Process for cooling and cleaning gas, particularly blast furnace or producer gas, containing ultrafine particles, and apparatus for performing the same

A process for cooling and cleaning a hot gas stream containing ultrafine particles from an industrial furnace, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) directing a continuous hot gas stream containing ultrafine particles into an inlet of a vertical saturation washing stage, said saturation washing stage having a hot water inlet, a clearance washer, and an outlet;
• (b) contacting said hot gas stream in said vertical saturation washing stage with hot water pumped through the hot water inlet, said hot gas substantially vaporizing the water to enrich the gas with steam and thereby reduce the temperature of said gas stream;
• (c) saturating the ultrafine particles in said gas stream by flowing said gas stream and said hot water and steam through the clearance washer to improve the contacting of the particles with the steam and hot water, and to form a mixture of gas, steam, water, and wetted ultrafine particles;
• (d) directing said mixture through the outlet of said saturation washing stage into a packing washer having a packed contacting area;
• (e) rapidly condensing the steam in said packing washer by contacting said gas stream with water flowing through said packed contacting area, wherein the steam, water, and ultrafine particles are separated from said gas stream, said gas stream with remaining particles and steam directed out of said packing washer;
• (f) increasing the velocity of said gas stream through a final washing stage while introducing cold water to rapidly condense any remaining steam and contact any remaining particles in said gas stream;
• and
• (g) separating the water and particles from said gas stream in an eliminator plate, emitting said gas stream to the atmosphere, and removing the water and separated particles from said eliminator plate and said packing washer.