Method and apparatus for optimizing gas-liquid interfacial contact

Apparatus for optimizing gas-liquid interfacial contact, comprising

• a gas-liquid contactor assembly including an elongate cylindrical porous tube, with a first end and a second end and a longitudinal axis, having an outer surface and an inner surface and a hollow interior chamber, said porous tube being penetrated by a multiplicity of pores extending from said outer surface to said inner surface, and further including a nonporous outer jacket disposed concentric with said porous tube and interconnected thereto so as to form a closed gas plenum, said outer jacket having a gas inlet port disposed therein for introduction of gas thereto;
• a liquid feed assembly including a nonporous tube extension of the same cross-sectional dimension and configuration as said porous tube, disposed in coaxial alignment with and interconnected to said first end of said porous tube, said tube extension having an aperture therein for introduction of liquid therethrough, and further including a feed head having an inlet nipple and a slotted nozzle connected between said inlet nipple and said extension tube in communication with said aperture, for feeding liquid to the interior of said extension tube and said porous tube in a spiral flow pattern around and along said inner surface of said porous tube;
• a gas-liquid separator assembly including a nonporous cylindrical degassing tube, having a first end and a second end, said first end of said degassing tube having the same inside diameter as said porous tube and decreasing in inside diameter from said first end to said second end, disposed in coaxial alignment with said porous tube with said first end of said degassing tube connected to said second end of said porous tube so as to provide an uninterrupted flow path from said porous tube to and through said degassing tube, including a gas outlet port with a first end and a second end, disposed in coaxial alignment with said porous tube and said degassing tube, said gas outlet port having a continuous side wall with an outer surface and an inner surface, with an outside diameter less than the inside diameters of said porous tube and said degassing tube, with said side wall of said gas duct narrowing in proximity to said first end thereof to form a knife edge at said first end thereof, said gas duct being disposed with said first end thereof extending slightly into the interior of said degassing tube, and further including an elongate gas duct with a first end and a second end, connected at said first end to said second end of said gas outlet port;
• a liquid collection assembly to receive liquid flowing from said second end of said degassing tube, including a liquid vessel with a hollow interior in liquid flow communication with said second end of said degassing tube;
• a first gas discharge assembly to receive gas flowing from said second end of said gas duct, including a gas vessel with a hollow interior in gas flow communication with said second end of said gas duct;
• and
• a second gas discharge assembly including a second gas duct with an open first end and an open second end, connected at said first end to said liquid feed assembly with said first end in gas flow communication with said interior of said porous tube, and further including a second gas vessel with a hollow interior in gas flow communication with said second end of said second gas duct.