Panel-bed method and apparatus for gas and granular material contacting

A method of contacting gas and granular material with each other to effect physical or chemical treatment of at least one of them, comprising:

• a) arranging granular material in a panel bed having a plurality of transversely disposed upwardly spaced gas-entry portions separated by interposed supporting louvers having outer and inner edges with respect to said bed, said louvers sloping upwardly from nearby said outer edges, said gas-entry portions having gas-entry faces with outer edges substantially contiguous with said outer edges of said supporting louvers, said bed having gas-exit portions spaced from said inner edges, and said bed communicating with a space containing said granular material and capable through action of gravity of supplying said material to said panel bed on demand;
• b) forwardly flowing gas in a substantially continuing flow during said treatment through said gas-entry portions of said panel bed and outwardly from said gas-exit portions to effect said treatment;
• and
• c) thereafter creating en masse displacement of said gas-entry portions respecting said supporting louvers through action of a sharp upward motion of said louvers, thereby producing a spill of said granular material from said gas-entry faces and renewing said faces, and thereby creating demand for supply of said granular material to said panel bed.

A method of contacting gas and granular material with each other to effect physical or chemical treatment of at least one of them, comprising:

• a) arranging granular material in a panel bed having a plurality of transversely disposed upwardly spaced gas-entry portions separated by interposed supporting louvers having outer and inner edges with respect to said bed, said louvers sloping upwardly from nearby said outer edges, said gas-entry portions having gas-entry faces with outer edges substantially contiguous with said outer edges of said supporting louvers, said bed having gas-exit portions spaced from said inner edges, and said bed communicating with a space containing said granular material and capable through action of gravity of supplying said material to said panel bed on demand;
• b) forwardly flowing gas in a substantially continuing flow during said treatment through said gas-entry portions of said panel bed and outwardly from said gas-exit portions to effect said treatment;
• and
• c) thereafter creating en masse displacement of said gas-entry portions respecting said supporting louvers through action of a reverse transient surge flow of gas, moving inwardly into said gas-exit portions and outwardly from said gas-entry portions, thereby producing a spill of said granular material from said gas-entry faces and renewing said faces, and thereby creating demand for supply of said granular material to said panel bed.

A gas filter comprising

• two upwardly extending horizontally spaced-apart perforate retaining walls,
• a gas-inlet comparment adjacent and in flow communication with the perforations of the first of the perforate walls,
• a gas-outlet compartment in flow communication with the perforations of the second of the perforate walls,
• an inlet for admitting gas into said gas-inlet compartment,
• an outlet for removing gas from said gas-outlet compartment,
• closure means about the space between said perforate walls closing said space against passage of gas from said inlet compartment to said outlet compartment except through perforations of said perforate walls,
• gravity feed means for supplying a loose solid granular material into said space,
• a plurality of supporting louvers each adjacent a perforation of said first perforate wall,
• said supporting louvers being arranged to extend outwardly from below their adjacent perforations and into said gas-inlet compartment to support and expose to said compartment a plurality of free faces of said granular material,
• said supporting louvers being arranged cooperatively to support the granular material and retain the material within said space,
• each said supporting louver sloping upwardly from nearby said louver's outer edge, and
• means for creating en masse displacement of said granular material respecting said supporting louvers, thereby causing a moiety of said granular material to fall away from each said free face and activating said gravity feed means to cause the renewal of said free faces.