Gas-liquid mixing apparatus

Claim 2

A gas-liquid mixing apparatus comprising: an enclosed chamber having a plurality of baffles provided therein, said baffles extending generally horizontally and parallel to one another, and being arranged in rows of vertically spaced and vertically aligned baffles; said rows of baffles being arranged side-by-side, and the baffles in one row being offset vertically with respect to the corresponding baffles in the next adjacent rows on either side, whereby the baffles in one row are approximately midway between the baffles of the rows on either side; each of said baffles having downwardly sloping topsides which terminate in lateral extremities, the lateral extremities on one side of the baffles in one row being substantially in the same vertical plane as the lateral extremities on the near side of the adjacent row of baffles; a screen extending vertically down between adjoining rows of baffles and contacting the lateral extremities of the baffles on opposite sides thereof; means for supplying liquid to the uppermost horizontal row of baffles and discharging the liquid down onto the baffles and screen; and means for circulating gas upwardly through said apparatus from the bottom thereof to the top, said gas being admitted to said chamber below the level of the bottom baffles and being removed therefrom above the top baffles, and said gas being deflected laterally through said screens by said baffles as it moves upwardly so that the gas follows a serpentine path, passing back and forth through said screen with each change of direction; said gas stream picking up the liquid cascading down over the screen and baffles and breaking it up into tiny droplets which are churned around in a rolling, tumbling action as the gas ascends and the liquid descends.

Claim 3

A gas-liquid mixing apparatus as in claim 1, wherein at least some of said baffles are formed of square tubing having 4 corners which are oriented with one corner at the top, one at the bottom, and two of said corners at the sides forming said lateral extremities, said top and bottom corners being in substantially the same plane, and said two side corners being in substantially the same horizontal plane, and the two top sides of said tubing sloping downwardly at substantially 45 degrees on either side of said top corner.

Claim 4

A gas-liquid mixing apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said screen comprises a flat sheet having a plurality of closely spaced holes formed therein, each of said holes forming an orifice through which said gas issues in a high velocity jet that picks up liquid streaming down the surface of the screen and breaks it up into droplets which are carried along on the gas stream.

Claim 5

A gas-liquid mixing apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said screen comprises a flat sheet having a plurality of closely spaced holes formed therein, each of said holes forming an orifice through which said gas issues in a high velocity jet that picks up liquid streaming down the surface of the screen and breaks it up into tiny droplets which are carried along on the gas stream.

Claim 6

A gas-liquid mixing apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the top baffle in each of said rows is a manifold consisting of a hollow tube, into which said liquid is delivered, said manifold having a plurality of orifices formed therein which discharge streams of liquid onto said screens on opposite sides of the manifold.

Claim 7

A gas-liquid mixing apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the bottom of said chamber is a sump into which said liquid falls after passing through said baffles, and said means for supplying liquid comprises a pump having its intake connected to said sump and its discharge connected to said manifold.

Claim 8

A closed-circuit, counterflow chemical reaction system comprising: an enclosed chamber having a plurality of baffles prOvided therein extending generally horizontally and parallel to one another said baffles being arranged in rows of vertically spaced aligned baffles; said rows of baffles being arranged side-by-side, and the baffles in one row being offset vertically with respect to corresponding baffles in the next adjacent rows on either side, whereby the baffles in one row are approximately midway between the baffles of the rows on either side; each of said baffles having downwardly sloping topsides which terminate in lateral extremities, the lateral extremities on one side of the baffles in one row being substantially in the same vertical plane as the lateral extremities on the near side of the adjacent row of baffles; a screen extending vertically down between adjoining rows of baffles and contacting the lateral extremities of the baffles on opposite sides thereof; a sump at the bottom of said chamber; pump means connected to said sump to draw liquid therefrom, said pump means discharging the liquid onto said baffles so that it cascades down through the baffles and collects in the sump; duct means serially connected to said chamber at one end below the level of the bottom baffles, and at the other end above the level of the top baffles to form a closed circuit; means for circulating and recirculating the gas around said closed circuit, said gas being admitted to said chamber at the bottom end thereof and being removed therefrom at the top, and said gas being caused to pass through said baffles again and again; and means for drawing off the liquid reaction products formed by mixing the liquid with the gas when said reaction product has reached a predetermined concentration.

Claim 9

A closed-circuit, counterflow chemical reaction system comprising: an enclosed chamber having a plurality of baffles prOvided therein extending generally horizontally and parallel to one another said baffles being arranged in rows of vertically spaced aligned baffles; said rows of baffles being arranged side-by-side, and the baffles in one row being offset vertically with respect to corresponding baffles in the next adjacent rows on either side, whereby the baffles in one row are approximately midway between the baffles of the rows on either side; each of said baffles having downwardly sloping topsides which terminate in lateral extremities, the lateral extremities on one side of the baffles in one row being substantially in the same vertical plane as the lateral extremities on the near side of the adjacent row of baffles; a screen extending vertically down between adjoining rows of baffles and contacting the lateral extremities of the baffles on opposite sides thereof; a sump at the bottom of said chamber; pump means connected to said sump to draw liquid therefrom, said pump means discharging the liquid onto said baffles so that it cascades down through the baffles and collects in the sump; duct means serially connected to said chamber at one end below the level of the bottom baffles, and at the other end above the level of the top baffles to form a closed circuit; means for circulating and recirculating the gas around said closed circuit, said gas being admitted to said chamber at the bottom end thereof and being removed therefrom at the top, and said gas being caused to pass through said baffles again and again; and means for drawing off the liquid reaction products formed by mixing the liquid with the gas when said reaction product has reached a predetermined concentration.

Claim 10

A chemical reaction system as in claim 7, which further includes means for supplying make-up gas and make-up liquid to the system as the gas and liquid are used up.