Foam control using a fluidized bed of particles
AssigneeIntevep, S.A.
InventorsClara Mata, Jose Guitian, Daniel D. Joseph, Julio Krasuk
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Abstract
A process for suppressing foam formation in a vessel includes the steps of feeding a liquid and a gas to a vessel at a liquid velocity and a gas velocity respectively; adding particles of a solid material to the liquid, the particles having a particle size and particle density; and selecting at least one of the liquid velocity, particle size and particle density so as to fluidize the particles in the liquid, whereby foam formation in the vessel is suppressed. The particles are preferably liquid phase phobic particles.
Claims19
A process for suppressing foam formation in a vessel, comprising the steps of:
- feeding a liquid and a gas to a vessel at a liquid velocity and a gas velocity respectively;
- adding particles of a solid material wherein said particles are selected from the group consisting of liquid phase phobic particles, liquid phase philic particles, and mixtures thereof to said liquid, said particles having a particle size and a particle density;
- and
- selecting at least one of said liquid velocity, particle size and particle density so as to fluidize said particles in said liquid, wherein said particle size and particle density are selected so as to provide (1) a minimum liquid fluidization velocity which is less than said liquid velocity, and (2) a liquid phase particle settling velocity which is greater than said liquid velocity whereby said particles are fluidized in and not entrained by said liquid, whereby foam formation in said vessel is suppressed.
A process according to 1, wherein said particles are particles of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, glass and combinations thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.