Regenerative apparatus for recovery of volatiles

A system for removing volatile contaminants from gas, said system comprising:

• a closed vessel defining therein an annular media chamber containing a particulate media which can adsorb volatile organic compounds from a gaseous carrier, said annular media chamber defining an axially elongate central opening extending coaxially therethrough;
• said vessel including an outer sleevelike wall which is generally concentric with and spaced radially outwardly from said annular media chamber so as to define an annular discharge chamber therebetween;
• an elongate tubular microwave waveguide positioned coaxial with and extending axially through said central opening, said waveguide having a plurality of microwave transmitting openings formed radially therethrough in circumferentially and axially spaced relation therealong;
• a microwave generator coupled to said waveguide for transmitting microwave energy into the interior of said waveguide, said microwave energy being emitted radially outwardly through said transmitting openings into the surrounding media chamber;
• a gas exhaust passage communicating with said annular discharge chamber, said exhaust passage having a valve associated therewith for controlling flow therethrough;
• an inlet passage communicating with the interior of said waveguide for supplying a gas stream into said waveguide for distribution radially outwardly therethrough into the media so as to effect separation of volatiles from the gas stream;
• a volatiles discharge passage communicating with said closed vessel for removing volatiles from said annular media chamber when said media chamber is heated by said microwave generator to effect separation of the volatiles from the media;
• and
• a condenser connected to said volatiles discharge passage for receiving the volatiles as separated in said media chamber and for condensing the volatiles to permit collection thereof.

A system for removing contaminates from a gas stream, comprising:

• a fluidized bed adsorption means for adsorbing contaminates from a gas stream into a particulate adsorption media which is maintained in a fluidized suspension by the gas stream;
• a regenerative apparatus for removing contaminates from the particulate adsorption media, said regenerative apparatus including a hollow vessel defining therein a media chamber for containing the adsorption media on which contaminates are collected, and a microwave generating device communicating with the media chamber to effect separation of the contaminates from the adsorption media;
• said media chamber as defined by said vessel being of an elongate annular configuration defined about a longitudinal axis and having an elongate central opening extending coaxially and longitudinally thereof;
• said regenerative apparatus including an elongate tubular waveguide connected to said microwave generating device and extending longitudinally of said central opening throughout substantially the longitudinal length of said media chamber, said waveguide having a plurality of microwave radiator openings formed therethrough circumferentially and longitudinally thereof for emitting microwave energy into the annular media chamber to effect release of the contaminates from the adsorption media;
• a flow-controlled media supply passage connecting said fluidized bed adsorption means to said media chamber for permitting flow of media from the bed adsorption means to said media chamber;
• and
• a flow-controlled media discharge passage connected to said media chamber for permitting discharge of media therefrom upon completion of the removal of contaminates therefrom.

An apparatus for removing volatile contaminants from a gas, said apparatus comprising:

• a closed vessel defining therein an annular media chamber containing a particulate media which can absorb volatile contaminants from a gaseous carrier, said annular media chamber defining an axially elongate central opening extending coaxially therethrough;
• said vessel including an outer sleevelike wall which is generally concentric with and spaced radially outwardly from said annular media chamber so as to define an annular discharge chamber therebetween;
• an elongate hollow tubular member positioned coaxial with and extending axially through said central opening, said tubular member having a plurality of openings formed radially therethrough in spaced relation therealong;
• an inlet passage communicating with an interior of said tubular member for supplying a gas stream into said tubular member for distribution radially outwardly therethrough into said particulate media so as to effect separation of volatile contaminants from the gas stream;
• a microwave generator communicating with the media chamber to effect separation of the volatile contaminants from the media contained in the media chamber, said microwave generator being coupled to one end of said tubular member for transmitting microwave energy thereto for distribution therefrom into the annular media chamber;
• and
• an exhaust passage communicating with said annular discharge chamber for discharging gas therefrom.