Hydrocyclone for cryogenic gas-vapor separation

A hydrocyclone for separating a vapor from a carrier gas, the apparatus comprising:

• a vessel having a generally cylindrical shape with a generally circular cross-section;
• a tangential feed inlet for a cryogenic liquid, attached to a cylindrical wall of the vessel on an upper end of the vessel, wherein the cryogenic liquid is injected to the tangential feed inlet at a velocity that induces a tangential flow and a cyclone vortex in the hydrocyclone;
• at least a portion of a wall of the hydrocyclone comprising one or more nozzles, wherein the carrier gas is injected into the cryogenic liquid, causing the vapor to desublimate, forming a vapor-depleted carrier gas and a vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid, wherein the one or more nozzles have injection points that are flush with an inner side of the wall of the hydrocyclone, and wherein the one or more nozzles are attached parallel to the tangential feed inlet to cause a tangential carrier gas stream to inject with the tangential flow of the cryogenic liquid;
• a vortex finder outlet on a top of the inner vessel, perpendicular to the tangential feed inlet, through which the vapor-depleted gas is drawn;
• a lower section of the inner vessel that tapers conically down in size to an apex nozzle outlet through which the vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid is drawn;
• and,
• the vessel, the tangential feed inlet, the vortex finder, the lower section, and the apex nozzle outlet sized to cause a gas/liquid separation;
• whereby the vapor is removed from the carrier gas.

A hydrocyclone for separating a vapor from a carrier gas, the apparatus comprising:

• a vessel having a generally cylindrical shape with a generally circular cross-section;
• a tangential feed inlet for a cryogenic liquid, attached to a cylindrical wall of the vessel on an upper end of the vessel, wherein the cryogenic liquid is injected to the tangential feed inlet at a velocity that induces a tangential flow and a cyclone vortex in the hydrocyclone;
• at least a portion of a wall of the hydrocyclone comprising one or more nozzles, wherein the carrier gas is injected into the cryogenic liquid, causing the vapor to desublimate, forming a vapor-depleted carrier gas and a vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid, wherein the one or more nozzles have injection points that are flush with an inner side of the wall of the hydrocyclone, and wherein the one or more nozzles are attached anti-parallel to the tangential feed inlet to cause a tangential carrier gas stream to inject against the tangential flow of the cryogenic liquid;
• a vortex finder outlet on a top of the inner vessel, perpendicular to the tangential feed inlet, through which the vapor-depleted gas is drawn;
• a lower section of the inner vessel that tapers conically down in size to an apex nozzle outlet through which the vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid is drawn;
• and,
• the vessel, the tangential feed inlet, the vortex finder, the lower section, and the apex nozzle outlet sized to cause a gas/liquid separation;
• whereby the vapor is removed from the carrier gas.