finger elements extending from the second opposing side edge, wherein the finger elements of the second opposing side edge are received within the apertures adjacent to a first side of the manway opening,

wherein the manway unit is configured to open and close by rotation of the finger elements within the apertures.

2. The fractionation tray of claim 1 , wherein the first manway panel further comprises finger elements extending from the first opposing side edge, wherein the finger elements of the first opposing side edge are received within the apertures adjacent a second side of the manway opening,
wherein the manway unit is configured to open and close by rotation of the finger elements extending from either the first opposing edge or the second opposing edge of the first manway panel within the apertures.

3. The fractionation tray according to claim 1 , further comprising a spring loaded handle comprising a spring and a handle member extending through the first manway panel, wherein the handle member is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein when the handle member is in the locked position the handle member is engaged with the first manway panel and a fractionation tray panel, a supporting truss adjacent to the manway opening, or both a fractionation tray panel and a supporting truss adjacent to the manway opening to secure the manway unit in a closed position, and wherein when the handle member is in the unlocked position the handle member is engaged only with the first manway panel to allow for opening and closing of the manway unit.

4. The fractionation tray of claim 1 , wherein the manway unit further comprises:
(ii) a second manway panel having:
perforations for the passage of fluid;
first and second opposing side edges and two opposing end edges; and
finger elements extending from the second opposing side edge, wherein the finger elements of the second side opposing edge are received within the apertures adjacent a second side of the manway opening opposed to the first side of the manway opening,

wherein the manway unit is configured to be openable and closeable by rotation of the finger elements of the first and second manway panels within the apertures, and
wherein when the manway unit is in a closed position the first opposing side edges of the first and second manway panels are substantially aligned along a midline of the manway opening which extends parallel to and between the first side and the second side of the manway opening.

5. The fractionation tray of claim 4 , wherein the manway unit further comprises:
one or more claw elements extending from the first opposing side edge of the first manway panel; and
one or more slots for receiving the one or more claw elements are positioned toward the first opposing side edge of the second manway panel,

wherein when the manway unit is in a closed position the one or more claw elements are received within the one or more slots to interlock the first and second manway panels about the first opposing side edges.

6. The fractionation tray of claim 5 , wherein the first opposing side edges of the first and second manway panels are folded downwardly from the respective manway panel to form downwardly folded first opposing edge portions, wherein the one or more claw elements of the first manway panel extend from the downwardly folded first opposing edge portion of the first manway panel, and wherein the one or more slots of the second manway panel reside within the downwardly folded first opposing edge portion of the second manway panel.

7. The fractionation tray according to claim 5 , further comprising a spring loaded handle, the spring loaded handle comprising a spring and a handle member extending through the first manway panel, wherein the handle member is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein when the handle member is in the locked position the handle member is engaged with the first manway panel and a fractionation tray panel a supporting truss adjacent to the manway opening, or both a fractionation tray panel and a supporting truss adjacent to the manway opening to secure the manway unit in a closed position, and wherein when the handle member is in the unlocked position the handle member is engaged only with the first manway panel to allow for opening and closing of the manway unit.

8. The fractionation tray according to claim 4 , wherein:
the apertures through the fractionation tray adjacent to the manway opening have length and width dimensions,
the finger elements of the first and second manway panels have corresponding length and width dimensions,
the length dimension of the finger elements is greater than the length dimension of the apertures through the fractionation tray adjacent to the manway opening,
the width dimension of the finger elements is equal to or less than the width dimension of the apertures through the fractionation tray adjacent to the manway opening.

9. The fractionation tray of claim 1 , wherein the manway unit is configured to be secured in a closed position without the use of a bolting assembly.

10. The fractionation tray of claim 1 , wherein the manway unit is configured to be openable in less than one minute and closeable in less than one minute.

11. The fractionation tray of claim 1 , wherein the manway unit has a length dimension extending across a corresponding length dimension of the manway opening and a width dimension extending across a corresponding width dimension of the manway opening, wherein: the length dimension of the manway unit is greater than the corresponding length dimension of the manway opening; and the width dimension of the manway unit is greater than the corresponding width dimension of the manway opening.

12. A method of opening and/or closing a manway unit of the fractionation tray of claim 1 , the method comprising the step of:
(i) opening and/or closing the manway unit by rotating the finger elements of the first manway panel within the apertures of the adjacent fractionation tray panel(s),
thereby opening and/or closing the manway unit of the fractionation tray.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the manway unit remains engaged with the fractionation tray and in alignment with the manway opening when opening the manway unit.

14. A fractionation column comprising one or more fractionation trays of claim 1 .

15. A method of human travel within the fractionation column of claim 14 , the method comprising the human performed steps of:
(i) entering the fractionation column;
(ii) opening a manway unit of a first fractionation tray by rotating the finger elements of the manway panel within the apertures of the adjacent fractionation tray panel(s); and
(iii) traveling through the manway unit of the first fractionation tray,
thereby allowing human travel through the fractionation column.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the human performed steps of:
(iv) opening a manway unit of a second fractionation tray by rotating the finger elements of the manway panel within the apertures of the adjac

Assignees

• Sulzer Chemtech Ag

Inventors

• Summers Daniel Richard
• Lopez Magana Salvador
• Bowden Robert
• Parker Charles Sidney

Classifications

• E06B3/38

  with a horizontal axis of rotation at the top or bottom of the opening {(E06B3/5036 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E06B2003/7046

  with provisions for locks, hinges or other fittings · CPC title

• B01D3/324 Primary

  Tray constructions · CPC title

• E06B2003/7049

  Specific panel characteristics · CPC title

• E05Y2900/612

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic