Gas-liquid reactor and method for gas-liquid mixing

A method for mixing gas into a liquid in a gas-liquid reactor of the type including a vessel for containing the liquid, the vessel having a cylindrical sidewall, a top and a bottom and a head space defined between the liquid surface and the vessel, said method comprising the steps of:

• injecting liquid and gas into the liquid in said vessel through a submerged jet nozzle;
• injecting a liquid jet into the lower portion of the liquid in said vessel from a plurality of free jet nozzle means positioned in said vessel in said head space such that gas in said head space is entrained into said liquid jet and mixed into the liquid in said vessel;
• and
• directing reactive gas from said liquid surface to said head space for entrainment in said liquid jet from said free jet nozzle means and for directing reacted gas from said liquid surface out of said vessel.

A gas-liquid reactor comprising:

• a vessel for containing a liquid, said vessel having a sidewall, a top and a bottom, a head space being defined between the liquid surface and said vessel;
• a submerged jet nozzle positioned at the bottom of said vessel for injecting liquid and gas into the liquid in said vessel;
• free jet nozzle means positioned in said head space for injecting a liquid jet into the liquid in said vessel such that gas in said head space is entrained into said liquid jet and mixed into the liquid in said vessel;
• diffuser tubes extending from said free jet nozzle means into said liquid for delivering the gas-liquid mixture formed by said free jet nozzle means into the lower portion of said vessel;
• means for supplying reactive gas to said submerged jet nozzle;
• means for supplying liquid to said submerged jet nozzle and said free jet nozzle means;
• and
• means for venting gas from said head space.

A gas-liquid reactor comprising:

• a vessel for containing a liquid, said vessel having a cylindrical sidewall, a top and a bottom, a head space being defined between the liquid surface and the top of said vessel;
• a submerged jet nozzle positioned at the bottom of said vessel for injecting liquid and gas upwardly into the liquid in said vessel;
• a generally cylindrical guide tube coaxial with said vessel sidewall and terminating below the surface of said liquid;
• at least two free jet nozzles positioned at the top of said vessel in said head space for injecting a liquid jet downwardly into the liquid in said vessel such that gas in said head space is entrained into said liquid jet and mixed into the liquid in said vessel;
• diffuser tubes extending downwardly from each of said free jet nozzles into said liquid for delivering the gas-liquid mixture formed by said free jet nozzles into the lower portion of said vessel;
• means for supplying reactive gas to said submerged jet nozzle;
• means for supplying liquid to said submerged jet nozzle and said free jet nozzles;
• means for venting reacted gas from said vessel;
• and
• baffle means for directing reactive gas rising from said liquid surface to said head space for entrainment in said liquid jet and for directing reacted gas rising from said liquid surface to said venting means.