Apparatus for improving gas distribution in a prepurifier

A distributor apparatus arrangement distributes a gas within a vessel that includes an adsorbent bed, the gas distribution occurring with a minimum of gas mal-distribution. The distributor apparatus includes an inlet gas coupler that feeds gas to a conduit oriented adjacent a surface of the bed. A slit opening is positioned in a wall of the conduit and extends along a length of the conduit. The slit has an opening extent near the inlet fluid coupler that is larger than an opening extent of the slit near the distal end of the conduit. The slit opening is oriented towards a wall of the vessel and away from the bed so as to enable gas flow that exits therefrom to impact upon the wall and be deflected thereby to the bed. In a preferred arrangement, the slit is defined by perforations that exhibit a 50% aperture ratio.