EP1998887A2

EP1998887A2 - Method for dissociating compound molecules present in aeriforms, device for implementing the method, and some of its uses

Info

Publication number: EP1998887A2
Application number: EP07727059A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bruno Savi
Original assignee: Zete Srl
Current assignee: Zete Srl
Priority date: 2006-03-21
Filing date: 2007-03-19
Publication date: 2008-12-10
Also published as: WO2007107544A3; WO2007107544A2; ITVE20060014A1

Abstract

A method of dissociating compound molecules present in aeriforms, characterised by subjecting an aeriform flow free of solid and liquid suspensions to a photon emission in the ultraviolet wave field.

Description

METHOD FOR DISSOCIATING COMPOUND MOLECULES PRESENT IN AERIFORMS, DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD, AND SOME OF ITS USES

The present invention relates to a method for dissociating compound molecules present in aeriforms, a device for implementing the method, and some of its uses.

Methods for dissociating compound molecules present in gases which contain them are known.

One of these comprises heating the gas to high temperatures in order to obtain so-called "hot plasma". This is a method requiring very complex equipment and is therefore highly costly and of limited use.

It is also known to react the individual gas components with suitable reagents, which are mostly toxic, dangerous, corrosive or of difficult disposal.

If for example carbon dioxide is to be dissociated, this is absorbed by caustic soda to obtain a solid residue consisting of a difficultly disposable salt.

In another example, that of gasmasks, these are unable to retain carbon monoxide, but facilitate surface adsorption onto particular porous granules (for example active carbon, zeolites, treated alumina, etc.), these being unable to operate continuously as the adsorption reactions become blocked by loss of porosity and require regeneration of the porous granules or their replacement.

In painting equipment, hydrolysis reactions can be used by washing the treated aeriforms with liquids containing suitable reagents. This method requires frequent liquid replacement when spent.

Essentially, it can be stated that dissociating compound molecules present in gases is extremely costly if effected thermally, and raises large disposal problems if effected chemically. In the air purification sector it is also known to use mechanical or electrostatic filters, which treat the aerosuspensions but do not produce oxygen to be returned into the atmosphere.

An object of the present invention is to dissociate compound molecules (of carbon dioxide, of water vapour, of carbon monoxide, of nitrogen oxide, of ammonia, of unburned hydrocarbons, of ozone etc.) without giving rise to residual gases.

Another object of the invention is to propose a device able to effect this dissociation. Another object is to propose advantageous uses of the method.

These and further objects which will be apparent from the ensuing description are attained, according to the invention, by a method for dissociating compound molecules present in aeriforms in accordance with claim 1. To implement this method the invention uses a device in accordance with claim 3.

An advantageous use of the method of the invention is in industrial or civil effluent gas purification.

Another advantageous use of the method of the invention is in removing exhaust gases released by internal combustion engines.

A further advantageous use of the method of the invention is in sterilizing and deodorizing air by micro oxidation.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention and some uses thereof are described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a scheme showing the principle on which the method of the invention is based,

Figure 2 shows it while used in purifying industrial and civil effluent gases, Figure 3 shows it while used in removing exhaust gases released by an internal combustion engine provided with a turbocharger,

Figure 4 shows it while used in removing exhaust gases released by an internal combustion engine without a turbocharger, Figure 5 shows it while used in sterilizing and deodorizing air by micro oxidation. As can be seen from the figures, the general principle on which the method of the invention is based consists of passing a flow of the aeriform to be treated between two electrodes 2, 4 contained in a photonic cell 6 and connected to an electronic voltage raising circuit 8 powered by a unidirectional current generator 10, for example of 12V. More precisely, the positive pole of the circuit 8 is connected to the anode 2 of the photonic cell 6, this anode consisting of a plurality of pointed metal filiform antennas, extending radially and surrounded by the cathode 4, which is connected to earth together with the negative pole of the circuit 8.

The flow of aeriform to be treated is introduced into the cell 6 through an inlet aperture 12 and emerges from the cell through an outlet aperture 14 disposed such as to cause the flow to pass through the space in the cell 6 between the anode 2 and the cathode 4.

The circuit 8 generates a high voltage starting from a feed voltage

(either a low DC voltage, for example 12V DC or traditional alternating current voltages, for example 220V AC) and using multiple voltage raising or inverter techniques. When applied to the electrodes 2 and 4, the voltage provided by - A -

the electrode circuit 8 is such as to approach but not exceed the value which would cause dielectric perforation of the gas traversing the space between the two electrodes 2 and 4.

When the cell 6 is powered, the electrons accumulate and self-excite on the tips of the anode antennas. Not being able to leave because the inter- electrode voltage is insufficient to generate an electric discharge, they oscillate at a frequency typical of ultraviolet waves, equal to 1.24 x 10¹⁵ sec^"1, with release of an emission of photons at light velocity with an energy of 495 kJmol^"1 quanta. These photons have simultaneously a double undulatory and corpuscular property and in their trajectory encounter the compound molecules of the aeriform to be treated, causing them to dissociate. This is due to the fact that each photon is a quantum of energy which when it passes in proximity to an orbit of the compound molecule, excites it such that the energy absorbed tends to widen the orbit to the point of no longer enabling the electric field of the molecule to retain the electron and causing dissociation of the molecule.

This dissociation causes formation of a pair of ions with opposite electrical charge, then, in the presence of the electric field between the two cell electrodes 2 and 4, the negative ions are repelled by the cathode, while the positive ions are attracted by the cathode, losing their electrical charge and generating an ionic mini current, which closes the electrode circuit between the cell 6 and the generator 10, with a substantial reduction in specific consumption. The phenomenon is similar to that which happens in electrolytic solutions, but with a substantial difference in the quantitative sense because in electrolytic solutions the quantity of ions is very large, whereas in aeriforms this quantity is considerably lower. In this respect, under normal conditions air and gases at ambient temperature are excellent electrical insulators, with a dielectric strength of about 20 kV/cm and hence are transformed into conductors only in the presence of ions which are formed only by photon discharges.

An important advantage of the method of the invention is that it does not give rise to residues.

Another important advantage is that it does not cause carbon emissions.

Another important advantage is the low electrical energy consumption.

The invention also relates to important uses of the aforedescribed method.

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of the use of the device of the invention in a plant for purifying industrial effluents emitted by a thermoelectric power station, a cement works, etc., assuming the absence of their own system for removing solid suspensions (fumes) and liquid suspensions

(vapours).

The plant comprises a tower 16 provided lowerly with an inlet port 18 for the gases to be purified and upperly with an outlet port 20 for the purified gases.

The lower part 22 of the tower 16 forms the condensation region; this comprises a plurality of cusp-shaped diaphragms 24 with their concavity facing downwards, overlying them there being an arrangement of sprayers 26 fed by a detergent liquid consisting of water and glycol. A recirculation system with pumps 28 feeds the sprayers with the detergent liquid drawn from the base of the tower 16.

In a position above the condensation region 22 in the tower 16, a drying region 30 is provided. This comprises a plurality of nozzles 32 through which a jet of compressed air is blown.

The upper part of the tower 16 forms the molecule dissociation region, using the method of the invention. It comprises a plurality of photonic cells, their number being related to the flow rate of the gas to be purified, and is also a function of the stack dimensions, of the characteristics of the plant for removing solid suspensions (fumes) and liquid suspensions (vapour), of the velocity and of the type of suspension.

Regardless of their number, all the cells, provided with anode 2 and cathode 4, are powered in parallel by a generator, not shown in the drawings.

The aeriform flow, which enters the tower 16 through the port 18, encounters the diaphragms 24, forming overall a sort of grid, and by the combined effect of these and of the detergent liquid undergoes condensation of its solid suspensions (fumes) and liquid suspensions (vapour).

The aeriform flow, now without solid and liquid particles, is then subjected to drying by the compressed air jets, the purpose of which is to remove any liquid suspensions still present in the flow.

If a boiler exhaust is to be purified, a single photonic cell 6 can be used with a much reduced filtration system.

Figure 3 shows schematically the use of the method of the invention for purifying exhaust gases emitted by an internal combustion engine provided with a turbocharger. As can be seen the engine 36, here shown schematically as a cylinder, has its exhaust 38 directly connected to a conduit 40 which withdraws the exhaust gases and by means of a turbine 42 feeds them to the photonic cell 6, from which they emerge purified to be then returned to the engine 36 via an intercooler 44.

Any lack of engine feed air in the gases regenerated by passing through the photonic cell 6 is compensated by withdrawal of new air from the outside by the compressor.

This use of the invention is particularly interesting, because it enables the engine to operate in semi-closed cycle which, in addition to being advantageous ecologically as it eliminates exhaust gases, enables fuel consumption to be substantially reduced while at the same time increasing the engine specific power and reducing its idling r.p.m.

Prototypes produced in accordance with the invention and subjected to experimental trials have demonstrated fuel consumption reductions of the order of 30% for equal performance.

Figure 4 shows schematically the use of the method of the invention for purifying exhaust gases emitted by an internal combustion engine not provided with a turbocharger. As can be seen, the exhaust gases leaving the engine 36 pass through a catalytic muffler 46 and are fed through the photonic cell 6 of the invention and then into a vacuum valve 48.

One exit of the vacuum valve 48 leads to a silencer 50 while the other exit leads back to the engine via a conduit 52.

When the engine operates at normal r.p.m., practically all the purified gases leaving the photonic cell 6 pass into the silencer 50 and from there to the outside. In contrast, when the engine operates at low r.p.m. the vacuum valve 48 intervenes to recycle to the engine 36 part of the purified gases leaving the photonic cell 6.

For this use a series of experimental trials has been carried out on the exhaust gases emitted by the engine of a FIAT PUNTO, these having demonstrated a maximum carbon dioxide reduction of about 51 % and an oxygen increase of about 19%.

Figure 5 shows schematically the use of the principle of the method of the invention in sterilizing and deodorising air by micro oxidation.

In this case a particular photonic cell 6 is used comprising a plurality of anodes 2 in the form of filiform antennas and with two linearly extending cathodes 4.

Upstream of the photonic cell 6, with respect to the direction of the air flow to be treated, a baffle 54 is provided for the purpose of continuously scrubbing the air, and an electrostatic filter 34 for the purpose of eliminating captured suspensions and vapours.

The principle on which this use of the photonic cell 6 is based is to eliminate bad odours and to sterilize germs and viruses by micro oxidation with cluster oxygen (or nascent oxygen).

This principle is quite different from the technique traditionally used for neutralizing local air or gas and consisting of:

- mixing the air to be treated with air drawn from the outside,

- passing the air to be treated over adsorbent layers while simultaneously feeding vapours released from spices and balsamic oils,

- reacting the air to be treated with generally chlorine-based reagents, - subjecting the air to be treated to high temperature to cause scission of the compound molecules of odour-carrying vapours into thermal ions. In contrast to this traditional technique, the principle on which the present invention is based consists of a physical process comprising, in the stated sequence:

- continuously scrubbing the air to be treated in a cascade of liquid droplets of strongly oxygenated water with the possible addition of natural essences,

- filtering the air by passage through the electrostatic filter 34,

- micro oxidizing the air in the photonic cell 6.

Air scrubbing takes place during its passage through the baffle, which can consist of vegetable fibres or glass fibres or metal sponges; the air is then subjected to evaporation and then to adiabatic condensation, and cooled.

Filtration of the scrubbed and cooled air also adjusts the moisture level to that most suitable for the subsequent sterilizing photodissociation process. The electrostatic filter 34 is of glass fibre honeycomb type with a suitably isolated central metal mesh electrode powered by an electronic generator positioned below the filter. The suspensions and vapours captured by the electrostatic filter are thickened in the bottom of the filter by electrophoresis and then eliminated.

Finally in the photonic cell 6, the scrubbed and filtered air of the appropriate moisture content encounters the photon flow by which the O2 molecules are split into O⁺ and O^" ions (cluster oxygen). Each nascent oxygen atom, i.e. not bonded to a molecule, is very reactive and tends to bind to the other molecules, to oxidize them and facilitate degradation of the organic molecules of the infecting agents.

They are also able to attack the molecules of the osmogenic odours released by organic substances in a state of fermentation, by an oxidation process which irreversibly neutralizes them with reaction times of the order of 1/1000 of a second. This method can be advantageously used to deodorize room air.

The oxygen atoms are also able to mutually reassociate with maximum reaction times of the order of 1 or 2 seconds and with the formation of pairs having a negative or positive charge. These pairs then mutually reassociate to form neutral molecules able to attack the bacteria or virus dusts and fungus spores present in suspension in the air to form powdery flakes therewith, which if of small dimensions settle as a sediment, whereas if of larger dimensions can be retained by filters, with which air conditioning systems are generally provided.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. A method of dissociating compound molecules present in aeriforms, characterised by subjecting an aeriform flow free of solid and liquid suspensions to a photon emission in the ultraviolet wave field.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterised by generating a photon flow by creating an electric field between two electrodes, of which the anode consists of a plurality of pointed metal filiform antennas and is connected to the positive pole of a direct current generator, and the cathode consists of a continuous metal surface facing the anode and connected to the negative pole of the generator, the voltage of said generator being such as not to exceed the dielectric field of the aeriform which passes through the space bounded by said electrodes.

3. A device for implementing the method claimed in claims 1 and/or 2, characterised by comprising at least one treatment chamber (6) with an inlet (12) and an outlet (14) for the air to be treated and with a pair of mutually facing electrodes (2, 4), of which the anode (2) consists of a plurality of pointed metal filiform antennas and the cathode (4) consists of a continuous surface of a conductor material, said electrodes being connected to a direct current generator (8, 10) having a voltage such as not to exceed the dielectric field of the aeriform which traverses the trajectory of the photons emitted by the anode (2).

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the cathode (4) consists of the outer casing of said treatment chamber (6).

5. A device as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the cathode (4) consists of at least one rectilinear element positioned in the interior of said treatment chamber (6).

6. A plant for purifying industrial effluent gases using at least one device claimed in one or more of said claims 3 to 5, characterised by comprising a plurality of treatment chambers (6) having the electrodes (2, 4) connected in parallel.

7. A plant as claimed in claim 6 for purifying effluent gases containing solid and/or liquid suspensions, characterised by comprising a tower (16) provided lowerly with an inlet port (18) for the gas to be purified and provided upperly with an outlet port (20) for the purified gases, and divided vertically into a lower suspension condensation region (22), a central drying region (30) and an upper molecule dissociation region.

8. A plant as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the suspension condensation region (22) is provided with a plurality of cusp-shaped diaphragms (24) with their concavity facing downwards, overlying them there being an arrangement of sprayers (26) fed by detergent liquid.

9. A plant as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that said sprayers (26) are fed with a mixture of water and glycol.

10. A plant as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the sprayers (26) are fed by a recirculation circuit which draws the detergent liquid from the base of said tower (16).

11. A plant as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the drying region (30) comprises a plurality of nozzles (32) for blowing a compressed air jet into the gases to be purified.

12. A system using at least one device claimed in one or more of claims 3 to 5 for purifying the exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine (36) provided with a turbo charger, characterised in that the turbine (42) of the turbo charger has its intake side connected to the exhaust (38) of the engine 36) and its delivery side connected to the inlet of the treatment chamber (6), the turbo compressor having its intake side connected to the treatment chamber unit and its delivery side connected to the engine (36) intake.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that an intercooler unit (44) is inserted into the conduit connecting the turbo compressor to the engine (36).

14. A system as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that the turbo compressor is also provided with an external air connection.

15. A system using at least one device claimed in one or more of claims 3 to 5 for purifying the exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine without a turbo charger, characterised in that the treatment chamber (6) is interposed between a catalytic muffler (46) and a silencer in the exhaust conduit of said engine, and is connected on its downstream side to a vacuum valve (48) connected via a conduit (52) to the intake of said engine (36).

16. A plant using at least one device claimed in one or more of claims 3 to 5 for air sterilization and deodorization, characterised by comprising a conveyor for the air flow to be treated, a wash unit (52) for said air, an electrostatic filter unit (34) positioned downstream of said wash unit with reference to the flow direction of the air to be treated, and at least one treatment chamber (6) positioned downstream of said electrostatic filter unit (34).

17. A plant as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that said wash unit (52) comprises a filter formed of vegetable fibres.

18. A plant as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that said wash unit (52) comprises a filter formed of glass fibres.

19. A plant as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that said wash unit (52) comprises a filter formed of metal sponges.

20. A plant as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that the electrostatic filter unit (34) comprises a filter of glass fibre honeycomb type with a central metal mesh electrode.

21. A plant as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that the treatment chamber (6) comprises a plurality of anodes with pointed metal filiform antennas and at least one linear cathode (4) facing all the anodes.