Gas-liquid vortex separator

Claim 2

A GAS-LIQUID SEPARATING UNIT COMPRISING: A FIRST ELONGATED VORTEX TUBE HAVING AN OUTLET END AND HAVING AN INLET END FOR RECEIVING A GAS-LIQUID MIXTURE, A VORTEX GENERATOR POSITIONED WITHIN SAID INLET END OF SAID FIRST VORTEX TUBE FOR ESTABLISHING IN SAID FIRST VORTEX TUBE A GAS VORTEX SURROUNDED BY A LIQUID VORTEX, A FIRST PICKOFF RING HAVING AN INLET END AND AN OUTLET END, HAVING AN OUTSIDE DIAMETER LESS THAN THE INSIDE RIAMETER OF SAID OUTLET END OF SAID FIRST VORTEX TUBE, SAID INLET END OF SAID FIRST PICKOFF RING EXTENDING INTO SAID OUTLET END OF SAID FIRST VORTEX TUBE IN COAXIAL RELATION THERETO TO FORM THEREBETWEEN A FIRST PASSAGE FOR RECEIVING A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF SAID LIQUID VORTEX, A SECOND EONGATED VORTEX TUBE HAVING A DIVERGENT INLET PORTION AND A CYLNDRICALL OUTLET PORTION, THE INLET END OF SAID INLET PORTION HAVING AN INSIDE DIAMETER SIMILAR TO THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID OUTLET END OF SAID FIRST PICKOFF RING, SAID INLET END OF SAID SECOND VORTEX TUBE ABUTTING SAID OUTLET END OF AID FIRST PICKOFF RING, A SECOND PICKOFF RING HAVING AN INLET END AND AN OUTLET END, HAVING AN OUTSIDE DIAMETER LESS THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID OUTLET END OF SAID SECOND VORTEX TUBE, SAID INLET END OF SAID SECOND PICKOFF RING EXTENDING INTO SAID OUTLET END OF SAID SECOND VORTEX TUBE IN COAXIAL RELATION THERETO TO FORM THEREBETWEEN A SECOND PASSAGE FOR RECEIVING A PORTION OF SAID LIQUID VORTEX, A THIRD ELONGATED VORTEX TUBE HAVING A DIVERGENT INLET PORTION AND A CYLINDRICAL OUTLET PORTON, THE INLET END OF SAID INLET PORTION HAVING AN INSIDE DIAMETER SIMILAR TO THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID OUTLET END OF SAID SECOND PICKOFF RING, SAID INLET END OF SAID THIRD VORTEX TUBE ABUTTING SAID OUTLET END OF SAID SECOND PICKOFF RING, A THIRD PICKOFF RING HAVING AN INLET END AN AN OUTLET END, HAVING AN OUTSIDE DIAMETER LESS THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID OUTLET END OF SAID THIRD VORTEX TUBE, SAID INLET END OF SAID THIRD PICKOFF RING EXTENDING INTO SAID OUTLET END OF SAID THIRD VORTEX TUBE IN COAXIAL RELATION THERETO TO FORM THEREBETWEEN A THIRD PASSAGE FOR RECEIVING A RESIDUAL PORTION OF SAID LIQUID VORTEX, THE GAS OF SAID GAS LIQUID MIXTURE EXITING SAID UNIT ROM SAID OUTLET END OF SAID THIRD PICKOFF RING.

Claim 3

The separating unit of claim 1 including a first discharge channel surrounding said first vortex tube and communicating with said first passage for receiving said portion of said liquid vortex.

Claim 4

The separating unit of claim 2 including a plurality of substantially longitudinally positioned members in said first discharge channel for arresting the vortex flow of said liquid vortex.

Claim 5

The separating unit of claim 2 including a second discharge channel surrounding said second vortex tube and communicating with said second passage.

Claim 6

The separating unit of claim 4 including a plurality of vortex arresting members in said second discharge channel.

Claim 7

The separating unit of claim 4 including a third discharge channel surrounding said third vortex tube and communicating with said third passage.

Claim 8

The separating unit of claim 6 including a plurality of vortex arresting members in said third discharge channel.

Claim 9

The separating unit of claim 1 wherein said first, second and third pickoff rings are formed with successively greater inside diameters.

Claim 10

The separating unit of claim 1 wherein the area of said first passage between said first vortex tube and said first pickoff ring is greater than the area of said second passage between said second vortex tube and said second pickoff ring.

Claim 11

The separating system of claim 9 wherein the area of said second passage between said second vortex tube and said second pickoff ring is greater than the area of said third passage between said third vortex tube and said third pickoff ring.

Claim 12

The separating unit of claim 2 including a flow area reducing member in said first discharge channel for reducing the flow area in said first discharge channel to between about 40 and 80 percent of the flow area between said first vortex tube and said first pickoff ring.

Claim 13

The separating unit of claim 1 wherein the half-angle of divergence of said divergent portion of said second vortex tube is about 5*.

Claim 14

The separating unit of claim 12 wherein the half-angle of divergence of said divergent portion of said third vortex tube is about 4*.

Claim 15

The separating unit of claim 1 wherein said first and second pickoff rings are formed integrally with said divergent inlet portions of said second and third vortex tubes, respectively.

Claim 16

The separating unit of claim 14 including a first discharge channel surrounding said first vortex tube and communicating with said first passage for receiving said portion of said liquid vortex.

Claim 17

The separating unit of claim 15 including a plurality of substantially longitudinally positioned members in said first discharge channel for arresting the vortex flow of said liquid vortex.

Claim 18

The separating unit of claim 15 including a second discharge channel surrounding said second vortex tube and communicating with said second passage.

Claim 19

The separating unit of claim 17 including a plurality of vortex arresting members in said second discharge channel.

Claim 20

The separating unit of claim 17 including a third discharge channel surrounding said third vortex tube and communicating with said third passage.

Claim 21

The separating unit of claim 14 including a plurality of vortex arresting members in said third discharge channel.

Claim 22

The separating unit of claim 14 wherein said first, second and third pickoff rings are formed with successively greater inside diameters.

Claim 23

The separating unit of claim 14 wherein the area of said first passage between said first vortex tube and said first pickoff ring is greater than the area of said second passage between said second vortex tube and said second pickoff ring.

Claim 24

The separating system of claim 22 wherein the area of said second passage bEtween said second vortex tube and said second pickoff ring is greater than the area of said third passage between said third vortex tube and said third pickoff ring.

Claim 25

The separating unit of claim 14 including a flow area reducing member in said first discharge channel for reducing the flow area in said first discharge channel to between about 40 and 80 percent of the flow area between said first vortex tube and said first pickoff ring.

Claim 26

The separating unit of claim 14 wherein the half-angle of divergence of said divergent portion of said second vortex tube is about 5*.

Claim 27

The separating unit of claim 25 wherein the half-angle of divergence of said divergent portion of said third vortex tube is about 4*.

Claim 28

In a nuclear reactor having a core contained in a pressure vessel for producing a gas-liquid mixture, a system for separating the gas from said mixture comprising: means including a cover forming a gas-liquid chamber above said core; a pool of liquid in said pressure vessel surrounding said core and extending above said cover; a plurality of spaced-apart separator units mounted on said cover in communication with respective openings in said cover to receive said gas-liquid mixture from said chamber, each of said separator units including a first elongated vortex tube having an outlet end and having an inlet end for receiving a gas-liquid mixture; a vortex generator positioned within said inlet end of said first vortex tube for establishing in said first vortex tube a gas vortex surrounded by a liquid vortex; a first pickoff ring having an inlet end and an outlet end, having an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of said outlet end of said first vortex tube, said inlet end of said first pickoff ring extending into said outlet end of said first vortex tube in coaxial relation thereto to form therebetween a first passage for receiving a substantial portion of said liquid vortex; a second elongated vortex tube having a divergent inlet portion and a cylindrical outlet portion, the inlet end of said inlet portion having an inside diameter similar to the inside diameter of said outlet end of said first pickoff ring, said inlet end of said second vortex tube abutting said outlet end of said first pickoff ring; a second pickoff ring having an inlet end and an outlet end, having an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of said outlet end of said second vortex tube, said inlet end of said second pickoff ring extending into said outlet end of said second vortex tube in coaxial relation thereto to form therebetween a second passage for receiving a portion of said liquid vortex; a third elongated vortex tube having a divergent inlet portion and a cylindrical outlet portion, the inlet end of said inlet portion having an inside diameter similar to the inside diameter of said outlet end of said second pickoff ring, said inlet end of said third vortex tube abutting said outlet end of said second pickoff ring; a third pickoff ring having an inlet end and an outlet end, having an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of said outlet end of said third vortex tube, said inlet end of said third pickoff ring extending into said outlet end of said third vortex tube in coaxial relation thereto to form therebetween a third passage for receiving a residual portion of said liquid vortex, the gas of said gas liquid mixture exiting said unit from said outlet of said third pickoff ring.

Claim 29

In a nuclear reactor having a core contained in a pressure vessel for producing a gas-liquid mixture, a system for separating the gas from said mixture comprising: means including a cover forming a gas-liquid chamber above said core; a pool of liquid in said pressure vessel surrounding said core and extending above said cover; a plurality of spaced-apart separator units mounted on said cover in communication with respective openings in said cover to receive said gas-liquid mixture from said chamber, each of said separator units including a first elongated vortex tube having an outlet end and having an inlet end for receiving a gas-liquid mixture; a vortex generator positioned within said inlet end of said first vortex tube for establishing in said first vortex tube a gas vortex surrounded by a liquid vortex; a first pickoff ring having an inlet end and an outlet end, having an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of said outlet end of said first vortex tube, said inlet end of said first pickoff ring extending into said outlet end of said first vortex tube in coaxial relation thereto to form therebetween a first passage for receiving a substantial portion of said liquid vortex; a second elongated vortex tube having a divergent inlet portion and a cylindrical outlet portion, the inlet end of said inlet portion having an inside diameter similar to the inside diameter of said outlet end of said first pickoff ring, said inlet end of said second vortex tube abutting said outlet end of said first pickoff ring; a second pickoff ring having an inlet end and an outlet end, having an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of said outlet end of said second vortex tube, said inlet end of said second pickoff ring extending into said outlet end of said second vortex tube in coaxial relation thereto to form therebetween a second passage for receiving a portion of said liquid vortex; a third elongated vortex tube having a divergent inlet portion and a cylindrical outlet portion, the inlet end of said inlet portion having an inside diameter similar to the inside diameter of said outlet end of said second pickoff ring, said inlet end of said third vortex tube abutting said outlet end of said second pickoff ring; a third pickoff ring having an inlet end and an outlet end, having an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of said outlet end of said third vortex tube, said inlet end of said third pickoff ring extending into said outlet end of said third vortex tube in coaxial relation thereto to form therebetween a third passage for receiving a residual portion of said liquid vortex, the gas of said gas liquid mixture exiting said unit from said outlet of said third pickoff ring.

Claim 30

The separator units of claim 27 wherein said first and second pickoff rings are formed integrally with said divergent inlet portions of said second and third vortex tubes, respectively.