Hot gas filtering apparatus

Claim 1

A filtering apparatus for separating particulate matter from a gas stream said filtering apparatus comprising: a pressure vessel defining an interior chamber having a dirty gas inlet opening and a clean gas exit opening; a tubesheet securely coupled within said pressure vessel, said tubesheet dividing said pressure vessel into a dirty gas side and a clean gas side; at least one support pipe for supporting at least one plenum chamber within said pressure vessel dirty gas side, said support pipe being securely coupled with said tubesheet; said at least one plenum chamber supporting a plurality of filter elements, said plenum chamber coupled to said support pipe within said dirty side of said pressure vessel, said plenum chamber comprising a side wall having at least one dirty gas port and clean gas exit formed therein, said side wall further defining a clean gas chamber, said clean gas chamber having a plurality of filter element guides securely coupled therein for supporting said plurality of filter elements within said plenum chamber and preventing said filter elements from moving laterally; at least one removable dirty gas port coupler for providing a particulate barrier seal between said dirty gas port and said plenum clean gas chamber; at least one clean gas flow pipe for providing a flow path for filtered gas, said flow pipe securely coupled with said clean gas exit; at least one filter element support plate for supporting said filter elements within said clean gas chamber, said filter element support plate securely coupled adjacent said dirty gas port, said filter element support plate having at least one slot which is aligned coaxially with said plenum chamber dirty gas port; and wherein said filter elements are mounted vertically within said clean gas chamber and include a tube with an open end and a closed end, said open end being coupled to receive gas from said dirty gas port.