CH615359A5 - Multicellular reactor with liquid/gas phase contact - Google Patents

Abstract

The general-purpose multicellular reactor with liquid/gas phase contacts is arranged to ensure both the heat exchange function and the function of physicochemical purification of gases or of enrichment of liquids. It is made up of channels (7, 8, 9) through which a gas passes in one direction and a liquid in the other, each channel consisting of two panels (1, 2/3, 4/5, 6) made up of geometric patterns (a, b, c) in horizontal series and alternating in pairs to create widened zones (16). The latter are separated by a neck (17) in which an inversion of the gases takes place enabling droplets and liquid-gas emulsions to be produced between the opposing gas streams. Internal recycling takes place in the widened zones (16). This reactor is advantageously employed for industrial purification of gases. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a versatile multicellular reactor with liquid / gas phase contacts.

There are purifying or enriching systems using multi-contacts between gases and liquids, these contacts operating on wetting obstacles by runoff or by baths, obstacles which are interposed on the passage of gases.

Different disadvantages result, such as significant pressure drops reducing flow rates, fouling and high cost.

Other dynamic gas / liquid contact systems take place in venturis or cyclones, but have no repetitive action and are of high cost.

In addition, the various known methods rarely combine in the same device an adjustable heat exchange essential for optimal physicochemical purification of gases or for enrichment of liquids.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a multicellular reactor which avoids the drawbacks described above and makes it possible to coordinate at the same time the various parameters inherent in the purification of gases or in the enrichment of liquids, which are in particular:

- the density and multiplicity of gas / liquid contacts,

- the temperatures,

- pressure losses,

- gas and liquid flow rates,

- the ease of extrapolation from a standard element, whatever the volumes to be treated,

- the reduced manufacturing cost.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the presence of the characters set out in claim 1.

The invention is shown, by way of nonlimiting examples, in the attached drawing, in which:

fig. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a reactor according to the invention,

fig. 2 is a schematic section established along A-A of FIG. 1,

fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the panels constituting the reactor,

fig. 4a to 4d represent different embodiments of the panels,

fig. 5a to 5e show different embodiments of the turning points when the panels are folded.

The gases to be purified, with or without enrichment of the washing liquid, pass through corridors, preferably vertical, constituted by panels arranged face to face. These panels are systematically back-folded, thus arranging rectilinear horizontal passages perpendicular to the direction of the gases, these arrangements having the aim of creating, between the gases and the washing liquids, aerodynamic effects of swirling with internal recycling of the liquids at the level of each repeating cell of a certain adjustable proportion of the washing liquid, the recycling being adjustable as a function of the gas flow / liquid flow ratio and of the interval between each panel at the neck of the patterns.

In addition, dynamic wetting reactions are carried out, analogous to those generated in the neck of a conventional venturi, of cylindrical shape, for the effects of differential pressure keeping the liquids in suspension in the cells and analogous to the phenomena of turbulence of the drag type on or behind an airplane wing for mixing effects.

The essential novelty of the present device is to constitute a continuous repeating pattern, producing these venturi and drag effects, these effects being repetitive as much as necessary to progressively achieve the optimum yield from gas cleaning or enrichment of liquids.

All of the repeating patterns being without discontinuity, clogging by deposits, sedimentation, or trapping, are practically eliminated.

Several panels of these patterns can also be placed in the same support enclosure, in order to carry out separate and different purification or enrichment reactions.

The support enclosure preferably consists of an outer envelope of any material which contains the panels; the originality being that the two opposite lateral faces, perpendicular to the patterned panels, are provided with hollow pleats, which hold the panels by simple embedding, without welds or bolts, so as to determine a constant spacing between the rectilinear necks, and facilitate, by simple grouting, the possible replacement of any panel.

In the example shown in fig. 1, the device comprises six vertical counter-folded panels 1, 2, 3,4, 5 and 6, which in this case arrange three middle gas / liquid corridors 7, 8 and 9, in which the liquid flows from above down in the direction of arrow F, while the gas flows in the direction of arrows Fl. These lanes 7 to 9 are separated, on each of their sides, by a heat exchanger lane 10, 11, 12, 13 , traversed for example in the direction of the arrows F2 by air or a heat transfer liquid.

At 14 is shown the outer envelope of metal or other material, which has longitudinal hollow pleats 15 intended to embed the counter-folded panels 1, 2, 3, etc., and delimit and maintain constant the spacings between the patterns of the panels parallel.

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The reactor of the invention therefore consists of an assembly of vertical parallel panels 1 to 6, each panel being folded, formed or stamped in identical or different shapes, called patterns, and reversed or not in their repetition along the OY axis of each panel (fig. 3).

Each pattern is established over the entire width of the panel, each shape therefore being described by the translation of the pattern on an OX axis perpendicular to the axis of the panel.

Each pattern has a depth a, called the thickness of the panel (fig. 3) which will be linked to another value described below.

The number of patterns, which can be significant, determines the number of cells 16 and necks 17, and therefore the number of internal primary recycling of the washing or enrichment liquid and the overall yield of gas / liquid contact to be obtained.

Each panel corresponds by its patterns to the next panel, with or without vertical offset h of its patterns according to the nature of the gases and liquids in contact (fig. 2).

The distance e between each panel depends on:

- the shape of the pattern, determined according to the type of liquid to be introduced into the gases (simple liquids, fluidized bed, liquid-filler, etc.) which fixes the distance between each panel, so that the aerodynamic effects of the opposite patterns are optimized different panels.

The distance e is greater than zero and less than five times the thickness of the panels.

• - of the offset h of each panel between each other, which determines according to the rate of flow of liquids from one pattern to another, the distance between the panels, so that the aerodynamic effects add up to provide a maximum wetting.

The length h of this offset is between zero and the length of a pattern.

- the desired ratio between the quality of washing liquid and the quantity of gas to be treated as a function of the internal recycling rate of the same liquid within the pattern, and this according to the concentration of gaseous bodies and aerosols to be captured in the gases, such as the speed v of the gases in the passes 17 defined below is mainly between 0.5 and 100 m / s.

If we refer to fig. 4a to 4d, on which various embodiments of the panels are represented, it can be seen that each pattern essentially consists of three curved elements:

- a portion of the curve at its lower part (a),

- a portion of the curve at its upper part (b),

- the equivalent of a cusp point (c) whose tangents ta and tb at this point make respectively with the axis of the panel OY, angles of:

- angle of the tangent ta of the lower curve and of the axis: between 0 and 90 ° (d),

- angle of the tangent tb of the upper curve and the axis: between + 90 and 0 ° (e).

s The gases and liquids are brought into contact at each cusp, the aerodynamic effects on the fluids taking place at these points in the direction of gas flow.

The volume between two consecutive turning points on the same side of a panel and the two consecutive turning points of a next parallel panel and located at the same level of stacking - apart from the pattern offset - constitutes the cell treatment 16 where the recycling, partial or total, of the liquids takes place.

It will also be noted that the curves of each panel, above and below each cusp, can be very diverse, FIGS. 4a and 4b merely constituting only examples. Thus, these curves could be established along straight lines or chains according to portions of a circle, of cycloids and of cardioids, or even according to hyperbolas, para-boles or ellipses.

In addition, the portions of the curve lower and higher than the cusp may be the same or different.

Depending on the nature of the materials to be treated, the result to be obtained, the treatment methods and the shape of the turning points may also be different.

Thus, in FIGS. 5a to 5e, we see that the cusp of the panels can be formed by a sharp angle (fig. 5a), by a rounded angle (fig. 5b), by an inverted curved zone (fig. 5c), by a zone plane (fig. 5d), or else by a complex shape as shown in fig. 5th.

It will also be noted that, on the panels defining the corridors, a cusp as defined above may be deleted at regular intervals among the succession of patterns.

The panels forming the reactor can also be tilted until the axis OY is horizontal, and this with or without shifting of the patterns of the panels.

The panels as described above can be replaced by a succession of portions of panels or of separate patterns, 40 interspersed along the axis OY.

The versatile multicellular reactor with phase-shifted liquid / gas contacts can operate without heat exchange. The liberated areas then used for purifying gases or enriching liquids.

45 The concept of curve used in the present description is taken according to the mathematical definition of curve.

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4 sheets of drawings

Claims (8)

615,359 1. Multipurpose multicellular reactor with liquid / gas phase contacts, characterized in that it consists of corridors, crossed in one direction by a gas, and in the other by a liquid, each corridor being constituted by two panels (1 -6) counter-folded, arranged opposite one another, and determining between them narrowed zones (17) separated by cells (16). 2. Multicellular reactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the panels (1-3), two of which constitute a said corridor, are formed of geometric patterns in horizontal series and alternated 2 to 2 to create enlarged zones which constitute said cells (16), separated by a said narrowed zone (17). 2 3. Reactor according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that zones (7-9, 10-13) connected, established between the panels (1-6) of consecutive corridors, form a passage for a fluid heat exchange (F, Fi). 4. Reactor according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the spacing (e) of the panels (1-6) at the location of the narrowed areas (17) is determined by hollow pleats (15) formed on two of the opposite walls (14) of the reactor, two panels (1, 2/3, 4/5, 6) forming a passage (7, 8, 9) being supported on the two sides of a fold (15) of the walls (14). 5. Reactor according to one of claims 1 or 2, in which the geometric patterns (a, b, c, fig. 4a-4d / 5a-5e) consist of portions of straight lines (a, b, fig. 4a , 4b) or curves (a, b, fig. 4c, 4d, 5a-5e), chosen from the group: circle, hyperbola, parabola, ellipse, cycloid, cardioid joined together in pairs (fig. 4a-4d / 5a -5e). 6. Reactor according to one of claims 1 or 2, in which the panels (1-6) comprise a number of continuous patterns (fig. 1, fig. 2) forming n narrowed areas (17) and n widened areas ( 16) treating gases n times with liquids and where n is greater than 2. 7. Reactor according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the panels (1-6) are discontinuous and form successions, separated from each other, of narrowed zones (17) and enlarged zones (16). 8. Reactor according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said patterns (fig. 4a-4d, 5a-5e) are able to be assembled with each other in number greater than 2 and to be assembled under form of panels (1-6) around a separate axis.