System employing a vortex finder tube for separating a liquid component from a gas stream

A method of separating an entrained immiscible liquid component from a wet gas stream, comprising:

• injecting the wet gas stream under pressure into a tangential inlet in the wall of a vortex tube that has a liquid outlet end and a gas outlet end, the vortex tube having an internal circumferential wall surface so that the wet gas stream swirls within the vortex tube forcing the wet component against the vortex tube circumferential wall by centrifugal force;
• positioning a vortex finder tube in said vortex tube liquid outline end;
• positioning a liquid deflector having a spiraled surfaces thereon within said vortex tube in position to receive impingement of the wet gas stream as it enters into said vortex tube through said tangential inlet, the liquid deflector spiraled surfaces extending between said vortex finder tube and said wall of said vortex tube serving to impart a co-axial thrust of the spiraling gas in the direction towards said vortex tube liquid outlet end;
• providing for liquid discharge out of said vortex tube at said liquid outlet end;
• and
• providing for gas discharge out of said vortex tube at said gas outlet end through said vortex finder tube.

A method of separating an entrained immiscible liquid component from the gas component of a wet gas stream, comprising:

• subjecting the wet gas stream to centrifugal force by tangentially injecting the stream against an internal wall of a vortex tube having a gas outlet end and a liquid outlet end to separate the liquid component from the gas component;
• flowing the wet gas stream against a spiraled surface of a liquid deflector within said vortex tube to urge the liquid component towards said vortex tube liquid outlet end;
• separately removing separated liquid component from said vortex tube liquid outlet end and gas component from said vortex tube gas outlet end;
• and
• downwardly deflecting said gas component as it passes from said vortex tube outlet end.