Abstract An improved multiple stage and compact form of venturi type scrubber unit adapted for cleaning gaseous streams laden with extremely fine particulates, with such unit providing a downflow of the gaseous stream through a venturi throat section along with recycle slurry to effect high velocity wetting of entrained particles. The discharge of wetted gas and particles is, in turn, downwardly from an elongated diffuser section or energy regain tube toward a lower slurry collecting zone whereby the gaseous stream flow is caused to reverse 180* and then pass upwardly through loose light weight mobile packing maintained in between vertically spaced apart perforate retainer means to effect particulates and mist removal in the presence of a countercurrently flowing liquid stream being introduced above such removal zone. A preferred embodiment utilizes a flexible venturi throat section which is mechanically adjustable to provide a variable cross-sectional area that will be changed responsive to variations in gas and liquid volumes and in turn sustain a substantially constant pressure drop across such throat section. Also, the unit may incorporate a plurality of sloping vane means above the mobile packing zone to effect further liquid deentrainment from the clean gas stream prior to its discharge from the unit.
The process of claim 1 further characterized in that a controlled quantity of liquid from the body thereof adjacent the lower end of the energy regain zone is withdrawn and passed to distribution means at the upper end portion of the funnel section to thereby supply the liquid for mixing with the gaseous stream in venturi mixing zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
66 words
The process of claim 1 further characterized in that a controlled quantity of liquid from the body thereof adjacent the lower end of the energy regain zone is withdrawn and passed to distribution means positioned above the contact elements in said scrubber-mist extraction zone, whereby to provide additional scrubbing liquid to such zone, and the gaseous stream therfrom is passed upwardly through a succeeding mist-extraction zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The process of claim 1 further characterized in that the gaseous stream flow rate through the scrubber-mist extraction zone and the quantity of elements therein are adjusted to effect a fluidized and turbulent random motion for said elements while in the presence of any descending liquid flow through such zone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process of claim 1 further characterized in that the gaseous stream reverse upward flow through the scrubber-mist extraction zone is at a high velocity in the range of about 500 to 1000 feet per minute to effect turbulent random movement of said low density contact elements.