Vapor-liquid separator

Claim 1

The combination of a vapor generator comprising a pressure vessel, means defining a liquid and a vapor space within said vessel, and a vapor-liquid separator apparatus disposed within said vessel and communicating with said spaces and comprising a first cyclone separator means including a vertically extending conduit means disposed to receive at one end an inflowing vaporliquid mixture, swirl vane means disposed within the conduit means for reaction with the flow of said mixture therethrough to impart a whirling motion to the mixture to centrifugally separate a first fraction of the liquid content thereof for collection along the inside wall surface of the conduit means, and means defining a substantially circumferentially extending aperture formed through the wall of the conduit means to accommodate the exit therefrom of said separated first liquid fraction, and a second cyclone separator means flow connected in series with the first cyclone separator means and including an upright cylindrical cyclone separator disposed in superjacent relation to the first cyclone separator means and having a tangential inlet to receive therefrom a refined vapor-liquid mixture resulting from the removal of said first liquid fraction, the second cyclone separator means being operable to remove from said refined mixture a second and further fraction of the liquid content thereof and having outlet means discharging into the vapor space and positioned to accommodate the exit of separated vapor from said refined mixture along a flow path positioned in axial alignment with that of the inflowing vapor-liquid mixture to the first cyclone separator means, said outlet means having vertically spaced first and second levels and including a separate re-entrant sleeve member associated with each of the levels, a pan-shaped member concentrically disposed within the second cyclone separator below the inlet thereof and radially spaced from the inner periphery of said second cyclone separator to form an annular passageway therebetween, and swirl vane means dIsposed within said annular passageway, a plenum chamber connected to said second cyclone separator to receive therefrom the liquid separated thereby from said refined mixture, said plenum chamber extending downwardly into said conduit means to define therewith an annular flow passage for the vapor-liquid mixture flowing through said first cyclone separator means, and means defining an enclosed passage extending through the wall of said conduit means and communicating with the interior of said plenum chamber to accommodate the exit therefrom of said separated second liquid fraction.