Vortex sulfuric acid separator

Claim 1

A device in combination with an exhaust tube for removing sulfuric acid from a hot exhaust gas stream which flows through said exhaust tube comprising a substantially cylindrical body member having a gas inlet means at one end and a gas outlet at the other end, both said inlet means and said outlet being arranged tangent to the cylinder inner wall surface to form a vortical flow path through said cylinder between said ends, said inlet means having an open inlet end which is position with respect to said exhaust tube such as to receive the exhaust gas stream for treatment, and for supplying cooling air to said gas inlet end, a plurality of means provided on said inner wall surface and projecting therefrom into the vortical flow path to create turbulent flow in said gas stream to enable a maximum surface contact and intermixture of the air and exhaust gas and maximum mass transfer to said surface, and a drain provided in said body member through which condensed sulfuric acid may be removed, said inner wall surface being at a temperature below the condensation temperature of the sulfuric acid in the exhaust gas stream, molecular transport and the turbulent mixing of the gases tending to maintain the acid concentration constant across any radial section through the body member to thus cause a flow of acid molecules and very small droplets toward the cool inner wall surface at which the acid concentration in the gases is the least.

Claim 2

A device in combination with an exhaust tube for removing sulfuric acid from a hot exhaust gas stream which flows through said exhaust tube comprising a substantially cylindrical body member having a gas inlet means at one end and a gas outlet at the other end, both said inlet means and said outlet being arranged tangent to the cylinder inner wall surface to form a vortical flow path through said cylinder between said ends, said inlet means having an open inlet end which is position with respect to said exhaust tube such as to receive the exhaust gas stream for treatment, and for supplying cooling air to said gas inlet end, a plurality of means provided on said inner wall surface and projecting therefrom into the vortical flow path to create turbulent flow in said gas stream to enable a maximum surface contact and intermixture of the air and exhaust gas and maximum mass transfer to said surface, and a drain provided in said body member through which condensed sulfuric acid may be removed, said inner wall surface being at a temperature below the condensation temperature of the sulfuric acid in the exhaust gas stream, molecular transport and the turbulent mixing of the gases tending to maintain the acid concentration constant across any radial section through the body member to thus cause a flow of acid molecules and very small droplets toward the cool inner wall surface at which the acid concentration in the gases is the least.