Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas comprising the steps of: introducing a first fluid into a fluid conduit, wherein said first fluid is characterized by a first fluid flow rate; introducing a second fluid into said fluid conduit, wherein said second fluid is characterized by a second fluid flow rate, and wherein said second fluid comprises a contaminant and a carrier gas; arranging said fluid conduit and establishing said first fluid flow rate and said second fluid flow rate such that a succession of moving slugs are created in said fluid conduit; and providing an outlet flow of a third fluid downstream of said succession of moving slugs, wherein said third fluid comprises said carrier gas and a lower concentration of contaminant than said second fluid.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas comprising the steps of: introducing a first fluid into a fluid conduit, wherein said first fluid is characterized by a first fluid flow rate; introducing a second fluid into said fluid conduit, wherein said second fluid is characterized by a second fluid flow rate, and wherein said second fluid comprises a contaminant and a carrier gas; arranging said fluid conduit and establishing said first fluid flow rate and said second fluid flow rate such that a succession of moving slugs are created in said fluid conduit; and providing an outlet flow of a third fluid downstream of said succession of moving slugs, wherein said third fluid comprises said carrier gas and a lower concentration of contaminant than said second fluid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fluid conduit is arranged to define an inclined conduit section and wherein said moving slugs are created in said inclined conduit section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 2 wherein said inclined conduit section is inclined at an angle less than approximately 15° relative to a horizontal reference.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 2 wherein said inclined conduit section is inclined at an angle of approximately 2° relative to a horizontal reference.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fluid conduit is arranged to define an upstream inclined conduit section and a downstream declined conduit section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first fluid flow rate, said second fluid flow rate, and the arrangement of said fluid conduit are established such that said moving slugs are created in said inclined conduit section and said declined conduit section.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first fluid flow rate, said second fluid flow rate, and the arrangement of said fluid conduit are established such that said moving slugs are created in said inclined conduit section and such that stratified flow is created in said declined conduit section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 5 wherein said fluid conduit is arranged such that said inclined conduit section is inclined at an angle less than approximately 15° relative to a horizontal reference and such that said declined conduit section is declined at an angle less than approximately 15° relative to said horizontal reference.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 5 wherein said fluid conduit is arranged such that said inclined conduit section is inclined at an angle of approximately 2° relative to a horizontal reference and such that said declined conduit section is declined at an angle of approximately 2° relative to said horizontal reference.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second fluid is introduced such that it is characterized by a superficial gas velocity of between about 6 m/s and about 30 m/s.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second fluid is introduced such that it is characterized by a flow rate approximately 15 to 75 times greater than said flow rate of said first fluid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second fluid is introduced such that it is characterized by a superficial gas velocity of between about 6 m/s and about 30 m/s and a flow rate approximately 15 to 75 times greater than said flow rate of said first fluid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fluid conduit is arranged such that it is characterized by a conduit diameter greater than approximately 10 cm and wherein said second fluid is introduced such that it is characterized by a flow rate approximately 1 to 75 times greater than said flow rate of said first fluid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second fluid is introduced such that it is characterized by a flow rate of approximately 75,000 scfm (35 m 3 /s).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first fluid flow rate, said second fluid flow rate, and the arrangement of said first fluid conduit are established such that said moving slugs are created in said conduit at a rate of about 5 to about 120 slugs per minute.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conduit is arranged to define a circular cross-section.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conduit is arranged to define a conduit periphery that completely encloses fluids within said conduit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of introducing a reactive component into the first fluid, wherein said reactive component tends to react with the contaminant.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reactive component comprises lime.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
81 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: providing an outlet flow of a fourth fluid downstream of said succession of moving slugs, wherein said fourth fluid comprises a combination of said first fluid and at least a portion of said contaminant from said second fluid; regenerating said fourth fluid by removing a least a portion of said contaminant therefrom; and introducing said fourth fluid with said first fluid.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas as claimed in claim 1 wherein said contaminant is selected from the group consisting of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and chlorine.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas comprising the steps of: introducing a liquid into a fluid conduit, wherein said liquid is characterized by a first fluid flow rate and wherein said conduit is arranged to define a conduit periphery that completely encloses fluids within said conduit; introducing a contaminated carrier gas into said fluid conduit, wherein said carrier gas is characterized by a second fluid flow rate; arranging said fluid conduit to define an inclined conduit section and establishing said first fluid flow rate and said second fluid flow rate such that a succession of moving slugs are created in said inclined conduit section of said fluid conduit; providing an outlet flow of a third fluid downstream of said succession of moving slugs, wherein said third fluid comprises said carrier gas; providing an outlet flow of a fourth fluid downstream of said succession of moving slugs, wherein said fourth fluid comprises a combination of said liquid and at least a portion of said contaminant from said carrier gas; regenerating said fourth fluid by removing a least a portion of said contaminant therefrom; and introducing said fourth fluid with said liquid.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of removing a contaminant from a carrier gas comprising the steps of: introducing a liquid into a fluid conduit, wherein said liquid is characterized by a first fluid flow rate and wherein said conduit is arranged to define a conduit periphery that completely encloses fluids within said conduit; introducing a contaminated carrier gas into said fluid conduit, wherein said carrier gas is characterized by a second fluid flow rate; arranging said fluid conduit to define an inclined conduit section and establishing said first fluid flow rate and said second fluid flow rate such that a succession of moving slugs are created in said inclined conduit section of said fluid conduit; providing an outlet flow of a third fluid downstream of said succession of moving slugs, wherein said third fluid comprises said carrier gas; providing an outlet flow of a fourth fluid downstream of said succession of moving slugs, wherein said fourth fluid comprises a combination of said liquid and at least a portion of said contaminant from said carrier gas; regenerating said fourth fluid by removing a least a portion of said contaminant therefrom; and introducing said fourth fluid with said liquid.