Method and apparatus for recovering heat and smoke from an airstream
OwnerOlin L. Helmsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for recovering heat and volatilized fluid contaminates or smoke from an airstream, and which includes continuously spraying a fluid, such as lightweight oil, into the airstream, collecting and cooling the sprayed fluid and any condensed contaminates, and recirculating the collected and cooled fluid and condensed contaminates to make-up the fluid which is sprayed into the airstream. Heat is recovered from the airstream as part of the step of cooling the fluid and condensed contaminates, and a substantial portion of any remaining contaminates may be removed in a downstream precipitator.
Claims18
A method of recovering heat and removing volatilized contaminant from an airstream which has a temperature near or above the boiling temperature of water, and comprising the continuous and simultaneous steps of
- spraying into the airstream a liquid contaminant which has been previously collected and condensed from the airstream, with the amount and temperature of the sprayed liquid contaminant being such as to reduce the temperature of the airstream to a point substantially below the boiling temperature of water and to condense at least a substantial portion of the volatilized contaminant in the airstream,
- collecting the sprayed liquid contaminant and the additional condensed liquid contaminant,
- cooling at least a portion of the collected liquid contaminant, and including recovering the removed heat to permit the separate use thereof, and
- circulating at least a portion of the collected and cooled liquid contaminant to make up the liquid contaminant which is sprayed into the airstream in the previously recited spraying step.
An apparatus for recovering heat and removing volatilized fluid contaminants from an airstream, and comprising
- a housing having an air passageway therethrough and which is adapted to form a part of an air duct system,
- a liquid collection tray positioned within said housing,
- a liquid having a boiling temperature substantially corresponding to that of lightweight oil substantially filling said tray,
- liquid inlet means positioned in said housing and generally above said tray for introducing an atomized liquid into the housing and such that the air passageway extends between said liquid inlet means and said tray,
- means for circulating said liquid from said collection tray and into the housing through said inlet means, such that the air passing through said passageway comes into intimate contact with the atomized liquid,
- means for cooling said liquid to a temperature below that of the airstream and prior to being circulated through said inlet means, such that the circulating liquid acts to absorb heat from the airstream and condense at least a portion of any volatilized contaminants therein, and
- means positioned downstream of said liquid inlet means and tray for precipitating at least a substantial portion of any contaminants remaining in the airstrem, and comprising means for imparting an electrostatic field to the airstream to charge the contaminants therein, and for collecting the charged contaminants.
An apparatus useful in the heat treatment of textile fabrics or the like, and characterized by the efficient use of heat energy and the recovery of a substantial portion of any volatilized fluid contaminants in the exhaust, and comprising
- an oven having provision for heating a textile fabric or the like to a temperature of between about 450-500 degrees F.,
- inlet duct means operatively connected to said oven for introducing air thereinto,
- exhaust duct means operatively connected to said oven for conveying away the exhaust gases,
- a housing having an air passageway therethrough and operatively connected to said exhaust duct means,
- a liquid collection tray positioned within said housing,
- a liquid having a boiling temperature substantially corresponding to that of lightweight oil substantially filling said tray,
- nozzle means positioned in said housing and generally above said tray for introducing an atomized liquid into the housing, and such that the air passageway extends between said nozzle means and said tray,
- means for circulating said liquid from the collection tray and into the housing through said nozzle means, such that the exhaust passing through said exhaust duct means and said housing comes into intimate contact with the atomized liquid,
- and
- means for cooling the circulating liquid to a temperature below that of the exhaust and prior to being circulated through said nozzle means, such that the liquid acts to absorb heat from the airstream and condense at least a portion of any volatilized contaminants therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.