Phase separator with separation enhancing baffles
OwnerRobert H. Byron JR., Michael Browninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas/liquid separator comprises: a vessel having a fluid inlet, a liquid outlet, a vapor outlet and a vessel cross-sectional geometry, an initial baffle and a subsequent baffle disposed within the vessel, between the fluid inlet and the vapor outlet, and having a baffle geometry substantially similar to the vessel cross-sectional geometry, and a solid plate disposed between the initial baffle and the vapor outlet, wherein the vapor outlet is in gaseous communication with a side of the solid plate opposite the vapor outlet. The initial and subsequent baffles comprise a plurality of openings providing fluid communication from a fluid inlet side to a baffle vapor outlet side of the initial baffle and the subsequent baffle.
Claims15
A gas/liquid separator, comprising:
- a vessel having a fluid inlet, a liquid outlet, a vapor outlet and a vessel cross-sectional geometry;
- an initial baffle and a subsequent baffle disposed within the vessel, between the fluid inlet and the vapor outlet, and having a baffle geometry substantially similar to the vessel cross-sectional geometry;
- wherein the initial and subsequent baffles comprise a plurality of openings providing fluid communication from a fluid inlet side to a baffle vapor outlet side of the initial baffle and the subsequent baffle;
- and
- a solid plate disposed between the initial baffle and the vapor outlet, wherein the vapor outlet is in gaseous communication with a side of the solid plate opposite the vapor outlet.
A gas generating system, comprising:
- an electrochemical cell;
- and
- a gas/liquid phase separator in fluid communication with said electrochemical cell, wherein the gas/liquid separator comprises a vessel having a fluid inlet, a liquid outlet, a vapor outlet and a vessel cross-sectional geometry;
- an initial baffle and a subsequent baffle disposed within the vessel, between the fluid inlet and the vapor outlet, and having a baffle geometry substantially similar to the vessel cross-sectional geometry;
- wherein the initial and subsequent baffles comprise a plurality of openings providing fluid communication from a fluid inlet side to a baffle vapor outlet side of the initial baffle and the subsequent baffle;
- and
- a solid plate disposed between the initial baffle and the vapor outlet, wherein the vapor outlet is in gaseous communication with a side of the solid plate opposite the vapor outlet.
A method of separating a gas phase from a liquid phase, the method comprising:
- introducing a stream to a gas/liquid separator;
- passing an initial portion of the stream through an initial baffle;
- passing a subsequent portion of the stream through a subsequent baffle,
- wherein vapor and liquid are separated from the stream;
- and
- removing the vapor from the separator;
- wherein the initial baffle and the subsequent baffle are disposed within a vessel, between a fluid inlet and a vapor outlet, and have a baffle geometry substantially similar to a vessel cross-sectional geometry;
- wherein the initial and subsequent baffles comprise a plurality of openings providing fluid communication from a fluid inlet side to a baffle vapor outlet side of the initial baffle and the subsequent baffle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.