Absorber

Apparatus for absorbing a selected component from a gas stream via a method

• in which said absorption occurs across the surface of a froth comprising, a liquid solvent for said selected component, said froth being intermixed with numerous micro-droplets formed by causing bubbles in said froth to burst the apparatus comprising a reaction vessel having a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a bulkhead plate extending across the reaction vessel, said chamber being fluidly connected to a gas inlet for the flow of said gas stream into the first chamber, the apparatus being characterized by:
• an array of discrete, vertically oriented absorption tubes carried in respective flow ports formed through said bulkhead plate, each said absorption tube extending through said bulkhead plate into said first chamber to define a respective conduit for the flow of said gas stream from said first chamber into said second chamber, said flow ports and absorption tubes being sized and positioned to equalize the flow speed of said gas stream downwardly through each said absorption tube from said first chamber into said second chamber,
• a plurality of vertically spaced apart mesh screens provided in each of said absorption tubes, the mesh screens in each absorption tube extending transversely between sidewalls of each said tube,
• means for injecting said liquid solvent into each said absorption tube;
• and
• means for pressurizing said gas stream in said first chamber to thereby cause a back pressure in said first chamber, which in turn causes said gas stream to flow at substantially equal flow rates through each of said absorption tubes into said second chamber.

A method of absorbing a selected component from an incoming flowing gas stream, wherein said absorption occurs across the surface of an aqueous froth comprising a liquid solvent for said selected component, said froth being intermixed with numerous micro-droplets formed from causing bubbles in said froth to burst, the method comprising the step of flowing said gas stream into a first chamber of a reaction vessel, wherein said first chamber has an inlet end for said flowing gas stream and an outlet end for said flowing gas stream, said outlet end having a bulkhead plate extending across the reaction vessel to separate said first chamber from an adjacent second chamber of the reaction vessel, wherein a plurality of absorption tubes extends through said bulkhead plate and provides fluid communication between said first chamber and said second chamber, and wherein each of said absorption tubes extends vertically and carries a series of vertically spaced apart, ridge shaped screens extending transversely across each said tube, the method being characterized by the steps of:

• pressurizing said flowing gas stream in said first chamber sufficiently to cause said flowing gas stream to divide into a plurality of separate gas streams flowing into each of said absorber tubes at substantially the same flow rate;
• injecting said liquid solvent into each of said absorption tubes, to thereby form said aqueous froth inside each of said absorption tubes as said gas stream flows through said absorption tubes,
• causing said solvent to accumulate on said ridge shaped screens, thereby causing said gas streams to increase in velocity through open portions of said screens and to increase in turbulence below said screens,
• causing said accumulated solvent to periodically separate from said ridge shaped screens and enter said turbulent gas flow, thereby creating pulses of solvent entering said flowing gas stream, whereby the efficiency of absorption of said selected component is increased.

A method of absorbing a selected component from an incoming flowing gas stream, wherein said absorption occurs across the surface of an aqueous bubbly froth comprising a liquid solvent for said selected component, said froth being intermixed with numerous micro-droplets formed from causing bubbles in said froth to burst, the method comprising the step of flowing said gas stream downwardly into a vertically extending reaction vessel, wherein said reaction vessel has an upper inlet for said flowing gas stream and a lower outlet for said flowing gas stream, and wherein said reaction vessel carries a series of plurality of vertically spaced apart, ridge shaped screens extending transversely across said reaction vessel, the method being characterized by the steps of:

• pressurizing said flowing gas stream in said reaction vessel;
• injecting said liquid solvent into said reaction vessel, to thereby form said aqueous froth comprising said solvent adjacent the surface of said ridge shaped screens as said gas stream flows through said ridge shaped screens,
• causing said solvent to accumulate on said ridge shaped screens, thereby causing said gas stream to increase in velocity through open regions of said screens and to increase in turbulence below said screens, and
• causing said accumulated solvent to periodically separate from said ridge shaped screens and enter said turbulent gas flow below said screens, thereby creating pulses of solvent entering said flowing gas stream, whereby the efficiency of absorption of said selected component is increased.