Shallow bed fluid treatment apparatus

Abstract

A column apparatus containing a shallow bed of material between fluid transporting fractals of large active surface area results in highly efficient processing with small equipment size.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a fluid processing system in which a fluid is caused to flow from a distributer, through a bed of processing material, to a collector, the improvement which comprises: 
 providing said bed as a column having greater diameter than height; and    providing said distributor and said collector as structure comprising fractal elements.    
     
     
         2 . An improvement according to    claim 1   , wherein the ratio of said diameter to said height is at least 2:1.  
     
     
         3 . An improvement according to    claim 1   , wherein said distributor provides a population of fluid exits having a density greater than about 200 per square foot at a fluid/distributor interface.  
     
     
         4 . An improvement according to    claim 3   , wherein said density is greater than about 200 per square inch.  
     
     
         5 . An improvement according to    claim 1   , said system being configured and arranged to produce process fluid flow through said bed in response to a pressure drop across said bed of less than 5 psi.  
     
     
         6 . An improvement according to    claim 1   , in combination with a second fluid processing system in which fluid is caused to flow from a second distributer, through a second resin bed, to a second collector, wherein said second distributor and second collector comprise fractal structure.  
     
     
         7 . A fluid processing system comprising: 
 a first processing bed with an inlet end, an outlet end, and a diameter at least twice the distance between said inlet end and said outlet end;    a first fluid distributor constructed and arranged to introduce fluid at said inlet end of said processing at a density of at least 200 distribution exits per square foot; and    a first fluid collector constructed and arranged to collect once processed fluid at said outlet end of said processing bed.    
     
     
         8 . A system according to    claim 7   , wherein said collector is constructed and arranged to collect fluid through collection inlets at a density of at least 200 per square foot.  
     
     
         9 . A system according to    claim 8   , wherein said distributor and said collector are fractals.  
     
     
         10 . A system according to    claim 8   , wherein the ratio of diameter to height of said processing bed is at least 10:1.  
     
     
         11 . A system according to    claim 7   , wherein said system is constructed and arranged to produce processing flow conditions with a pressure drop across said bed of less than 5 psi.  
     
     
         12 . A system according to    claim 7   , further comprising: 
 a second processing bed with an inlet side, an outlet side, and a diameter at least twice the distance between said inlet side and said outlet side;    a second fluid distributor constructed and arranged to introduce said once processed fluid at said inlet side of said second bed, said second distributor having a density of at least 200 distribution exits per square foot; and    a second fluid collector constructed and arranged to collect twice processed fluid at said outlet side of said second processing bed.    
     
     
         13 . A system according to    claim 12   , wherein said first and second fluid distributors comprise fractal structure.  
     
     
         14 . A system according to    claim 13   , wherein said first and second fluid collectors comprise fractal structure.  
     
     
         15 . A system according to    claim 14   , wherein said recursive fractal elements may be characterized as having an “H” shape.