Gas treatment apparatus

Claim 1

A gas treatment apparatus comprising: a hollow body having a gas exit port in the ceiling thereof and a conical funnel-shaped portion with a solids exit port in the bottom thereof; a conduit for conveying gas, a portion of the conduit passing through a wall of and into the interior of the hollow body such that a portion of the conduit within the hollow body is aligned coaxially with the hollow body, the conduit having a first open end for introducing a gas to be treated into the hollow body and a second open end within the hollow body for discharging treated material from the hollow body; at least one nozzle for injecting an atomized solution into the gas conveyed in the conduit, the nozzle being positioned in fluid communication with the interior of the conduit, and the nozzle being located at an angle relative to a radial from the center of the conduit, such that a swirling motion is imparted to the injected solution; a gas passageway for removing gases formed during the gas treatment, the passageway being defined by the inner surface of the hollow body and the outer surface of the conduit portion, and the gas passageway being in communication with the gas exit port; a screw conveyer positioned on the inner peripheral surface of the conical funnel-shaped portion of the hollow body; means to support the screw conveyer on the inner peripheral surface; a drive means adapted to rotate the screw conveyer about its axis while circularly swiveling the screw conveyer over substantially the entire inner peripheral surface of the conical funnel-shaped portion, such that any solids deposited thereon during gas treatment are removed through the soild exit port by the motion of the screw conveyer.