US3889484A — Gas drying method and apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 208 words

The gas drying apparatus which comprises: a double-pass heat exchanger having the inlet to its first pass connectable to a high pressure supply of wet gas, a separator effective to collect the condensate removed by the heat exchanger connected to receive the relatively cooler partially dried gas issuing from the first pass thereof, a vortex tube operative to split an incoming stream of gas into a relatively colder fraction and a relatively hotter fraction connected to receive the partially dried gas from the separator and deliver the colder fraction thereof to the second pass of the heat exchanger for movement therein in heat exchange relation to the gas moving through the first pass thereof preparatory to recombining said colder and hotter fractions, a flow constrictor connected to restrict the flow of the relatively warmer fraction issuing from the vortex tube operative to effectively control division of flow within the latter, and a pressure relief valve connected to receive the recombined fractions, said relief valve being automatically operative to maintain a working pressure at a level substantially less than the supply pressure by bleeding off excessive air to the atmosphere while at the same time maintaining a near maximum pressure differential across the vortex tube within the available limits.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 208 words

The gas drying apparatus which comprises: a double-pass heat exchanger having the inlet to its first pass connectable to a high pressure supply of wet gas, a separator effective to collect the condensate removed by the heat exchanger connected to receive the relatively cooler partially dried gas issuing from the first pass thereof, a vortex tube operative to split an incoming stream of gas into a relatively colder fraction and a relatively hotter fraction connected to receive the partially dried gas from the separator and deliver the colder fraction thereof to the second pass of the heat exchanger for movement therein in heat exchange relation to the gas moving through the first pass thereof preparatory to recombining said colder and hotter fractions, a flow constrictor connected to restrict the flow of the relatively warmer fraction issuing from the vortex tube operative to effectively control division of flow within the latter, and a pressure relief valve connected to receive the recombined fractions, said relief valve being automatically operative to maintain a working pressure at a level substantially less than the supply pressure by bleeding off excessive air to the atmosphere while at the same time maintaining a near maximum pressure differential across the vortex tube within the available limits.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 50 words

The gas drying apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which: the flow capacity of the vortex tube and the setting of the pressure relief valve are matched to the downstream demands such that the working pressure is maintained substantially constant at a level effective to minimize air losses.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 180 words

The method of drying a wet gas from a high pressure source thereof preparatory to delivering same to satisfy downstream demands at a substantially lower pressure which comprises the steps of: condensing a portion of the moisture from the incoming wet gas by passing it in heat exchange relation to a relatively colder and dried fraction of the same gas issuing from the Cold side of a vortex tube, stripping the moisture from the stream thus cooled preparatory to delivering same to the inlet of the vortex tube as the supply therefor, restricting the flow of the stripped relatively hotter fraction of the same gas issuing from the hot side of the vortex tube peparatory to recombining same with the relatively cooler fraction thereof, and bleeding off to the atmosphere the minimum amount of the recombined fractions as will function to maintain a supply thereof at or near the lowest pressure that can be kept substantially constant yet which will still produce near maximum drying action by impressing at or near the maximum available pressure differential across the vortex tube.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 180 words

The method of drying a wet gas from a high pressure source thereof preparatory to delivering same to satisfy downstream demands at a substantially lower pressure which comprises the steps of: condensing a portion of the moisture from the incoming wet gas by passing it in heat exchange relation to a relatively colder and dried fraction of the same gas issuing from the Cold side of a vortex tube, stripping the moisture from the stream thus cooled preparatory to delivering same to the inlet of the vortex tube as the supply therefor, restricting the flow of the stripped relatively hotter fraction of the same gas issuing from the hot side of the vortex tube peparatory to recombining same with the relatively cooler fraction thereof, and bleeding off to the atmosphere the minimum amount of the recombined fractions as will function to maintain a supply thereof at or near the lowest pressure that can be kept substantially constant yet which will still produce near maximum drying action by impressing at or near the maximum available pressure differential across the vortex tube.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method as set forth in claim 3 which includes the step of matching the capacity of the vortex tube to the normal downstream demands.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-06-16	1978-12-16	1979-06-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-06-16	1982-12-16	1983-06-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-06-16	1986-12-16	1987-06-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Gas drying method and apparatus

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