Liquid/liquid exchange column

The contact between, for example, ascending liquid droplets of lighter liquid, as the dispersed phase, and heavier liquid, as the continuous phase, flowing across perforated trays in a flooded liquid/liquid contacting column, is enhanced by providing upstanding baffles on lower trays, interspersed with depending baffles from the trays above. The baffles cause the heavy liquid to flow along an undulating path. Flow distributing partitions extend along the undulating flow path, between the baffles, to distribute liquid flow across the trays. The roles of the lighter liquid and the heavier liquid may be reversed as phases.