Agitator for marble bed gas scrubber

Claim 1

Apparatus for separating solids from gases including in combination an upright housing having a gas inlet in its lower portion, a gas outlet in its upper portion, a filter bed located in the housing intermediate the inlet and outlet, the filter bed including a plurality of filter elements arranged to lie in a bed in a plurality of layers, extending across the entire cross section of the upright housing, perforate support means positioned beneath the filter elements, said filter elements forming a plurality of diverse and tortuous paths for the gases flowing upwardly therethrough, the flow velocity of the gases through the filter bed being such as to maintain the filter elements in a fluidized state, a plurality of horizontally positioned nozzle means located in the filter elements in a layer closely adjacent the perforate support means, through which a high velocity liquid can be directed horizontally, to cause agitation and movement of the filter elements, the nozzle means being restricted sufficiently such that the filter elements horizontally adjacent to each nozzle means are moved horizontally by the high velocity liquid flow issuing therefrom thus forming a void, allowing the filter elements thereabove to fall by gravity into the void, setting up a circulation of the filter elements, thereby preventing plugging of the diverse and tortuous paths, the liquid further acting as the means to entrap solid particles contained in the gases.