US4931225A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for dispersing a gas into a liquid
Assignee: Praxair Technology Inc
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Filing: 1989-03-01
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Granted: 1990-06-05
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Expires: 2009-03-01
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for dispersing a gas into a liquid. Gas is injected into a liquid and the flowing gas-liquid mixture is accelerated by a flow area contraction to at least sonic flow velocity, and subsequently decelerated by a flow area expansion to subsonic velocity. The attendant shock waves disperse the gas in the liquid. Preferred embodiments include off-centering the gas injection direction from the centerline of the contracting flow area and controlling the pressure at the exit of the expanding flow area.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan T. Cheng
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 00:11
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D19/00; B01D19/0005; B01F; B01F25/00; B01F25/30; B01F25/31; B01F25/313; B01J; B01J10/00; B01J10/002; B01J19/00; B01J19/26; C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/20; B01F23/00; B01F23/20; B01F23/23; B01J2219/00; B01J2219/00049; B01J2219/00162; B01J2219/00164; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S261/00; Y10S261/75; Y10S261/78
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus connected to a source of gas and liquid for dispersing said gas in said liquid, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one means for injecting said gas into said liquid, wherein said means injects said gas at a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of said gas flow at the time said gas contacts said liquid, said injection means being located in communication with the entrance to a flow accelerating configuration; and (b) at least one flow accelerating configuration for accelerating at least a portion a mixture of said gas and liquid flowing therethrough to sonic velocity, said flow accelerating configuration positioned so that gas injected by said gas injection means enters said flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus connected to a source of gas and liquid for dispersing said gas in said liquid, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one means for injecting said gas into said liquid, wherein said means injects said gas at a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of said gas flow at the time said gas contacts said liquid, said injection means being located in communication with the entrance to a flow accelerating configuration; and (b) at least one flow accelerating configuration for accelerating at least a portion a mixture of said gas and liquid flowing therethrough to sonic velocity, said flow accelerating configuration positioned so that gas injected by said gas injection means enters said flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for dispersing a gas in a liquid, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one means for injecting a gas into a liquid, wherein said means is located in communication with the entrance to a flow accelerating configuration and off-center from the center line of said flow accelerating configuration; and (b) at least one flow accelerating configuration for accelerating a mixture of said gas and liquid to a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of the flow of said mixture, said flow accelerating configuration positioned so that gas injected by said gas injection means enters said flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for dispersing a gas in a liquid, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one means for injecting a gas into a liquid, wherein said means is located in communication with the entrance to a flow accelerating configuration and off-center from the center line of said flow accelerating configuration; and (b) at least one flow accelerating configuration for accelerating a mixture of said gas and liquid to a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of the flow of said mixture, said flow accelerating configuration positioned so that gas injected by said gas injection means enters said flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said injection means and said flow accelerating configuration are positioned inside a pipeline.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said injection means is positioned vertically beneath the entrance to said flow accelerating configuration, whereby the buoyancy force of said injected gas moves said gas into said flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for injecting a gas is capable of injecting said gas at a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of said gas flow at the time said gas contacts said liquid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said flow accelerating configuration comprises a venturi.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said injection means is located off-center from the center line of said flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the throat length of said venturi is the minimal length which can be reasonably fabricated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said gas injection means is positioned inside the compression or entrance cone of said venturi.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said gas injection means is positioned inside the compression or entrance cone of said venturi.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said injection means is at least 0.1 pipeline diameters upstream of said flow accelerating configuration minimum diameter opening.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said flow accelerating configuration is a venturi.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said venturi configuration throat length is the minimal length which can be reasonably fabricated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said injector is positioned within the compression cone of said venturi compression cone.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said injector is positioned off the centerline from said venturi throat opening.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said flow accelerating configuration minimum opening is as large as possible and still provides sufficient supersonic velocity in said at least a portion of said gas-liquid mixture to accomplish the desired gas dispersion.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 6 including a means for controlling the back pressure at the exit from the expansion cone of said venturi.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of dissolving a gas in a liquid, said method comprising: (a) contacting said liquid with said gas to be dissolved therein by injecting said gas into said liquid through a nozzle at a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of said gas at the time it contacts said liquid; (b) causing cocurrent flow of a composition comprising said injected gas in said liquid; and (c) causing at least a portion of said cocurrently flowing composition to flow at a linear velocity which is at least sonic.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of dissolving a gas in a liquid, said method comprising: (a) contacting said liquid with said gas to be dissolved therein by injecting said gas into said liquid through a nozzle at a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of said gas at the time it contacts said liquid; (b) causing cocurrent flow of a composition comprising said injected gas in said liquid; and (c) causing at least a portion of said cocurrently flowing composition to flow at a linear velocity which is at least sonic.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said method is carried out inside a pipeline.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 18 wherein causing at least a portion of said cocurrently flowing composition to flow at a lineat velocity which is at least sonic includes conducting said cocurrently flowing composition through at least one flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 20 and including directing said cocurrently flowing composition into and off centerline of said at least one flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 20 further including the step of controlling the back pressure of said at least one flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of dispersing a gaseous or vaporous reactant into a reactant liquid or into a liquid containing a reactant, said method comprising: (a) contacting said gaseous reactant with said liquid by injecting said gas into said liquid through a nozzle at a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of said gas at the time it contacts said liquid; (b) causing cocurrent flow of a composition comprising said injected gaseous reactant in said liquid; and (c) causing at least a portion of said cocurrently flowing composition to flow at a linear velocity which is at least sonic.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of dispersing a gaseous or vaporous reactant into a reactant liquid or into a liquid containing a reactant, said method comprising: (a) contacting said gaseous reactant with said liquid by injecting said gas into said liquid through a nozzle at a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of said gas at the time it contacts said liquid; (b) causing cocurrent flow of a composition comprising said injected gaseous reactant in said liquid; and (c) causing at least a portion of said cocurrently flowing composition to flow at a linear velocity which is at least sonic.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 23 wherein said method is carried out inside a pipeline.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 23 wherein causing at least a portion of said cocurrently flowing composition to flow at a linear velocity which is at least sonic includes conducting said cocurrently flowing composition through at least one flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 25 and including directing said cocurrently flowing composition into and off centerline of said at least one flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 25 further including the step of controlling the back pressure of said at least one flow accelerating configuration.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for dispersing a gas in a liquid, said method comprising: (a) injecting said gate into said liquid; (b) causing cocurrent flow of a composition comprising said injected gas and at least a portion of said liquid; (c) directing said flow into and off centerline of at least one flow accelerating configuration; and (d) causing at least a portion of said composition to flow at a velocity which is at least sonic.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for dispersing a gas in a liquid, said method comprising: (a) injecting said gate into said liquid; (b) causing cocurrent flow of a composition comprising said injected gas and at least a portion of said liquid; (c) directing said flow into and off centerline of at least one flow accelerating configuration; and (d) causing at least a portion of said composition to flow at a velocity which is at least sonic.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said gas is injected at a linear velocity which is at least sonic for at least a portion of said gas at the time it contacts said liquid.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 28 further including the step of controlling the back pressure of said at least one flow accelerating configuration.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-06-04 | 1993-12-04 | 1994-06-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-06-04 | 1997-12-04 | 1998-06-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-06-04 | 2001-12-04 | 2002-06-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |