Gas scrubber

Claim 2

Apparatus for removing particulate material from a gas stream traveling through a duct, said apparatus comprising: a. a first member positioned in said duct, said member having a surface on the upstream side thereof and provided with a plurality of passages, said passages having inlet openings in communication with said gas stream and said passages converging from said inlet openings in the direction of said gas stream; b. a second member positioned in said duct adjacent said first member on the downstream side thereof, said second member being provided with a corresponding plurality of passages located therein for communication with the passages in said first member, said second member passages diverging from said first member passages in the direction of said gas stream whereby a plurality of venturi passages are defined; c. means operatively connected to at least one of said first and second members for causing relative movement of said first and second members thereby to vary the throat size of said venturi passages; and d. means for delivering liquid onto said surface of said first member and therealong and into said inlet openings of said passages in said first member; e. whereby said liquid is atomized in said passages by the moving gas stream and the resulting liquid drops agglomerate with the particulate material in the gas stream.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said first and second members comprises a generally planar portion through which said passages extend, a peripheral edge portion adjacent the wall of said duct and a plurality of walls extending from said planar portion and located within said peripheral edge portion for defining said passages.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said duct is circular in cross section and wherein said peripheral edge portion of each of said first and second members comprises a rim for engaging the inner surface of said duct and wherein said passages are positioned circumferentially around the axis of said duct.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said rim on said second member extends downstream from said planar portion thereof and abuts an annular shoulder extending from the inner surface of said duct so as to be rotatably supported thereon, and wherein said first member is supported by said second member, said first and second members being rotatably connected together at the centers along a common axis coincident with the axis of said duct.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said walls are arranged in groups, there being one group on each member for each passage and including spaced apart end walls and spaced apart side walls joining corresponding opposite ends of said end walls, saiD side walls being disposed at relatively small acute angles relative to the gas stream.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said members are identical in construction, and are relatively movable between a full open position and a full closed position.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, a. said first member including a generally planar portion, said passages thereof extending through said planar portion and each being defined by spaced apart end walls and spaced apart sidewalls joining said end walls, and at least two opposite ones of said walls defining each of said passages being disposed at a relatively acute angle with respect to a line normal to said planar portion whereby the cross sectional area of each of said passages is smallest adjacent said planar portion; b. said second member also including a generally planar portion, said passages thereof extending through said planar portion and being defined by spaced apart end walls and spaced apart sidewalls joining said end walls, and at least two opposite ones of said walls defining each of said passages being disposed at a relatively acute angle with respect to a line normal to said planar portion whereby the cross sectional area of each of said passages is smallest adjacent said planar portion; c. said passages in said first and second members having substantially identical perimeters adjacent the corresponding planar portions of said first and second members; and d. means mounting said first and second members in said duct in a manner such that the planar portions of said first and second members are disposed generally horizontally in generally parallel planes with corresponding ones of said passages in said first and second members cooperatively defining a corresponding plurality of venturi passages disposed in the direction of travel of said gas stream.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the outer ones of said end walls are greater in length than the inner ones of said end walls in said first and second members and said sidewalls extend generally radially outwardly from the center of said planar portions of said first and second members whereby a pressure differential is created to distribute liquid in a direction along the entire length of each of said side walls as the liquid level rises to the height of said sidewalls.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 1 further including: a. first pressure sensing means positioned in said duct upstream from said first member relative to the direction of flow of said gas stream; b. second pressure sensing means positioned in said duct downstream from said second member relative to the direction of flow of said gas stream; and c. control means connected to said first and second sensing means and responsive to the pressure difference measured therebetween, said control means being connected in controlling relation to said means causing relative movement between said first and second members whereby the throats of said venturi passages are varied in response to changes in the pressure drop across said apparatus.

Claim 11

Apparatus for removing particulate material from a gas stream traveling through a duct, said apparatus comprising: a. a first member positioned generally horizontally in said duct and comprising a generally planar portion provided with a plurality of passages which extend therethrough, a peripheral edge portion adjacent the wall of said duct and a plurality of walls extending from said planar portion and located within said peripheral edge portion for defining said passages, said passages having inlet openings in communication with said gas stream and converging from said inlet openings in the direction of said gas stream; b. a second member positioned generally horizontally in said duct adjacent said first member on the downstream side thereof, said second member comprising a generally planar portion provided with a corresponding plurality of passages located therein for communication with The passages in said first member, a peripheral edge portion adjacent the wall of said duct and a plurality of walls extending from said planar portion and located within said peripheral edge portion for defining said passages, said second member passages diverging from said first member passages in the direction of said gas stream whereby a plurality of venturi passages are defined; c. means operatively connected to at least one of said first and second members for causing relative movement of said first and second members thereby to vary the throat size of said venturi passages; and d. means for delivering liquid to the inlet openings of said passages in said first member, said liquid delivering means comprising conduit means positioned to deliver liquid to said planar portion of said first member near said peripheral edge portion thereof whereby liquid rises to a level corresponding to the height of said side walls and then flows into said passages defined by said walls.

Claim 12

Apparatus for removing particulate material from a gas stream traveling through a duct, said apparatus comprising: a. a first member positioned generally horizontally in said duct and comprising a generally planar portion provided with a plurality of passages which extend therethrough, a peripheral edge portion adjacent the wall of said duct and a plurality of walls extending from said planar portion and located within said peripheral edge portion for defining said passages, said passages having inlet openings in communication with said gas stream and converging from said inlet openings in the direction of said gas stream; b. a second member positioned generally horizontally in said duct adjacent said first member on the downstream side thereof, said second member comprising a generally planar portion provided with a corresponding plurality of passages located therein for communication with The passages in said first member, a peripheral edge portion adjacent the wall of said duct and a plurality of walls extending from said planar portion and located within said peripheral edge portion for defining said passages, said second member passages diverging from said first member passages in the direction of said gas stream whereby a plurality of venturi passages are defined; c. means operatively connected to at least one of said first and second members for causing relative movement of said first and second members thereby to vary the throat size of said venturi passages; and d. means for delivering liquid to the inlet openings of said passages in said first member, said liquid delivering means comprising conduit means positioned to deliver liquid to said planar portion of said first member near said peripheral edge portion thereof whereby liquid rises to a level corresponding to the height of said side walls and then flows into said passages defined by said walls.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said walls are arranged in groups, there being one group for each of said passages and the walls of each group being positioned relative to each other so as to define passage inlet openings having a configuration which gives rise to a pressure differential between the center of said planar portion and said peripheral edge portion of said first member for distributing liquid substantially uniformly to said passages.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein each of said passage inlet openings has spaced apart edges extending generally radially outwardly relative to the center of said planar portion which edges define an acute included angle.

Claim 15

Apparatus for removing particulate material from a gas stream traveling through a duct, said apparatus comprising: a. a first member positioned in said duct and provided with a plurality of passages, said passages having inlet openings in communication with said gas stream and converging from said inlet openings in the direction of said gas stream, said first member including a generally planar portion, said passages thereof extending through said planar portion and each being defined by spaced apart end walls and spaced apart sidewalls joining said end walls, and at least two opposite ones of said walls defining each of said passages being disposed at a relatively acute angle with respect to a line normal to said planar portion whereby the cross sectional area of each of said passages is smallest adjacent said planar portion; b. a second member positioned in said duct adjacent said first member on the downstream side thereof, said second member being provided with a corresponding plurality of passages located therein for communication with the passages in said first member, said second member passages diverging from said first member passages in the direction of said gas stream whereby a plurality of venturi passages are defined, said second member including a generally planar portion, said passages thereof extending through said planar portion and being defined by spaced apart end walls and spaced apart sidewalls joining said end walls, and at least two opposite ones of said walls defining each of said passages being disposed at relatively acute angles with respect to a line normal to said planar portion whereby the cross sectional area of each of said passages is smallest adjacent said planar portion; c. said passages in said first and second members having substantially identical perimeters adjacent the corresponding planar portions of said first and second members; d. means mounting said first and second members in said duct in a manner such that the planar portions of said first and second members are disposed generally horizontally in generally parallel planes with corresponding ones of said passages in said first and second members cooperatively defining a corresponding plurality of venturi passages disposed in the direction of gravel of said gas stream; e. meanS operatively connected to at least one of said first and second members for causing relative movement of said first and second members thereby to vary the throat size of said venturi passages; and f. means for delivering liquid to the inlet openings of said passages in said first member, said liquid delivering means comprising conduit means positioned to deliver liquid to said planar portion of said first member near said peripheral edge portion whereby liquid rises to a level corresponding to the height of said sidewalls and then flows into said passages defined by said walls and wherein the inlet openings of said passages have a configuration which gives rise to a pressure differential between the center of said planar portion and said peripheral edge portion of said first member for distributing liquid along the entire length of each of said sidewalls.

Claim 16

Apparatus for removing particulate material from a gas stream traveling through a duct, said apparatus comprising: a. a first member positioned in said duct and provided with a plurality of passages, said passages having inlet openings in communication with said gas stream and converging from said inlet openings in the direction of said gas stream, said first member including a generally planar portion, said passages thereof extending through said planar portion and each being defined by spaced apart end walls and spaced apart sidewalls joining said end walls, and at least two opposite ones of said walls defining each of said passages being disposed at a relatively acute angle with respect to a line normal to said planar portion whereby the cross sectional area of each of said passages is smallest adjacent said planar portion; b. a second member positioned in said duct adjacent said first member on the downstream side thereof, said second member being provided with a corresponding plurality of passages located therein for communication with the passages in said first member, said second member passages diverging from said first member passages in the direction of said gas stream whereby a plurality of venturi passages are defined, said second member including a generally planar portion, said passages thereof extending through said planar portion and being defined by spaced apart end walls and spaced apart sidewalls joining said end walls, and at least two opposite ones of said walls defining each of said passages being disposed at relatively acute angles with respect to a line normal to said planar portion whereby the cross sectional area of each of said passages is smallest adjacent said planar portion; c. said passages in said first and second members having substantially identical perimeters adjacent the corresponding planar portions of said first and second members; d. means mounting said first and second members in said duct in a manner such that the planar portions of said first and second members are disposed generally horizontally in generally parallel planes with corresponding ones of said passages in said first and second members cooperatively defining a corresponding plurality of venturi passages disposed in the direction of gravel of said gas stream; e. meanS operatively connected to at least one of said first and second members for causing relative movement of said first and second members thereby to vary the throat size of said venturi passages; and f. means for delivering liquid to the inlet openings of said passages in said first member, said liquid delivering means comprising conduit means positioned to deliver liquid to said planar portion of said first member near said peripheral edge portion whereby liquid rises to a level corresponding to the height of said sidewalls and then flows into said passages defined by said walls and wherein the inlet openings of said passages have a configuration which gives rise to a pressure differential between the center of said planar portion and said peripheral edge portion of said first member for distributing liquid along the entire length of each of said sidewalls.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said sidewalls defining said passages extend generally radially outwardly relative to the center of said planar portion and define therebetween an acute included angle.

Claim 18

Apparatus for removing particulate material from a gas stream traveling through a duct, said apparatus comprising: a. means in said duct defining a surface extending generally horizontally across said duct; b. means defining a plurality of venturi passages extending through said horizontal surface generally in the direction of said gas stream and spaced around the axis of said duct, said passage defining means providing inlet openings spaced above the plane of said horizontal surface with each of said inlet openings having a transverse dimension which increases in a radially outwardly direction; and c. means for delivering liquid to said horizontal surface in a manner whereby the level of liquid rises to that of said inlet openings; d. whereby a pressure differential is created across said surface to distribute liquid substantially evenly to said inlet openings along the radial dimension thereof.

Claim 19

Apparatus for removing particulate material from a gas stream traveling through a duct, said apparatus comprising: a. means in said duct defining a surface extending generally horizontally across said duct; b. means defining a plurality of venturi passages extending through said horizontal surface generally in the direction of said gas stream and spaced around the axis of said duct, said passage defining means providing inlet openings spaced above the plane of said horizontal surface with each of said inlet openings having a transverse dimension which increases in a radially outwardly direction; and c. means for delivering liquid to said horizontal surface in a manner whereby the level of liquid rises to that of said inlet openings; d. whereby a pressure differential is created across said surface to distribute liquid substantially evenly to said inlet openings along the radial dimension thereof.