Apparatus for mixing a liquid and a gas

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR MIXING A LIQUID AND A GAS BY SPRAYING THE LIQUID INTO A GAS IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF GAS FLOW, COMPRISING A GAS CASING FOR THE FLOW OF SAID GAS HAVING AN INLET FOR ADMITTING A GAS THERETO; GUIDE MEANS IN SAID CASING FOR IMPARTING TO SAID GAS A WHIRLING MOTION ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE CASING; A LIQUID ATOMIZER WITHIN SAID CASING HAVING MEANS FOR ADMITTING LIQUID THERETO, A CASING DIFINING A VORTEX CHAMBER AND AN OUTLET ORIFICE SITUATED SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE SAID AXIS OF THE CASING AND DIRECTED TO DISCHARGE LIQUID INTO SAID GAS DOWNSTREAM FROM SAID GUIDE MEANS ALONG SAID AXIS IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF FLOW OF THE GAS; GUIDE MEANS FOR IMPARTING TO LIQUID ENTERING SAID VORTEX CHAMBER A WHIRLING MOTION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID VORTEX CHAMBER; AND CONTROL MEANS ADJUSTABLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TOTAL RATE OF FLOW OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FLUIDS AND COOPERATING WITH THE GUIDE MEANS THEREFOR FOR INCREASING THE SAID WHIRLING MOTION OF SAID ONE FLUID UPON AN INCREASE IN THE SAID TOTAL FLOW RATE THEREOF AND DECREASING THE SAID WHIRLING MOTION THEREOF UPON A DECREASE IN THE SAID TOTAL FLOW RATE.