US3603062A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gas-liquid separator
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1968-11-21
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Granted: 1971-09-07
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Expires: 1988-11-21
Abstract
Abstract A gas-liquid separating arrangement of high-capacity per unit size including a centrifugal separator for creating a gas vortex surrounded by a liquid vortex having a first discharge passage for receiving separated liquid and a second discharge passage for receiving and separating the gas and liquid of the boundary layer between the gas and liquid vortices and including a centrifugal preliminary dryer for receiving the gas vortex from the separator and for removing additional liquid.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles H Robbins
- 👤 George W Fitzsimmons
- 👤 Robert L Hughes
- 👤 Robert L Moen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 08:40
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C15/00; G21C15/16; B; B01; B01D; B01D45/00; B01D45/12; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
199 words
A gas-liquid separating system comprising, the combination of: an elongated separator vortex tube having a gas-liquid mixture inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end; means adjacent said inlet for receiving a gas-liquid mixture and for establishing in said separator vortex tube a gas vortex surrounded by a liquid vortex; an elongated dryer vortex tube having an inlet end and an outlet end; a dryer inlet tube adjacent the inlet end of said dryer vortex tube and extending a predetermined distance into the outlet end of said separator vortex tube; a separator removal means for receiving a gas-liquid mixture flowing between said dryer inlet tube and said separator vortex tube, said separator removal means including a separator removal tube disposed coaxially with and surrounding at least the outlet end of said separator vortex tube, said separator removal tube being formed with at least one gas escape port; dryer removal means adjacent the outlet end of said dryer vortex tube including a dryer removal tube, said dryer removal tube having an outside diameter substantially less than the outside diameter of said separator removal tube to reduce the velocity of the gas issuing from said gas escape port.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
199 words
A gas-liquid separating system comprising, the combination of: an elongated separator vortex tube having a gas-liquid mixture inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end; means adjacent said inlet for receiving a gas-liquid mixture and for establishing in said separator vortex tube a gas vortex surrounded by a liquid vortex; an elongated dryer vortex tube having an inlet end and an outlet end; a dryer inlet tube adjacent the inlet end of said dryer vortex tube and extending a predetermined distance into the outlet end of said separator vortex tube; a separator removal means for receiving a gas-liquid mixture flowing between said dryer inlet tube and said separator vortex tube, said separator removal means including a separator removal tube disposed coaxially with and surrounding at least the outlet end of said separator vortex tube, said separator removal tube being formed with at least one gas escape port; dryer removal means adjacent the outlet end of said dryer vortex tube including a dryer removal tube, said dryer removal tube having an outside diameter substantially less than the outside diameter of said separator removal tube to reduce the velocity of the gas issuing from said gas escape port.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
154 words
A gas-liquid separating system comprising: a first elongated vortex tube having an inlet end and an outlet end; a vortex generator for receiving a gas-liquid mixture and for establishing in said first vortex tube a gas vortex surrounded by a liquid vortex; first and second coaxially disposed pickoff rings extending into the outlet end of said first vortex tube and forming a first annular passage for receiving a substantial portion of said liquid vortex and a second annular passage for receiving a gas-liquid mixture from a boundary layer between said gas and liquid vortices; a second elongated vortex tube having an outlet end and having an inlet end disposed adjacent the outlet end of said first vortex tube to receive a substantial portion of said gas vortex; and a third pickoff rinG extending into the outlet end of said second vortex tube forming a third annular passage for removing additional liquid from said gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
154 words
A gas-liquid separating system comprising: a first elongated vortex tube having an inlet end and an outlet end; a vortex generator for receiving a gas-liquid mixture and for establishing in said first vortex tube a gas vortex surrounded by a liquid vortex; first and second coaxially disposed pickoff rings extending into the outlet end of said first vortex tube and forming a first annular passage for receiving a substantial portion of said liquid vortex and a second annular passage for receiving a gas-liquid mixture from a boundary layer between said gas and liquid vortices; a second elongated vortex tube having an outlet end and having an inlet end disposed adjacent the outlet end of said first vortex tube to receive a substantial portion of said gas vortex; and a third pickoff rinG extending into the outlet end of said second vortex tube forming a third annular passage for removing additional liquid from said gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system defined by claim 2 wherein said second annular passage contains gas-liquid separating means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
176 words
A gas-liquid separator comprising an elongated vortex channel having a gas-liquid inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end; means adjacent said inlet for receiving a gas-liquid mixture and for causing rotary motion of said mixture to form a gas vortex surrounded by a liquid vortex in said vortex channel; a first discharge passage; means adjacent said outlet of said vortex channel for directing said liquid vortex into said first discharge passage; a second discharge passage; means adjacent said outlet of said vortex channel for directing a gas-liquid mixture from the boundary between said gas and liquid vortices into said second discharge passage; at least one gas-collecting chamber in said second discharge passage said chamber having spaced sides aligned generally perpendicular to the direction of said rotary motion, the one of said sides spaced from the other of said sides in the direction of said rotary motion being formed with openings to receive gas from said gas-liquid mixture in said second discharge passage; and means providing escape of received gas from said chambers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
176 words
A gas-liquid separator comprising an elongated vortex channel having a gas-liquid inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end; means adjacent said inlet for receiving a gas-liquid mixture and for causing rotary motion of said mixture to form a gas vortex surrounded by a liquid vortex in said vortex channel; a first discharge passage; means adjacent said outlet of said vortex channel for directing said liquid vortex into said first discharge passage; a second discharge passage; means adjacent said outlet of said vortex channel for directing a gas-liquid mixture from the boundary between said gas and liquid vortices into said second discharge passage; at least one gas-collecting chamber in said second discharge passage said chamber having spaced sides aligned generally perpendicular to the direction of said rotary motion, the one of said sides spaced from the other of said sides in the direction of said rotary motion being formed with openings to receive gas from said gas-liquid mixture in said second discharge passage; and means providing escape of received gas from said chambers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The gas-liquid separator of claim 4 wherein the end of said gas-collecting chamber adjacent the outlet end of said separator is closed by a top member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The gas-liquid separator of claim 4 including a plurality of gas-collecting chambers radially spaced in said second discharge passage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The gas-liquid separator of claim 6 further including a longitudinally positioned substantially straight vane between each pair of said gas-collecting chambers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The gas-liquid separator of claim 4 wherein said means providing escape of received gas from said chamber comprises at least one opening from said chamber through the wall of said second discharge channel to the exterior of said separator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
170 words
In a gas generating system, apparatus for separating a gas-liquid mixture comprising: a plurality of closely spaced-apart separator-preliminary dryer assemblies disposed to receive said gas-liquid mixture, each of said assemblies including a separator and a preliminary dryer disposed in series, said separator including means for transmitting a substantial portion of the gas of said mixture to said preliminary dryer and extraction means for returning a substantial portion of the liquid of said mixture to a pool and for issuing an additional portion of said gas from said extraction means to the exterior of said separator among said assemblies and into a gas-receiving chamber, said preliminary dryer including means for extracting additional liquid from said gas and for transmitting aid gas to said gas-receiving chamber, said preliminary dryer having an outside diameter substantially less than the outside diameter of said separator for decreasing the velocity of said gas issuing from said extraction means of said separator to decrease the amount of liquid carried by said last mentioned gas into said chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
170 words
In a gas generating system, apparatus for separating a gas-liquid mixture comprising: a plurality of closely spaced-apart separator-preliminary dryer assemblies disposed to receive said gas-liquid mixture, each of said assemblies including a separator and a preliminary dryer disposed in series, said separator including means for transmitting a substantial portion of the gas of said mixture to said preliminary dryer and extraction means for returning a substantial portion of the liquid of said mixture to a pool and for issuing an additional portion of said gas from said extraction means to the exterior of said separator among said assemblies and into a gas-receiving chamber, said preliminary dryer including means for extracting additional liquid from said gas and for transmitting aid gas to said gas-receiving chamber, said preliminary dryer having an outside diameter substantially less than the outside diameter of said separator for decreasing the velocity of said gas issuing from said extraction means of said separator to decrease the amount of liquid carried by said last mentioned gas into said chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
149 words
A gas-liquid separator comprising an elongated vortex channel having a gas-liquid mixture inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end; means adjacent said inlet for receiving a gas-liquid mixture and for establishing in said vortex channel a gas vortex surrounded by a liquid vortex; a first discharge channel surrounding said vortex channel; means adjacent said outlet of said vortex channel for directing said liquid vortex into said first discharge channel; a second discharge channel surrounding said first discharge channel; means adjacent said outlet of said vortex channel for directing a gas-liquid mixture from the boundary between said gas and liquid vortices into said second discharge channel; a plurality of longitudinally positioned substantially straight members for arresting the vortex flow of said gas-liquid mixture in said second discharge channel; and means for allowing the escape of the gas of said gas-liquid mixture from said second discharge channel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
149 words
A gas-liquid separator comprising an elongated vortex channel having a gas-liquid mixture inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end; means adjacent said inlet for receiving a gas-liquid mixture and for establishing in said vortex channel a gas vortex surrounded by a liquid vortex; a first discharge channel surrounding said vortex channel; means adjacent said outlet of said vortex channel for directing said liquid vortex into said first discharge channel; a second discharge channel surrounding said first discharge channel; means adjacent said outlet of said vortex channel for directing a gas-liquid mixture from the boundary between said gas and liquid vortices into said second discharge channel; a plurality of longitudinally positioned substantially straight members for arresting the vortex flow of said gas-liquid mixture in said second discharge channel; and means for allowing the escape of the gas of said gas-liquid mixture from said second discharge channel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-06 | 1975-03-08 | 1975-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-06 | 1979-03-08 | 1979-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-06 | 1983-03-08 | 1983-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |