Clog-resistant entry structure for introducing a particulate solids-containing and/or solids-forming gas stream to a gas processing system

A clog-resistant inlet structure for introducing a gas stream to a gas processing system, wherein said gas stream comprises gas selected from the group consisting of solids-containing gas, solids-forming gas, and mixtures thereof, and wherein said inlet structure comprises:

• a gas-permeable wall enclosing a gas flow path, and an outer annular jacket circumscribing the gas-permeable wall to define an annular gas reservoir therebetween;
• means for introducing a gas into the annular gas reservoir, during the flow of the gas stream to a gas processing system through such inlet structure, at a pressure sufficient to cause the gas to permeate through the gas-permeable wall to combat the deposition or formation of solids on the interior surface of the gas-permeable wall,
• wherein the gas-permeable wall and outer annular jacket are coupled to a downstream flow path section including a wall enclosing a corresponding further section of the gas flow path and forming with the gas permeable wall a slot therebetween, with the wall of the downstream flow path section being circumscribed by an outer annular jacket to define an annular liquid reservoir therebetween in liquid overflow relationship with the slot so that when the annular liquid reservoir is filled with liquid beyond a certain point determined by the height of the wall, the liquid flows over the wall and down the interior surface of the wall, as a falling liquid film thereon, whereby the falling liquid film provides a barrier medium on the wall interior surface, to resist solids deposition or formation on such interior surface, and to wash away any solids which nonetheless are deposited or formed on the interior surface of the wall.

A clog-resistant inlet structure for introducing a gas stream to a gas processing system, wherein said gas stream comprises gas selected from the group consisting of solids-containing gas, solids-forming gas, and mixtures thereof, and wherein said inlet structure comprises:

• first and second generally vertically arranged flow passage sections in serial coupled relationship to one another, defining in such serial coupled relationship a generally vertical flow passage through which the gas stream may be flowed, from an upstream source of the gas stream to a downstream gas processing system arranged in gas stream-receiving relationship to the inlet structure;
• said first flow passage section comprising an upper section of the inlet structure and including an inner gas-permeable wall having an interior surface bounding an upper part of the flow passage, and an outer wall enclosingly surrounding the gas-permeable wall to define an interior annular volume therebetween;
• a low pressure gas flow port in the outer wall of the first flow passage section, said low pressure gas flow port being coupleable to a source of low pressure gas for flowing of low pressure gas at a predetermined flow rate into the interior annular volume, for subsequent flow of low pressure gas from the interior annular volume into the flow passage of the inlet structure;
• the second flow passage section being serially coupled to the first flow passage section, for flowing of particulate solids-containing fluid downwardly into the second flow passage section from the first flow passage section, said second flow passage including an outer wall having a liquid injection port therein, said second flow passage section outer wall being coupled with the first flow passage section, and an inner weir wall in spaced apart relationship to the outer wall to define an interior annular volume therebetween, with the inner weir wall extending toward but terminating short of the gas-permeable wall of the first flow passage section, to provide a gap therebetween defining a weir, and with said weir wall having an interior surface bounding the flow passage in the second flow passage section;
• whereby when liquid is flowed into the interior annular volume between the outer wall of the second flow passage section and the inner weir wall thereof, the introduced liquid overflows the weir and flows down the interior surface of the inner wall of the second flow passage section to wash any particulate solids from the wall and to suppress the deposition or formation of solids on the interior surface of the inner weir wall, as the particulate solids-containing gas stream is flowed through the flow passage of the inlet structure.

A clog-resistant inlet structure for introducing a gas stream to a gas processing system, wherein said gas stream comprises gas selected from the group consisting of solids-containing gas, solids-forming gas, and mixtures thereof, and wherein said inlet structure comprises:

• a gas-permeable wall enclosing a gas flow path, and an outer annular jacket circumscribing the gas-permeable wall to define an annular gas reservoir therebetween;
• a low pressure gas flow port connectable to a low pressure gas supply for introducing a low pressure gas into the annular gas reservoir, during the flow of the gas stream to a gas processing system through such inlet structure, at a pressure sufficient to cause the low pressure gas to permeate in a steady flow through the gas-permeable wall, to combat the deposition or formation of solids on the interior surface of the gas-permeable wall;
• a downstream flow passage section including a wall with an interior surface enclosing a corresponding downstream section of the gas flow path, said downstream flow path section wall being joined to the gas-permeable wall;
• and
• means for providing on the downstream flow passage section wall interior surface a falling liquid film, to combat the deposition or formation of solids thereon;
• wherein the gas-permeable wall and downstream flow passage section wall are of circular-cross section and equal in diameter to one another.