Apparatus and method for producing a gas atmosphere

Claim 3

THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING A GAS CONSISTING MAINLY OF NITROGEN AND CONTAINING SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN BUT SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF CARBON DIOXIDE WHICH COMPRISES, SUPPLYING A FUEL GAS UNDER PREDETERMINED PRESSURE AND MIXED WITH A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF AIR SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE ONLY PARTIAL COMBUSTION TO THE UPPER PORTION OF A METAL JACKETED COMBUSTION CHAMBER HAVING AN INTERNAL REFRACTORY LINING AND ENCLOSED WITHIN A BOILER UNIT, BURNING SAID MIXTURE IN SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN THE PRESENCE OF A QUANTITY OF PIECES OF REFRACTORY MATERIAL TREATED WITH A CATALYST MATERIAL TO PROMOTE THE COMBINATION OF CARBON WITH OXYGEN, REMOVING THE COMBUSTED GASES FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND PASSING THEM UPWARDLY THROUGH A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY DISPOSED HEAT EXCHANGER TUBES IN THE LIQUID CHAMBER PORTION OF SAID BOILER UNIT WHEREBY A PORTION OF THE HEAT CONTAINED IN SAID COMBUSTED GASES IS TRANSFERRED TO A CARBON DIOXIDE ABSORBENT LIQUID IN SAID CHAMBER COMPRISING A MIXTURE OF MONOETHANOLAMINE AND WATER PRODUCING BOILING OF SAID LIQUID AND GIVING OFF STEAM, REMOVING SAID COMBUSTED GASES FROM SAID HEAT EXCHANGER TUBES AND PASSING THEM THROUGH A COOLER AND THEREAFTER PASSING THEM UPWARDLY THROUGH AN ABOSRBING TOWER CONTAINING A MASS OF FILTER MATERIAL, REMOVING SAID LIQUID FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID BOILER CHAMBER AND PASSING IT THROUGH A LIQUID HEAT EXCHANGER AND A LIQUID COOLER AND THEREAFTER PASSING IT DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID ABSORBING TOWER OVER THE FILLER MATERIAL THEREIN WHEREBY IT ABSORBS SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE CARBON DIOXIDE IN SAID COMBUSTED GASES, REMOVING THE PURIFIED COMBUSTED GASES FROM THE TOP OF SAID ABSORBING TOWEVER, REMOVING THE CARBON DIOXIDE LADEN ABSORBENT LIQUID FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID ABSORBING TOWER AND PASSING IT THROUGH SAID LIQUID HEAT EXCHANGER WHEREBY IT ABSORBS A PORTION OF THE HEAT FROM THE LIQUID BEING TRANSFERRED FROM THE BOILER CHAMBER TO THE ABSORBING TOWER, THEREAFTER INTRODUCING SAID CARBON DIOXIDE LADEN LIQUID INTO THE TOP OF A REACTIVATING TOWER HAVING A MASS OF FILTER MATERIAL THEREIN LOCATED ABOVE SAID BOILER WHEREBY SUCH LIQUID PASSES DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID REACTIVATING TOWER AND IS DISCHARGED INTO SAID LIQUID CHAMBER, CARBON DIOXIDE BEING RELEASED FROM THE ABSORBENT LIQUID BY THE ACTION OF SAID STEAM FROM SAID LIQUID CHAMBER, REMOVING SAID RELEASED CARBON DIOXIDE FROM SAID REACTIVATING CHAMBER AND COOLING IT TO RECLAIM ABSORBENT LIQUID THEREFROM, AND RETURNING SUCH RECLAIMED LIQUID TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID ABSORBING TOWER.