Abstract In the venting of waste gases, particularly where there has been wet scrubbing of the vent gases, there can be a high moisture content which will cause an objectionable visible plume of water vapor that observers might incorrectly interpret to be an air polluting material and the present improved system embodies a moisture eliminating procedure which first runs the gas stream through expansion means to lower the stream pressure and effect sufficient cooling that will permit liquid H2O to be separated out of the stream. The cooled gas stream, with reduced water content, is then compressed to ambient pressure conditions and to a higher temperature such that that may be venting to the atmosphere with little or no plume. Preferably, turboexpander means is used to provide at least a part of the energy for recompressing the stream prior to its discharge to the atmosphere.
In the scrubbing of waste gases with aqueous liquid to remove pollutants therefrom, thereby forming a scrubbed gas stream of high moisture content such that an objectionable visible plume of water vapor is formed upon discharge of the gas stream to the atmosphere through a stack, the method of minimizing said visible plume from the stack which comprises expanding said scrubbed gas stream of high moisture content to a lower pressure such as to effEct cooling and resulting water vapor condensation, separating resulting water condensate from the gas stream, recompressing the cooled gas stream with retained latent heat of vaporization and thereby further heating said stream, and then discharging the resulting heated stream with the lowered moisture content through said stack to the atmosphere.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
In the scrubbing of waste gases with aqueous liquid to remove pollutants therefrom, thereby forming a scrubbed gas stream of high moisture content such that an objectionable visible plume of water vapor is formed upon discharge of the gas stream to the atmosphere through a stack, the method of minimizing said visible plume from the stack which comprises expanding said scrubbed gas stream of high moisture content to a lower pressure such as to effEct cooling and resulting water vapor condensation, separating resulting water condensate from the gas stream, recompressing the cooled gas stream with retained latent heat of vaporization and thereby further heating said stream, and then discharging the resulting heated stream with the lowered moisture content through said stack to the atmosphere.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of claim 1 further characterized in that said moisture containing gas stream is expanded in a turbine type expansion means providing power therefrom and such power is utilized in the recompression of the gas stream.