US3811663A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Intimate gas-liquid contact method and apparatus
Assignee: Co Electro Mecanique SA
•
Filing: 1971-01-26
•
Granted: 1974-05-21
•
Expires: 1991-01-26
Abstract
Abstract A process permitting the intimate contact of a gaseous medium and a liquid medium obtaining a considerable economy of investments with respect to the prior technique. The process generally consists in forming a very fine emulsion of the gas in the liquid, by submitting the latter to high velocity movement, the initial necessary accumulation of kinetic energy of said liquid on the one hand, and the continuous compensation of losses by friction of said liquid on the other hand being obtained by means of a thermodynamic cycle described by the gas itself. The invention is applicable to all processes for transfers of mass and energy as well as chemical reactions wherein gases and liquids are contacted.
Inventors
- 👤 J Sterlini
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:08
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28C; F28C3/00; F28C3/06; B; B01; B01F; B01F25/00; B01F25/50; B01F25/51; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S261/00; Y10S261/54
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
A process for the intimate contacting of a gas and a circulating liquid comprising at least one sequence, each sequence comprising the following steps: A. providing a circulating liquid at an initial velocity and at a pressure P1, and a gas at a pressure P0, slightly higher than said pressure P1, B. injecting said gas at the pressure P0 upstream from an expansion zone into the circulating liquid in the form of finely divided bubbles of gas thereby forming a fluid mixture comprising a gas phase in the liquid phase, C. flowing the mixture through the expansion zone and expanding it to a pressure P2 lower than P1 while effecting an acceleration of the mixture, D. separating the gas from the liquid by subjecting the mixture to a change in direction such that a transverse pressure gradient causes the gas bubbles to migrate to a region of lowest pressure, and E. flowing the liquid obtained after the separation of the gas into a recompression zone which permits the liquid to be brought to a circulation velocity and a pressure substantially equal to the velocity and pressure of the liquid in step A.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
A process for the intimate contacting of a gas and a circulating liquid comprising at least one sequence, each sequence comprising the following steps: A. providing a circulating liquid at an initial velocity and at a pressure P1, and a gas at a pressure P0, slightly higher than said pressure P1, B. injecting said gas at the pressure P0 upstream from an expansion zone into the circulating liquid in the form of finely divided bubbles of gas thereby forming a fluid mixture comprising a gas phase in the liquid phase, C. flowing the mixture through the expansion zone and expanding it to a pressure P2 lower than P1 while effecting an acceleration of the mixture, D. separating the gas from the liquid by subjecting the mixture to a change in direction such that a transverse pressure gradient causes the gas bubbles to migrate to a region of lowest pressure, and E. flowing the liquid obtained after the separation of the gas into a recompression zone which permits the liquid to be brought to a circulation velocity and a pressure substantially equal to the velocity and pressure of the liquid in step A.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein in step C the mixture is brought to a velocity greater than the velocity of sound therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the liquid is augmented by an additional current of fresh liquid and depleted by a partial current of liquid which has already intimately contacted the gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 3 wherein said partial current of liquid which has already intimately contacted the gas is thermally modified and reintroduced into a sequence as said fresh liquid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein in step A the initial velocity of the liquid is in the range of 2 to 30 m/sec.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein in step A the initial velocity of the liquid is in the range of 5 to 25 m/sec.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein in step B the velocity of the mixture formed is in the range of 10 to 60 m/sec.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
104 words
A gas-liquid contacting apparatus comprising a closed circuit containing a flowing liquid wherein there is provided at least one series of means for intimately contacting a gas and the circulating liquid, each series, in the direction of liquid flow, successively comprising: A. means for injecting the gas into the flowing liquid in the form of finely divided bubbles, thereby forming a fluid mixture, B. means for expanding the fluid mixture, C. means for separating the gas from the fluid mixture after expansion, and D. diffuser means for recompressing the liquid and directing the same after separation from the gas to a subsequent similar series.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
104 words
A gas-liquid contacting apparatus comprising a closed circuit containing a flowing liquid wherein there is provided at least one series of means for intimately contacting a gas and the circulating liquid, each series, in the direction of liquid flow, successively comprising: A. means for injecting the gas into the flowing liquid in the form of finely divided bubbles, thereby forming a fluid mixture, B. means for expanding the fluid mixture, C. means for separating the gas from the fluid mixture after expansion, and D. diffuser means for recompressing the liquid and directing the same after separation from the gas to a subsequent similar series.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising means for augmenting the flowing liquid by introducing fresh liquid and means for depleting the flowing liquid by extracting a partial current of liquid which has already intimately contacted the gas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a heat exchanger connected between the depleting means and the augmenting means whereby said partial current of liquid is received from the depleting means, thermally modified, and directed to the augmenting means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the gas injecting means cOmprises apertures formed in a divergent portion of the side walls of the closed circuit in which the liquid circulates.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the fluid expanding means comprises an expansion nozzle having a sonic neck.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the gas separating means is in the form of a vortex.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3514924A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-20 | 1977-11-19 | 1978-05-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-20 | 1981-11-19 | 1982-05-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-20 | 1985-11-19 | 1986-05-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |