Method of removing particles and fluids from a gas stream by charged droplets

Claim 1

The method of removing from a gas stream undesirable fluid components and particulate matter entrained thereby, by utilizing spaced, conducting elements and a spray tube disposed between the elements, the method comprising the steps of: a. causing the gas stream to flow between the elements and past the spray tube; b. forcing a liquid through the spray tube into the gas stream at substantially atmospheric pressure to generate a liquid jet; c. applying a steady electric potential .[.of substantially 50 kilovolts to 60 kilovolts.]. between the liquid jet and the spaced elements.[., the potential being sufficiently large.]. .Iadd.to establish an electrostatic field at the spray tube which will verge upon the corona breakdown voltage of the gas stream in the absence of a space charge .Iaddend.to break up the liquid jet by the resultant electrostatic field into individual droplets having a diameter between aproximately 60 microns and approximately 250 microns, each droplet having a high surface charge density .Iadd.that approaches the Rayleigh limit; .Iaddend. d. causing the charged droplets to flow toward the elements at an angle with respect to the direction of flow of the gas stream to provide a relative velocity between the gas stream and the droplets, whereby the droplets will collide with individual particles or undesirable fluids to remove them; and e. eventually causing the droplets to move toward the elements due to the electrostatic field where they collide and collect.

Claim 2

The method of removing from a gas stream undesirable fluid components and particulate matter entrained thereby, by utilizing spaced, conducting elements and a spray tube disposed between the elements, the method comprising the steps of: a. causing the gas stream to flow between the elements and past the spray tube; b. forcing a liquid through the spray tube into the gas stream at substantially atmospheric pressure to generate a liquid jet; c. applying a steady electric potential .[.of substantially 50 kilovolts to 60 kilovolts.]. between the liquid jet and the spaced elements.[., the potential being sufficiently large.]. .Iadd.to establish an electrostatic field at the spray tube which will verge upon the corona breakdown voltage of the gas stream in the absence of a space charge .Iaddend.to break up the liquid jet by the resultant electrostatic field into individual droplets having a diameter between aproximately 60 microns and approximately 250 microns, each droplet having a high surface charge density .Iadd.that approaches the Rayleigh limit; .Iaddend. d. causing the charged droplets to flow toward the elements at an angle with respect to the direction of flow of the gas stream to provide a relative velocity between the gas stream and the droplets, whereby the droplets will collide with individual particles or undesirable fluids to remove them; and e. eventually causing the droplets to move toward the elements due to the electrostatic field where they collide and collect.

Claim 9

The method of removing particulate matter entrained by a gas stream by utilizing spaced, conductive walls and a spray tube disposed between the spaced walls, the method comprising the steps of: a. causing the gas stream to flow between the spaced walls and the spray tube; b. ejecting a stable liquid jet from the spray tube at substantially atmospheric pressure insufficient to break up the jet into droplets; c. applying a direct-current electric potential .[.of substantially 50 kilovolts to 60 kilovolts.]. between the spray tube and the walls, the resultant electrostatic field .[.being strong enough.]. .Iadd.verging upon the corona breakdown voltage of the gas stream in the absence of a space charge .Iaddend.to break up the liquid jet some distance from its origin into charged droplets having a diameter between approximately 60 microns and approximately .[.150.]. .Iadd.250 .Iaddend.microns, .Iadd.said droplets carrying a high surface charge density that approaches the Rayleigh limit.Iaddend.; and d. moving the thus formed charged droplets under the influence of the resultant electrostatic field toward the walls, whereby the droplets encounter particulate matter and remove it from the gas stream when they collide with the walls.

Claim 10

The method of removing particulate matter entrained by a gas stream by utilizing spaced, conductive walls and a spray tube disposed between the spaced walls, the method comprising the steps of: a. causing the gas stream to flow between the spaced walls and the spray tube; b. ejecting a stable liquid jet from the spray tube at substantially atmospheric pressure insufficient to break up the jet into droplets; c. applying a direct-current electric potential .[.of substantially 50 kilovolts to 60 kilovolts.]. between the spray tube and the walls, the resultant electrostatic field .[.being strong enough.]. .Iadd.verging upon the corona breakdown voltage of the gas stream in the absence of a space charge .Iaddend.to break up the liquid jet some distance from its origin into charged droplets having a diameter between approximately 60 microns and approximately .[.150.]. .Iadd.250 .Iaddend.microns, .Iadd.said droplets carrying a high surface charge density that approaches the Rayleigh limit.Iaddend.; and d. moving the thus formed charged droplets under the influence of the resultant electrostatic field toward the walls, whereby the droplets encounter particulate matter and remove it from the gas stream when they collide with the walls.

Claim 14

The method of removing particles entrained by a gas stream flowing between spaced, conductive walls and by utilizing a spray tube disposed between the walls, some of the particles being electrically charged and having a predetermined polarity, the method comprising the steps of: a. causing the gas stream to flow between the spaced walls and past the spray tube, the gas stream containing both charged and uncharged particles; b. ejecting a stable liquid jet from the spray tube at substantially atmospheric pressure insufficient to break up the jet into droplets; c. applying a direct-current electric potential .[.of substantially 50 kilovolts to 60 kilovolts.]. between the spray tube and the walls .Iadd.to establish, at the spray tube, an electrostatic field which verges upon the corona breakdown voltage of the gas stream in the absence of a space charge.Iaddend., the spray tube having a polarity which is the same as that of the charged particles and the resultant electrostatic field being strong enough to break up the liqued jet some distance from its origin into droplets having a .Iadd.diameter between approximately 60 microns and approximately 250 microns, said droplets having a charge of .Iaddend.polarity which is the same as that of the spray tube, each droplet having a high surface charge density .Iadd.that approaches the Rayleigh limit .Iaddend.and a polarity equal to that of the particles; and d. moving the thus formed charged droplets under the influence of the electrostatic field toward the walls, whereby the droplets encounter both uncharged and charged particles, engulf the particles and remove them from the gas stream when the droplets collide with the walls, and whereby charged particles which are not so engulfed are similary moved under the influence of the electrostatic field toward the walls, and thereby removed from the gas stream. .Iadd.13. In a method where gas containing entrained fluid components or particulate matter flows between walls of a conduit in which is deposed a spray tube for injecting a liquid jet into the gas and a voltage is applied across the spray tube and conduit walls, the improvement wherein an electrostatic field is established at the surface of the tip of the spray tube which will verge upon the corona breakdown voltage of the gas stream in the absence of a space charge, to break up by electrostatic forces only the liquid jet into droplets which have a diameter between approximately 60 microns and approximately 250 microns and which carry a high surface charge density that approaches the Rayleigh limit. .Iaddend.

Claim 15

The method of removing particles entrained by a gas stream flowing between spaced, conductive walls and by utilizing a spray tube disposed between the walls, some of the particles being electrically charged and having a predetermined polarity, the method comprising the steps of: a. causing the gas stream to flow between the spaced walls and past the spray tube, the gas stream containing both charged and uncharged particles; b. ejecting a stable liquid jet from the spray tube at substantially atmospheric pressure insufficient to break up the jet into droplets; c. applying a direct-current electric potential .[.of substantially 50 kilovolts to 60 kilovolts.]. between the spray tube and the walls .Iadd.to establish, at the spray tube, an electrostatic field which verges upon the corona breakdown voltage of the gas stream in the absence of a space charge.Iaddend., the spray tube having a polarity which is the same as that of the charged particles and the resultant electrostatic field being strong enough to break up the liqued jet some distance from its origin into droplets having a .Iadd.diameter between approximately 60 microns and approximately 250 microns, said droplets having a charge of .Iaddend.polarity which is the same as that of the spray tube, each droplet having a high surface charge density .Iadd.that approaches the Rayleigh limit .Iaddend.and a polarity equal to that of the particles; and d. moving the thus formed charged droplets under the influence of the electrostatic field toward the walls, whereby the droplets encounter both uncharged and charged particles, engulf the particles and remove them from the gas stream when the droplets collide with the walls, and whereby charged particles which are not so engulfed are similary moved under the influence of the electrostatic field toward the walls, and thereby removed from the gas stream. .Iadd.13. In a method where gas containing entrained fluid components or particulate matter flows between walls of a conduit in which is deposed a spray tube for injecting a liquid jet into the gas and a voltage is applied across the spray tube and conduit walls, the improvement wherein an electrostatic field is established at the surface of the tip of the spray tube which will verge upon the corona breakdown voltage of the gas stream in the absence of a space charge, to break up by electrostatic forces only the liquid jet into droplets which have a diameter between approximately 60 microns and approximately 250 microns and which carry a high surface charge density that approaches the Rayleigh limit. .Iaddend.