Method and apparatus for separating droplets for particles from a gas stream
AssigneesDullien, Francis A.L., Institut Francais du Petrole
InventorFrancis A. L. Dullien
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for separating particles contained in a gas stream and the associated process use a spongy type separator to process gas streams containing liquid or solid particles of a size substantially smaller than one micrometer. The separator is advantageously made of a reticulated foam pierced with channels for the flow of the gas streams.
Claims32
A separator intended for processing of gas streams containing liquid or solid particles substantially smaller than one micrometer or of the order of the one micrometer, comprising reticulated foam delimiting channels intended for turbulent flow of the gas streams, said channels being such that the gas streams flow through said foam from one end of the channels to the other, wherein said foam includes cells adjacent said channels forming stagnant and turbulent-free subareas into which said liquid or solid particles carried by eddies of the gas streams are deposited.
A device intended for separation of particles contained in a gas stream, comprising a casing with a n inlet and an outlet, at least one straight passageway totally free, unsealed, open at both ends and intended to allow passage of said gas stream in turbulent state from the inlet to the outlet, a foam material which defines the walls of said at least one straight passageway, said foam material comprising threads forming interconnected pores or cells that communicate freely with said at least one straight passageway so as to create non-turbulent stagnant zones which extend away from said at least one straight passageway, characterized in that said particles are collected and deposited on the surface of the threads forming the foam material, said threads being spaced apart so that the cells defined thereby allow passage of the turbulent stream over a distance of some cells from said at least one straight passageway, but prevent a direct gaseous flow from the inlet to the outlet, the cells forcing turbulence s to decrease in the non-turbulent zones.
A process for separating particles from a gas stream in which they are contained, comprising the following stages:
- passing said gas streams through at least one straight passageway, and
- arranging a plurality of surfaces transversely to the direction of flow of the gas stream, said surfaces extending from said at least one straight passageway and being spaced apart so as to define a plurality of interconnected subareas forming together a stagnant and non-turbulent area communicating freely with said at least one straight passageway, each subarea occupying substantially all of the space between adjacent surfaces so that turbulent streams of the gas stream enter said spaces between the surfaces and decay in said subareas, said particles being trapped and deposited mechanically on the surfaces defining the stagnant and non-turbulent area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.