Method and apparatus for dispersing a gas into a liquid
AssigneeUnion Carbide Industrial Gases Technology Corporation
InventorAlan T. Cheng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for dispersing a gas into a liquid. Gas is injected into a liquid and the flowing gas-liquid mixture is accelerated by a flow area contraction to at least sonic flow velocity, and subsequently decelerated by a flow area expansion to subsonic velocity. The attendant shock waves disperse the gas in the liquid. Preferred embodiments include off-centering the gas injection direction from the centerline of the contracting flow area and controlling the pressure at the exit of the expanding flow area.
Claims30
An apparatus connected to a source of gas and liquid for dispersing said gas in said liquid, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) at least one means for injecting said gas into said liquid, wherein said means injects said gas at a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of said gas flow at the time said gas contacts said liquid, said injection means being located in communication with the entrance to a flow accelerating configuration;
- and
- (b) at least one flow accelerating configuration for accelerating at least a portion a mixture of said gas and liquid flowing therethrough to sonic velocity, said flow accelerating configuration positioned so that gas injected by said gas injection means enters said flow accelerating configuration.
An apparatus for dispersing a gas in a liquid, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) at least one means for injecting a gas into a liquid, wherein said means is located in communication with the entrance to a flow accelerating configuration and off-center from the center line of said flow accelerating configuration;
- and
- (b) at least one flow accelerating configuration for accelerating a mixture of said gas and liquid to a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of the flow of said mixture, said flow accelerating configuration positioned so that gas injected by said gas injection means enters said flow accelerating configuration.
A method of dissolving a gas in a liquid, said method comprising:
- (a) contacting said liquid with said gas to be dissolved therein by injecting said gas into said liquid through a nozzle at a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of said gas at the time it contacts said liquid;
- (b) causing cocurrent flow of a composition comprising said injected gas in said liquid;
- and
- (c) causing at least a portion of said cocurrently flowing composition to flow at a linear velocity which is at least sonic.
A method of dispersing a gaseous or vaporous reactant into a reactant liquid or into a liquid containing a reactant, said method comprising:
- (a) contacting said gaseous reactant with said liquid by injecting said gas into said liquid through a nozzle at a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of said gas at the time it contacts said liquid;
- (b) causing cocurrent flow of a composition comprising said injected gaseous reactant in said liquid;
- and
- (c) causing at least a portion of said cocurrently flowing composition to flow at a linear velocity which is at least sonic.
A method for dispersing a gas in a liquid, said method comprising:
- (a) injecting said gate into said liquid;
- (b) causing cocurrent flow of a composition comprising said injected gas and at least a portion of said liquid;
- (c) directing said flow into and off centerline of at least one flow accelerating configuration;
- and
- (d) causing at least a portion of said composition to flow at a velocity which is at least sonic.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.