Hinged pressure relief tray

摘要

A hinged tray, preferably for use in fractionation towers, capable of relieving small but sudden pressure surges caused by the flashing of relatively small amounts of water remaining in the tower feed or in the stripping steam. By hinging the trays distortion and upset normally caused by the flashing which could cause damage to the trays is substantially eliminated, as well as costly shutdown of the towers for tray repair. The hinged portion of the tray is stiffened by means of a frame and a counterweight can be provided to eliminate tray vibration during normal operation.