Heat exchange process and apparatus

Claim 2

In a process as defined in claim 2 wherein said air is reduced to a dry bulb temperature of on the order of about 83*F to 87*F.

Claim 3

A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said adiabatically cooling step comprises saturating the pre-cooled gas stream to reduce the liquid temperature to on the order of about 53*F to 59*F.

Claim 4

In a process as defined in claim 1 wherein said scrubbing step comprises directing sulfur dioxide-containing moisture-saturated gas through at least one cooling device so as to be in contact with the cooled liquid sufficiently to reduce the temperature of the sulfur dioxide-containing gas to on the order of about 81*F to 85*F.

Claim 5

A process for optimizing the amount of moisture in saturated sulfur dioxide-containing gas, comprising the steps of: mingling with water a bone-dry gas having a temperature which is low compared to the water; allowing the gas to become saturated and thereby adiabatically cooling the water; and scrubbing sulfur dioxide-containing moisture-saturated gas with the cooled water to lower the temperature and moIsture content of the sulfur dioxide-containing gas.

Claim 6

A process for making moisture-saturated sulfur dioxide-containing gas available with sufficiently low moisture content to make concentrated sulfuric acid, the steps of: passing bone-dry gas through a first heat exchanger to reduce the wet bulb temperature of the gas, transferring the heat in the bone-dry gas in said first heat exchanger to a liquid cooling medium, transporting the cooling medium in a circuit from a cooling tower at a low temperature to the first heat exchanger; conducting the cooled bone-dry gas to a first water cooler; adiabatically cooling water in the first cooler by saturating the bone-dry gas; conducting the cooled water through gas scrubbing means; and scrubbing high temperature sulfur dioxide-containing moisture-saturated gas with the cooled water to substantially reduce the temperature and moisture content of the sulfur dioxide-containing gas.

Claim 7

A process as defined in claim 7 further comprising directing the cooling medium which emerges at a high temperature from the first heat exchanger to a second heat exchanger and passing the cooled sulfur dioxide-containing gas through the second heat exchanger to adjust the temperature without significantly increasing the moisture content thereof prior to transfer of the sulfur dioxide-containing gas to an acid plant.

Claim 8

Apparatus for reducing the temperature of saturated sulfur dioxide-containing gas comprising in combination means for providing bone-dry gas; means accommodating adiabatic cooling of a liquid by mingling the bone-dry gas and liquid until the gas becomes saturated; and means for scrubbing sulfur dioxide-containing gas with the cooled liquid to lower the temperature of the sulfur dioxide-containing gas.

Claim 9

Apparatus for reducing the temperature of sulfur dioxide-containing moisture-saturated gas comprising in combination: means directing bone-dry gas through a first heat exchanger to reduce the dry bulb temperature of the gas, said first heat exchanger forming part of a first fluid circuit for a liquid cooling medium, said first circuit comprising a cooling tower for cooling the liquid medium prior to the transfer thereof to the first heat exchanger and means conducting effluent from the first heat exchanger to a second heat exchanger; means accommodating adiabatic cooling of a liquid by saturating the bone-dry gas with the liquid and means conducting the bone-dry gas from the first heat exchanger to the adiabatic cooling means; a second fluid circuit comprising means conducting the cooled liquid from the adiabatic cooling means to gas scrubbing means; means directing the sulfur dioxide-containing gas through the gas scrubbing means to lower the temperature of the sulfur dioxide-containing saturated gas, and means for conducting the liquid again to the adiabatic cooling means; and means conducting the cooled saturated sulfur dioxide-containing gas through the second heat exchanger.

Claim 10

Apparatus for reducing the temperature of a sulfur dioxide-containing moisture-saturated gas comprising in combination: means transferring bone-dry gas through a heat exchanger; adiabatic cooling means for exposing the bone-dry gas to a liquid until the gas is saturated and the liquid cooled and means conducting the bone-dry gas to the adiabatic cooling means; circuit means comprising gas scrubbing means and means for transferring cooled liquid from the adiabatic cooling means to the gas scrubbing means; means directing sulfur dioxide-containing moisture-saturated gas through the gas scrubbing means to lower the temperature of the sulfur dioxide-containing gas; and means conducting the sulfur dioxide-containing gas through the first heat exchanger prior to transfer to an acid plant.