US5662811A — Method for creating gas-liquid interfacial contac…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 231 words

A method for bringing gas and liquid into interfacial contact under conditions conducive to highly efficient mass transfer, utilizing apparatus having an elongate tube with first and second ends, with a wall, and with a porous section for the sparging of gas therethrough to the interior of the tube, comprising the steps of introducing a stream of liquid to the first end of the porous section of the cylindrical tube tangential to the interior surface of said tube; controlling the flow of said liquid in a spiral pattern around and along said inner surface of said tube from said first end to the second end so as to impose sufficient centrifugal acceleration upon said liquid to confine said liquid to an annular film of liquid spiraling around said wall of said tube and to prevent said liquid from entering a liquid-free zone extending longitudinally through the central portion of said tube surrounded by said liquid; sparging a gas through the wall of said porous section of said tube and into said liquid spiraling through said tube, thereby forming a two phase gas-liquid froth confined to an annulus around said liquid-free zone and flowing in a spiral pattern around and along said inner surface of said porous section of said tube around said liquid-free zone, said froth including a multiplicity of bubbles of said gas in direct interfacial contact with said liquid.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 231 words

A method for bringing gas and liquid into interfacial contact under conditions conducive to highly efficient mass transfer, utilizing apparatus having an elongate tube with first and second ends, with a wall, and with a porous section for the sparging of gas therethrough to the interior of the tube, comprising the steps of introducing a stream of liquid to the first end of the porous section of the cylindrical tube tangential to the interior surface of said tube; controlling the flow of said liquid in a spiral pattern around and along said inner surface of said tube from said first end to the second end so as to impose sufficient centrifugal acceleration upon said liquid to confine said liquid to an annular film of liquid spiraling around said wall of said tube and to prevent said liquid from entering a liquid-free zone extending longitudinally through the central portion of said tube surrounded by said liquid; sparging a gas through the wall of said porous section of said tube and into said liquid spiraling through said tube, thereby forming a two phase gas-liquid froth confined to an annulus around said liquid-free zone and flowing in a spiral pattern around and along said inner surface of said porous section of said tube around said liquid-free zone, said froth including a multiplicity of bubbles of said gas in direct interfacial contact with said liquid.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 1, whereby said gas sparged through said wall of said tube and into said liquid moves through said liquid and into said liquid-free zone extending along said central portion of said tube, and including the additional step of removing gas from said liquid-free zone of said tube.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 2, wherein said gas is removed from said tube at said second end thereof.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method of claim 2, wherein a first portion of said gas is removed from tube at said first end thereof and a second portion of said gas is removed from said tube at said second end thereof.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 4, wherein the volumetric flow rate of said gas from said first end of said tube is approximately equal to said the volumetric flow rate of said gas from said second end of said tube.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 2, wherein said gas is removed from said tube at said first end thereof.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 149 words

The method of claim 2, wherein said liquid is introduced to said tube at a specific volumetric flow rate, including the additional steps of determining the residence time of an incremental volume of said liquid within said porous section of said tube; determining the time required for the same incremental volume of said gas to move through said liquid and into said liquid-free zone; and controlling the volumetric flow rate at which said gas is sparged through said wall of said porous section of said tube such that the ratio between the volumetric flow rate of said gas to the volumetric flow rate of said liquid is equal to said residence time of an incremental volume of said liquid within said porous section of said tube, divided by said time required for said same incremental volume of said gas to move through said liquid and into said liquid-free zone.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 133 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said tube of the apparatus includes a non-porous degassing section adjacent to said second end of said tube, and including the additional steps of ceasing sparging of gas into said liquid in the degassing section adjacent to said second end of said tube while allowing said liquid to continue spiraling toward said second end of said tube for a sufficient distance and time to allow degassing of said liquid and separation of said froth into an annular film of liquid around the inner circumference of said tube and a column of gas in said liquid-free zone at the center of said tube; physically dividing said liquid from said gas at said second end of said tube; and removing said liquid from said second end of said tube.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 1, whereto the volumetric flow ratio between the total volume of said gas passed through said tube and the total volume of said liquid passed through said tube during any given time interval is in the range of about 20 to 1 to about 50 to 1.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 1, wherein each incremental volume of said liquid moves radially around said inner surface of said tube through a number of revolutions within the range of about 20 to about 50 while moving longitudinally through said porous section of said tube.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 66 words

The method of claim 1, wherein the volumetric flow ratio between the total volume of said gas passed through said tube and the total volume of said liquid passed through said tube during any given time interval is approximately equal to the number of revolutions of each incremental volume of said liquid around said inner surface of said tube through said porous section of said tube.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 83 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said gas and said liquid comprise a gas-liquid system, wherein a specific chemical component of said gas-liquid system is selected for transfer between said gas and said liquid, including the additional step of adjusting the volumetric flow ratio between the total volume of said gas passed through said tube and the total volume of said liquid passed through said tube so as to optimize the transfer of said specific chemical component between said gas and said liquid.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 47 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said liquid flows around and along said inner surface of said tube in a liquid film of uniform thickness from said first end of said porous section of said tube to said second end of said porous section of said tube.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the cross-sectional area of the interior of said porous section of said tube occupied by said liquid film prior to the sparging of said gas therethrough is approximately one-third of the total cross-sectional area of said tube.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 1, wherein the volume of gas in said froth is approximately equal to the volume of liquid in said froth.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 54 words

The method of claim 15, wherein the portion of the cross-sectional area of the interior of said porous section of said tube occupied by said froth at any point along the length of said porous section of said tube is approximately two-thirds of the total cross-sectional area of said porous section of said tube.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 1, wherein each of said bubbles has a diameter within the range of about 0.5 micron to about 50 microns.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 1, wherein each of said bubbles has a diameter within the range of about 0.5 micron to about 10 microns.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 1, wherein the flow of said liquid around and along said inner surface of said tube is controlled so as to impose centrifugal acceleration within the range of about 400 gravities to about 1000 gravities upon said froth.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 1, wherein the flow of said liquid around and along said inner surface of said tube is controlled so as to impose centrifugal acceleration within the range of about 400 gravities to about 1500 gravities upon said froth.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said gas passes through said froth within the interior of said porous section of said tube to form a column of liquid-free gas at the center of said tube.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 54 words

The method of claim 21, wherein the portion of the cross-sectional area of the interior of said porous section of said tube occupied by said column of gas at the center of said tube at any point along the length of said tube is approximately one-third of the total cross-sectional area of said tube.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 72 words

The method of claim 21, wherein the time required for each of said bubbles of said gas to move through said froth from said inner surface of said porous section of said tube to said column of gas at the center of said tube is approximately equal to the time required for an incremental volume of said froth to move once around said inner surface of said porous section of said tube.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 402 words

A method for bringing gas and liquid into interfacial contact under conditions conducive to highly efficient mass transfer, utilizing apparatus having an elongate tube with first and second ends, with a wall, with a longitudinal axis, and with a porous section for the sparging of gas therethrough to the interior of the tube, and having a nonporous degassing section adjacent to the second end of the tube, comprising the steps of introducing a stream of liquid to the first end of the porous section of the cylindrical tube tangential to the interior surface of said tube; controlling the flow of said liquid in a spiral pattern around and along the inner surface of said tube from the first end to the second end thereof, such that said liquid forms an annular film flowing radially about the longitudinal axis of said tube and longitudinally along said tube; controlling the radial velocity of the flow of said liquid around said inner surface of said tube so as to create a centrifugal force field imposing centrifugal acceleration upon said liquid within the range of about 400 gravities to about 1500 gravities, thereby preventing said liquid from occupying a liquid-free zone extending longitudinally through the center of said tube around the longitudinal axis of said tube; sparging a gas through the wall of said porous tube and into said liquid in a multiplicity of small bubbles to form a two phase gas-liquid froth flowing in an annular pattern around the inner surface of said tube in which said gas and said liquid are in direct interfacial contact at the surface of each of said bubbles, and through said froth to said center of said tube to form a column of liquid-free gas occupying said liquid-free zone within said tube; ceasing sparging of said gas into said liquid in the degassing section adjacent to said second end of said tube while allowing said liquid to continue spiraling toward said second end of said tube for a sufficient distance and time to allow degassing of said liquid and separation of said froth into an annular film of liquid around the inner circumference of said tube and a column of liquid-free gas occupying said liquid-free zone at the center of said tube; physically dividing said liquid from said gas in said degassing section of said tube; removing said liquid from said tube; and removing said gas from said tube.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 402 words

A method for bringing gas and liquid into interfacial contact under conditions conducive to highly efficient mass transfer, utilizing apparatus having an elongate tube with first and second ends, with a wall, with a longitudinal axis, and with a porous section for the sparging of gas therethrough to the interior of the tube, and having a nonporous degassing section adjacent to the second end of the tube, comprising the steps of introducing a stream of liquid to the first end of the porous section of the cylindrical tube tangential to the interior surface of said tube; controlling the flow of said liquid in a spiral pattern around and along the inner surface of said tube from the first end to the second end thereof, such that said liquid forms an annular film flowing radially about the longitudinal axis of said tube and longitudinally along said tube; controlling the radial velocity of the flow of said liquid around said inner surface of said tube so as to create a centrifugal force field imposing centrifugal acceleration upon said liquid within the range of about 400 gravities to about 1500 gravities, thereby preventing said liquid from occupying a liquid-free zone extending longitudinally through the center of said tube around the longitudinal axis of said tube; sparging a gas through the wall of said porous tube and into said liquid in a multiplicity of small bubbles to form a two phase gas-liquid froth flowing in an annular pattern around the inner surface of said tube in which said gas and said liquid are in direct interfacial contact at the surface of each of said bubbles, and through said froth to said center of said tube to form a column of liquid-free gas occupying said liquid-free zone within said tube; ceasing sparging of said gas into said liquid in the degassing section adjacent to said second end of said tube while allowing said liquid to continue spiraling toward said second end of said tube for a sufficient distance and time to allow degassing of said liquid and separation of said froth into an annular film of liquid around the inner circumference of said tube and a column of liquid-free gas occupying said liquid-free zone at the center of said tube; physically dividing said liquid from said gas in said degassing section of said tube; removing said liquid from said tube; and removing said gas from said tube.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 24, wherein the volumetric flow ratio between the total volume of said gas passed through said tube and the total volume of said liquid passed through said tube during any given time interval is in the range of about 20 to 1 to about 50 to 1.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 25, wherein each incremental volume of said liquid moves radially around said inner surface of said tube through a number of revolutions within the range of about 20 to about 50 while moving longitudinally through said porous section of said tube.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 26, wherein said number of revolutions is approximately equal to said volumetric flow ratio, and wherein the ratio between the volume of said gas in said froth and the volume of said liquid in said froth at any instant of time is about 1 to 1.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 24, wherein the volume of gas comprising said froth is approximately equal to the volume of liquid comprising said froth.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 24, wherein the diameter of each of said bubbles of said gas in said froth is within the range of about 0.5 micron to about 50 microns.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 24, wherein the diameter of each of said bubbles of said gas in said froth is within the range of about 0.5 micron to about 10 microns.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 52 words

The method of claim 24, wherein said froth has a cross-sectional area approximately equal to two-thirds the total cross-sectional area of said porous section of said tube and wherein said column of gas has a cross-sectional area approximately equal to one-third the total cross-sectional area of said porous section of said tube.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 24, wherein the radial thickness of said froth from said inner surface of said tube toward said center of said tube is uniform through the length of said porous section of said tube.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 24, wherein said liquid is heated prior to introduction of said liquid to said first end of said tube.

Claim 36

Independent Claim 87 words

A method of separating gas from a two phase gas-liquid froth including bubbles of gas surrounded by liquid and moving said gas into a zone adjacent to said froth and separated from said froth across an interface between said froth and said zone while preventing the presence of liquid in said zone, comprising the step of imposing accelerational force upon said gas and upon said liquid acting so as to accelerate said gas and said liquid through said froth in a direction generally perpendicular to said interface.

Claim 37

Independent Claim 87 words

A method of separating gas from a two phase gas-liquid froth including bubbles of gas surrounded by liquid and moving said gas into a zone adjacent to said froth and separated from said froth across an interface between said froth and said zone while preventing the presence of liquid in said zone, comprising the step of imposing accelerational force upon said gas and upon said liquid acting so as to accelerate said gas and said liquid through said froth in a direction generally perpendicular to said interface.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 34, wherein said accelerational force is centrifugal force.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 34, wherein the magnitude of said accelerational force is within the range of about 400 gravities to about 1500 gravities.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 36, wherein said accelerational force is centrifugal force.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 34, wherein said accelerational force is gravitational force, and wherein the magnitude of said force is within the range of about 400 times to about 1500 times the magnitude of the earth's gravitational force exerted at the surface of the earth.

Claim 42

Independent Claim 166 words

A method of separating gas from a two phase gas-liquid froth including bubbles of gas surrounded by liquid and moving the gas into a gas zone adjacent to the froth and separated from the froth across an interface between the froth and the zone while preventing the presence of liquid in the zone, comprising the steps of disposing the froth and the gas zone in a force field of varying magnitude, said force field increasing in magnitude from within the gas zone, across the interface, and through the froth away from the interface; moving bubbles of said gas surrounded by liquid through said froth toward said gas zone to said interface; expanding said bubbles at said interface so as to rupture said bubbles and release said gas from said surrounding liquid; controlling the magnitude of said force field so as to allow said gas to move across said interface into said gas zone while preventing said liquid from moving across said interface into said gas zone.

Claim 43

Independent Claim 166 words

A method of separating gas from a two phase gas-liquid froth including bubbles of gas surrounded by liquid and moving the gas into a gas zone adjacent to the froth and separated from the froth across an interface between the froth and the zone while preventing the presence of liquid in the zone, comprising the steps of disposing the froth and the gas zone in a force field of varying magnitude, said force field increasing in magnitude from within the gas zone, across the interface, and through the froth away from the interface; moving bubbles of said gas surrounded by liquid through said froth toward said gas zone to said interface; expanding said bubbles at said interface so as to rupture said bubbles and release said gas from said surrounding liquid; controlling the magnitude of said force field so as to allow said gas to move across said interface into said gas zone while preventing said liquid from moving across said interface into said gas zone.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 39, wherein said force field is a centrifugal force field.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-09-01	2001-03-03	2001-09-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-09-01	2005-03-03	2005-09-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-09-01	2009-03-03	2009-09-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method for creating gas-liquid interfacial contact conditions for highly efficient mass transfer

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