Liquid degasifier system and method

Claim 3

The invention as set forth in claim 1 above, including in addition means initially receiving the liquid to be degassed for providing the liquid in a high surface area spray under low pressure.

Claim 6

The method as set forth in claim 3 above, including in addition the steps of initially subjecting a high surface area flow of the liquid to a suction and gravity separating the liquid from the gas.

Claim 7

The method as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein the step of removing the degasified liquid comprises the steps of first centrifugally pumping the liquid under gravity feed and then subjecting the liquid to a positive pumping action.

Claim 8

The method as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein the step of inducing a toroidal flow includes providing a high surface area flow within a confined volume.

Claim 9

A liquid degasifier comprising: first chamber means defining a large area toroidal surface of concave curvilinear outer cross section, the first chamber means including continually rotating impeller means receiving a liquid to be degasified and centrifugally accelerating the liquid toward the toroidal surface, the liquid flowing over the toroidal surface in a helical motion with internal cavitation while moving along the length of the toroidal surface; second chamber means coupled to receive liquid from the selected peripheral portion of said first chamber means, said second chamber means including means for containing a substantial body of said liquid while providing an associated adjacent volume for receiving gases; and means coupled to said first and second chamber means for establishing a negative pressure therein comprising suction means coupled to said first chamber means in a region other than said selected peripheral portion and coupled to said second chamber means in said associated adjacent volume.

Claim 10

A liquid degasifier comprising: first chamber means defining a large area toroidal surface of concave curvilinear outer cross section, the first chamber means including continually rotating impeller means receiving a liquid to be degasified and centrifugally accelerating the liquid toward the toroidal surface, the liquid flowing over the toroidal surface in a helical motion with internal cavitation while moving along the length of the toroidal surface; second chamber means coupled to receive liquid from the selected peripheral portion of said first chamber means, said second chamber means including means for containing a substantial body of said liquid while providing an associated adjacent volume for receiving gases; and means coupled to said first and second chamber means for establishing a negative pressure therein comprising suction means coupled to said first chamber means in a region other than said selected peripheral portion and coupled to said second chamber means in said associated adjacent volume.

Claim 11

The invention as set forth in claim 7 above, wherein said second chamber means comprises liquid settling chamber means having a lower liquid receiving region and an upper negative pressure region in communication therewith and wherein said degasifier includes means for supplying liquid from said first chamber means into a lowermost portion of said second chamber means.

Claim 12

The invention as set forth in claim 7 above, wherein said system further includes means coupled to said first chamber means for injecting said liquid as a high surface area spray into said first chamber means.

Claim 13

A liquid degasified comprising: first chamber means defining a large area toroidal surface of concave curvilinear cross section, the first chamber means including continually rotating impeller means receiving a liquid to be degasified and centrifugally accelerating the liquid toward the toroidal surface, the liquid flowing over the toroidal surface in a helical motion with internal cavitation while moving along the length of the toroidal surface; second chamber means coupled to receive liquid from the selected peripheral portion of said first chamber means, said second chamber means including means for containing a substantial body of said liquid while providing an associated adjacent volume for receiving gases; means coupled to said first and second chamber means for establishing a negative pressure therein comprising suction means coupled to said first chamber means in a region other than said selected peripheral portion and coupled to said second chamber means in said associated adjacent volume; and centrifugal pump means disposed adjacent said settling chamber means and including liquid coupling means and gas coupling means coupling the lower liquid receiving region and upper negative pressure region of said settling chamber means to different parts of said centrifugal pump means.

Claim 14

A liquid degasified comprising: first chamber means defining a large area toroidal surface of concave curvilinear cross section, the first chamber means including continually rotating impeller means receiving a liquid to be degasified and centrifugally accelerating the liquid toward the toroidal surface, the liquid flowing over the toroidal surface in a helical motion with internal cavitation while moving along the length of the toroidal surface; second chamber means coupled to receive liquid from the selected peripheral portion of said first chamber means, said second chamber means including means for containing a substantial body of said liquid while providing an associated adjacent volume for receiving gases; means coupled to said first and second chamber means for establishing a negative pressure therein comprising suction means coupled to said first chamber means in a region other than said selected peripheral portion and coupled to said second chamber means in said associated adjacent volume; and centrifugal pump means disposed adjacent said settling chamber means and including liquid coupling means and gas coupling means coupling the lower liquid receiving region and upper negative pressure region of said settling chamber means to different parts of said centrifugal pump means.

Claim 15

A water degasifier system comprising: housing means defining a toroidal chamber, a pump chamber and a settling chamber disposed along a selected axis in serial fashion, said toroidal chamber having a toroidal periphery concentric with the central axis and an interior radial portion, said pump chamber having a periphery concentric with the central axis, said settling chamber defining an inferior liquid receiving volume and a superior gas confining volume in communication therewith; an impeller pump disposed in said toroidal chamber and rotatable about the central axis including peripheral vane means registering within the toroidal periphery; a centrifugal pump disposed within said pump chamber and rotatable about the central axis; drive means coupled to said impeller pump and centrifugal pump for rotating said pumps about said central axis at speeds sufficient to exert substantial centrifugal force on water in the associated chamber; first conduit means for feeding inlet water into communication with the interior radial portion of said toroidal chamber; second conduit means for coupling water from the toroidal periphery of the toroidal chamber into the lowermost portion of the liquid receiving volume of said settling chamber; third conduit means for coupling water from the liquid receiving volume of said settling chamber; fourth conduit means for providing communication for gases between the gas confining volume of said settling chamber and a centrally disposed portion of said pump chamber; and suction means coupled to the gas confining volume of said toroidal chamber and the interior radial portion of said toroidal chamber.

Claim 16

A water degasifier system comprising: housing means defining a toroidal chamber, a pump chamber and a settling chamber disposed along a selected axis in serial fashion, said toroidal chamber having a toroidal periphery concentric with the central axis and an interior radial portion, said pump chamber having a periphery concentric with the central axis, said settling chamber defining an inferior liquid receiving volume and a superior gas confining volume in communication therewith; an impeller pump disposed in said toroidal chamber and rotatable about the central axis including peripheral vane means registering within the toroidal periphery; a centrifugal pump disposed within said pump chamber and rotatable about the central axis; drive means coupled to said impeller pump and centrifugal pump for rotating said pumps about said central axis at speeds sufficient to exert substantial centrifugal force on water in the associated chamber; first conduit means for feeding inlet water into communication with the interior radial portion of said toroidal chamber; second conduit means for coupling water from the toroidal periphery of the toroidal chamber into the lowermost portion of the liquid receiving volume of said settling chamber; third conduit means for coupling water from the liquid receiving volume of said settling chamber; fourth conduit means for providing communication for gases between the gas confining volume of said settling chamber and a centrally disposed portion of said pump chamber; and suction means coupled to the gas confining volume of said toroidal chamber and the interior radial portion of said toroidal chamber.

Claim 17

The system as set forth in claim 11 above, wherein said housing means includes first common wall means separating said toroidal chamber and said pump chamber, and second common wall means separating said pump chamber and said settling chamber, and wherein said drive means includes drive shaft means along the central axis and coupled to both the impeller pump and centrifugal pump.

Claim 18

The system as set forth in claim 12 above, wherein said third and fourth conduit means comprise means defining apertures in said second common wall means.

Claim 19

The system as set forth in claim 11 above, wherein said system includes flow control means receiving the inlet water flow and controlling the rate of flow into the toroidal chamber in accordance with the level of water in the settling chamber, and wherein said first conduit means directs a spray of liquid into the toroidal chamber.

Claim 20

The system as set forth in claim 14 above, wherein said flow control means comprises float means disposed in the settling chamber and valve means coupled and responsive to the position of said float means.

Claim 21

The system as set forth in claim 14 above, wherein said second conduit means coupled water into said settling chamber means at a spaced apart region from said third and fourth conduit means and including in addition baffle means disposed within the liquid receiving volume for blocking the flow of rising bubbles from the second conduit means from the direction of said third and fourth conduit means.

Claim 22

The system as set forth in claim 11 above, including in addition positive displacement pump means and conduit means coupling the outer periphery of the pump chamber to the positive displacement pump means.

Claim 23

The system as set forth in claim 17 above, wherein said positive displacement pump means comprises gear means driven by said drive means, and including in addition pressure relief means intercoupling the outlet and inlet of said positive displacement pump means.

Claim 24

The system as set forth in claim 17 above, wherein said drive means comprises a rotor having at least one drive shaft, shaft means coupled to said impeller pump and centrifugal pump and disposed along the central axis, and magnetic coupling means coupling said motor to said shaft means for rotation thereof.

Claim 25

The system as set forth in claim 19 above, wherein said motor comprises a double ended motor having opositely directed drive shafts, and wherein said suction means comprises a suction pump coupled to the second of said motor drive shafts.

Claim 26

The system as set forth in claim 20 above, wherein said drive means further includes means magnetically coupling the second of said motor drive means to said suction pump means.

Claim 29

The method as set forth in claim 22 above, wherein the cavitating flow follows a helical path about an axis circumferential to the central axis with gases being withdrawn from an interior region of the circumferential axis.