Apparatus and method for condensing metal vapor

An apparatus for condensing metal vapors comprising:

• at least one inlet conduit for receiving a mixture of metal vapor and carrier gas;
• a holding tank for liquid metal operatively connected to the at least one inlet conduit for receiving the mixture of metal vapor and carrier gas from the at least one inlet conduit;
• at least one outlet conduit operatively connected to the holding tank for receiving the mixture of metal vapor and gas from the holding tank, the at least one outlet conduit having a proximal end located proximal to the holding tank and a distal end located distal to the holding tank, the at least one outlet conduit having a plurality of sections;
• a plurality of cooling devices operatively connected to the corresponding plurality of sections of the at least one outlet conduit to cause some of the metal vapor inside the corresponding section of the at least one outlet conduit to condense to solid metal;
• a plurality of heaters operatively connected to the corresponding plurality of sections of the at least one outlet conduit to cause the solid metal within the corresponding section of the at least one outlet conduit to melt;
• and
• a controller for controlling the plurality of cooling devices and the plurality of heaters, wherein the controller causes:
• a first cooling device of the plurality operatively connected to a first section of the at least one outlet conduit to cool and condense the metal vapor inside the first section of the at least one outlet conduit to solid metal;
• subsequent to the operation of the first cooling device, a first heater of the plurality operatively connected to the first section of the at least one outlet conduit to heat and melt the solid metal inside the first section of the at least one outlet conduit;
• a second cooling device of the plurality operatively connected to a second section of the at least one outlet conduit to cool and condense the metal vapor inside the second section of the at least one outlet conduit to solid metal;
• and
• subsequent to the operations of the second cooling device, a second heater of the plurality operatively connected to the second section of the at least one outlet conduit to heat and melt the solid metal inside the second section of the at least one outlet conduit.

An apparatus for condensing metal vapors comprising:

• at least one inlet conduit for receiving a mixture of metal vapor and carrier gas;
• a holding tank for liquid metal operatively connected to the at least one inlet conduit for receiving the mixture of metal vapor and carrier gas from the at least one inlet conduit;
• at least one outlet conduit operatively connected to the holding tank for receiving the mixture of metal vapor and carrier gas from the holding tank;
• at least a first cooling device operatively connected to the at least one outlet conduit to cause at least a portion of the metal vapor entering the at least one outlet conduit to condense to solid metal;
• and at least one mechanical device positioned inside the at least one outlet conduit that operates to push the solid metal from the at least one outlet conduit to the holding tank.

An apparatus for condensing metal vapors comprising:

• at least one inlet conduit for receiving a mixture of metal vapor and carrier gas;
• a holding tank for liquid metal operatively connected to the at least one inlet conduit for receiving the metal vapor and carrier gas from the at least one inlet conduit;
• at least one set of outlet conduits operatively connected to the holding tank for receiving the metal vapor and gas mixture from the holding tank, each outlet conduit of the set having a shared input section and a shared output section, and each outlet conduit of the set having an individual output section;
• a set of cooling devices, each being operatively connected to a corresponding outlet conduit to cause some of the metal vapor inside the outlet conduit to condense to solid metal;
• a set of heaters, each heater being operatively connected to a corresponding outlet conduit to cause the solid metal inside the outlet conduit to melt;
• a plurality of valves operatively connected to the set of outlet conduits;
• and
• a controller for controlling the set of cooling devices, the set of heaters, and the plurality of valves to cause the metal vapor and gas mixture to pass from the shared input section through the set of outlet conduits in parallel to the shared output section when each of the set of cooling devices is condensing solid metal in each of the corresponding outlet conduits, and to cause the metal vapor and gas mixture to pass from the shared input section through the set of outlet conduits in series to the individual output section of an outlet conduit of the set in which a corresponding cooling device is condensing solid metal when a heating device of the set is melting solid metal in the other outlet conduit of the set.