APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING INTERNALS WITHIN A MASS TRANSFER COLUMN AND PROCESS INVOLVING SAME

摘要

An elongated support beam is provided for supporting internals such as liquid collectors liquid distributors packing supports or trays within a mass transfer column. The support beam is divided longitudinally into a lower beam segment and an upper beam segment that are joined together by a plurality of connectors at one or more longitudinally spaced apart positions. The connectors serve to stiffen and resist lateral deflection of the lower and upper beam segments in relation to each other and to transfer the load carried by the upper beam segment to the lower beam segment or vice versa. By dividing the support beam into lower and upper beam segments each of the lower and upper beam segments can be passed through a manway opening in a shell of the mass transfer column prior to assembly of the support beam or following disassembly of the support beam within the mass transfer column.