Liquid vortex gas contactor
AssigneeBudra Research Ltd.
InventorDandina N. Rao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for contacting a flow of gas with a flow of liquid is provided. The liquid is introduced into a vortex sustaining container and flows through the container in a spiralling manner creating a liquid vortex with an open axial core. Gas flows to be contacted with the liquid flow are introduced into the core. The vortex core geometry may be adapted to accommodate insertion of a flame to effect heat transfer. The degree of contact between the gas and liquid flows may be increased by adding an extended contact zone following the region where the vortex flow breaks down and mixing of the liquid and gas flows occurs. By creating annular misting in the extended contact zone, the rate of any chemical, physical or mass transfer process between the two flows may be increased.
Claims29
A method for contacting a liquid with a gas comprising the steps of:
- (a) continuously injecting said liquid through an inlet pipe into a hollow container and forming along the interior surface of said container a continuous, inertially rotating liquid vortex flow having a substantially liquid free core within said container;
- and
- (b) passing a gas through said vortex core, whereby said gas contacts the inner surface of said liquid along said vortex core;
- wherein said gas originates from a combustible mexture which is introduced into and is ignited to produce a flame within said vortex core said flame being substantially surrounded by, and in direct contact with, said rotating liquid.
A method for contacting a liquid with a gas comprising the steps of:
- (a) continuously injecting said liquid through an inlet means into a hollow container and forming along the interior surface of said container a continuous inertially rotating reversing liquid vortex flow having inner and outer layers of spiralling liquid which layers are migrating in opposite directions, and having a substantially liquid free core within said container;
- and
- (b) passing a gas through said vortex core, whereby said gas contacts the inner surface of said liquid along said vortex core.
An apparatus for contacting a gas with a liquid comprising:
- (1) a vortex container with first and second ends, having an axial core and having:
- (a) a liquid inlet mounted through the wall of said container said liquid inlet being adapted to tangentially inject liquid into said container and create a first spiralling flow of said liquid therein, said first spiralling flow having an inner boundary;
- (b) a vortex-substaining inner surface adapted to receive liquid injected from said inlet, said surface defining a vortex chamber which is axially aligned within said container;
- (c) an inwardly angled liquid flow reversing means mounted towards said first end of said vortex container and adapted to create a reversed spiralling liquid flow along the inner boundary of said first spiralling flow;
- (2) an outlet at the second end of said container along its axis being adapted to receive a flow of liquid and gas exiting from said vortex chamber;
- (3) a gas flow aperture at said end of said container adapted to be coupled to a source of gas and to receive the injection of a gas flow into said container along its axial core.
An apparatus for contacting a gas with a liquid comprising:
- (1) a vortex container with first and second ends, having an axial core and having:
- (a) a liquid inlet mounted through the wall of said container said liquid inlet being adapted to tangentially inject liquid into said container and create a spiralling flow of said liquid therein;
- (b) a vortex-sustaining inner surface adapted to receive liquid injected from said inlet, said surface defining a vortex chamber which is axially aligned within said container;
- (2) an outlet at the second end of said container along its axis being adapted to receive a flow of liquid and gas exiting from said vortex chamber;
- (3) a gas flow aperture at said first end of said container adapted to receive the injection of a gas flow into said container along its axial core,
- and having a burner nozzle mounted at said first end of said container whereby a flame may be deployed within said vortex chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.