Process for removing particulates from gas with liquid particulate condensation

Claim 1

A method for removing particulates from a gaseous stream which includes: a. flowing the stream containing particulates of a size of one micron or less into a conduit at a static pressure of P 1 , the stream containing liquid vapor at a partial pressure of P 1 , a vapor pressure of p s ; and temperature T 1 ; b. introducing excess liquid into the stream at temperature T 1 to form a saturated stream; c. passing the saturated stream of step (b) into a first zone, said zone being downstream of the conduit and dimensioned to lower the static pressure to P 2 at temperature T 1 ; and to lower the partial pressure of the liquid vapor in the gas to P 2 , less than p s ; d. flowing the stream of step (c) into a second zone at temperature T 1 , said second zone being downstream of the first zone and dimensioned to increase the static pressure in said second zone to P 3 , which liquid partial pressure P 3 is greater than P 2 ; the partial pressure of the liquid vapor P 3 in said first zone being greater than the partial pressure of the liquid vapor P 2 in said first zone; the partial pressure of the liquid vapor P 3 in said second zone being greater than the equilibrium vapor pressure P s in second zone, at least a portion of the liquid condensing and contacting the particulates, the particulates functioning as nucleating agents to enhance the growth of the water droplets; and removing the particulate-infected water droples from the gaseous stream.

Claim 2

A method for removing particulates from a gaseous stream which includes: a. flowing the stream containing particulates of a size of one micron or less into a conduit at a static pressure of P 1 , the stream containing liquid vapor at a partial pressure of P 1 , a vapor pressure of p s ; and temperature T 1 ; b. introducing excess liquid into the stream at temperature T 1 to form a saturated stream; c. passing the saturated stream of step (b) into a first zone, said zone being downstream of the conduit and dimensioned to lower the static pressure to P 2 at temperature T 1 ; and to lower the partial pressure of the liquid vapor in the gas to P 2 , less than p s ; d. flowing the stream of step (c) into a second zone at temperature T 1 , said second zone being downstream of the first zone and dimensioned to increase the static pressure in said second zone to P 3 , which liquid partial pressure P 3 is greater than P 2 ; the partial pressure of the liquid vapor P 3 in said first zone being greater than the partial pressure of the liquid vapor P 2 in said first zone; the partial pressure of the liquid vapor P 3 in said second zone being greater than the equilibrium vapor pressure P s in second zone, at least a portion of the liquid condensing and contacting the particulates, the particulates functioning as nucleating agents to enhance the growth of the water droplets; and removing the particulate-infected water droples from the gaseous stream.