Gas separation: processes – Heat exchanging
Patent
1996-11-26
1998-09-29
Smith, Duane S.
Gas separation: processes
Heat exchanging
553151, 55319, 554901, 55524, 55DIG17, 62 6, 622386, 62401, 95273, 96226, B01D 4600
Patent
active
058141332
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a filter canister for the treatment of gas streams. The invention has particular although not exclusive relevance to the separation of contaminants within the compressed gas stream and may also be used as a cooling device. The present invention has applications in the treatment of compressed gas obtained from either a gas bottle or container or a compressor.
2. Discussion of the Background
Condensed water vapour and other vapours present as impurities in a gas stream can reduce the performance of oil removal filters, membrane filters and other fine tolerance devices. This invention is also concerned with the removal of liquid contaminants e.g. water, together with less volatile contaminants such as the oil from an oil lubricated compressor and liquid and/or particulate contaminants from an oil free compressor.
International Publication No WO93/18843, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an apparatus for providing a supply of compressed air comprising compressor means arranged to compress air and provide an output stream at an elevated temperature containing water vapour and contaminants from the compressor; cooling means arranged to cool the compressed air stream to near or below ambient temperatures; cleaning means that receives the compressed air from the cooling means and is arranged to separate liquid water and contaminants from the compressed air and to provide an output steam of relatively clean air and a waste stream of air carrying liquid water and contaminants; and flow restriction means through which the waste stream from the cleaning means is discharged to atmosphere, said flow restriction means being arranged to direct the emergent waste stream which has become cooled, on expansion to atmospheric pressure, onto a portion of the output stream defining a heat exchanger so that the emergent waste stream is warmed and water which has become atomised on emergence from the flow restriction means recondenses to a negligible extent.
The invention disclosed in the above international publication also includes a method for providing a supply of compressed air including the steps of compressing air by means of a compressor to give a compressed air stream at an elevated temperature containing water vapour and contaminants from the compressor; cooling the compressed stream to near or below ambient temperature; passing the cooled compressed air stream to a cleaner at which the compressed air stream becomes divided into an output stream of relatively clean air and a waste stream or air carrying liquid water contaminants; and discharging the waste stream to atmosphere through flow restriction means from which a discharged waste stream which is cooled as it emerges from the flow restriction means is directed so as to exchange heat with the compressed air stream along part of the travel of the compressed air stream from the compressor to the cleaner and becomes warm so that the water which becomes atomised on emergence from the flow restriction means does not recondense.
Two forms of canister are disclosed in the above mentioned international publication. In one form the emergent waste stream which rises vertically is led from a reducing or needle valve through a relatively small pipe into the interior of the canister chamber where it passes up a riser pipe surrounded by a heat exchange coil containing moist warm gas from the compressor. A problem with this arrangement is that expansion of the effluent-air mixture entering the canister chamber is restricted so that evaporation of the water may be incomplete. Incompletely evaporated water may drop down to the bottom of the canister and form a pool, or water may pass as droplets out of the top of the canister both of which are undesirable.
A second canister disclosed in the above international publication takes the form of an open top canister having an orifice at the base of the canister to receive the water-contaminated effluent air stream which is
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Hunter Alex G.
Oakton John L.
Process Scientific Innovations Limited
Smith Duane S.
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