FR2487631A1 - Gas contacting cabinet to purify methane from fermenting manure - has perforated horizontal drawers contg. solid purifying reagent - Google Patents

Abstract

A condensate drain is fitted at the bottom of the cabinet and is pref. of the type which is continuous and automatic. A removable, gas-tight cover fits on to an access port through which the contents of the drawers can be reached and serviced. The cover and adjacent front walls of the drawers are pref. transparent, particularly of suitable plate glass. Through the transparent cover and drawer fronts, the colour of the reagent material in each drawer is visible to an observer outside the cabinet. The cabinet is used to purify gas, esp. methane produced by fermentation of manure, stable litter etc. The solid reagent is chosen to remove unwanted gases and to deliver purified methane. The use of a solid reagent instead of washing solns. in a wet scrubber eliminates the need for pumps and sprays. These are not only expensive to buy but give problems in outdoor installations in freezing conditions. The dry reagent can be inspected without opening the cabinet. The reagent can be stirred, topped up or renewed simply by removing the access port cover.

Description

The present invention relates to apparatus for purifying manure gas and for separating methane from other unnecessary gases.

 In currently known purification systems, the manure gas is purified by bubbling in a strip, or in a lime strip. Such devices are impractical, they require one or more pumps susceptible to failure, in particular in the event of a power failure; in addition, effective protection is necessary in winter, the frost stopping operation.

 Other devices are also known in which the purifying products are solid, but it is necessary to dismantle the apparatus to modify the nature and the quantity of the purifying products; moreover the evacuation of condensates is awkward, and there is no way to control the condition of the purifying products.

 The bio-purifier according to the invention makes it possible to avoid these drawbacks.

 Indeed, it is a system using solid purifiers, to the exclusion of any liquid.

 It is presented as a cupboard in treated sheet to be resistant inside to the gases to be purified, and outside to the bad weather.

 The interior drawer system allows partial or total use of the exchange surface, and the replacement, even during fermentation, of the purifying products.

 The special diffuser distributes the gas over the entire surface, and the condensates are easy to collect and then evacuate.

 The watertight door can be operated by one person for small purifiers; rings or hooks welded on the upper part allow maneuvering using a farm machine for large models.

 The purifier itself is transportable.

 All the seals on the drawers and doors are made of gas-tight rubber and can easily be replaced after wear.

 According to a first variant, the drawers are made of hard, non-deformable wood, the bottom consisting of a mesh on which jute bags are placed which support the purifying products.

 According to a second variant, the drawers are metallic.

 In both cases, a peripheral rubber seal provides sealing.

 The special distributor diffuser # e is pierced on the top for the passage of gas, and on the bottom for the evacuation of condensates which are collected by the inclined bottom of the device.

 According to a first variant, the drain funnel is closed by a safety valve.

 According to a second variant, the drain funnel is connected to a siphon.

 According to a first variant, the watertight door is provided in sheet metal.

 According to a second variant, this door is provided in special glass, which allows the monitoring of the color of the purifying products, and allows a permanent control of their possibility of purification, thanks to a lowering of the edge of the drawers.

 Figure I shows the metal cabinet 1 resting on the feet 2, closed by the sealed door 3. The condensate discharge funnel 7 is closed by a valve. Fasteners 11 make it possible to maneuver and transport the purifier using a farm machine. Handles 12 allow the installation and transport of the watertight door. The outlet of the purified gases is closed by a safety valve 13; next to it is fixed a control and sampling valve 14 provided with a double circuit.

 Figure 2 shows the cabinet, door removed, without the drawer system.

 Figure 3 shows the handling clips.

 Figure 4 shows the section of the special distributor diffuser, showing the arrangement of the gas passages 5 and the condensate drain 6.

 FIG. 5 represents the top of the bio-purifier showing the inlets and outlets of the diffuser 4, the handling attachments 11, the outlet of the purified gas 13 and the sampling and control tap 14.

 Figure 6 shows the section of the diffuser-distributor 4.

 Figure 7 shows the vertical section of the bio-scrubber.

There are the feet of the purifier 2, the diffuser-distributor 4, the welded slides 8 on which slide the drawers 9 surrounded by the watertight seal 10, the handling fasteners 11, the valve for the departure of the purified gas 13 and the tap. direct debit 14.

 Figure 8 shows one of drawers 9.

 FIG. 9 represents the section of an edge of the drawer showing the peripheral seal 10.

 Figure 10 shows the condensate drain variant 7.

 In summary, the bio-scrubber according to the invention is a metal cabinet absolutely gas-tight 1, resting on four feet 2, easily transportable, the front of which consists of a removable door, metallic or made of ice, waterproof, 3 , blocked by clamping screws, possibly reinforced with locking bars, and comprising handles 12 and handling clips 11. Inside and at the bottom, the diffuser-distributor of the gases to be purified 4 is drilled on the part high of holes 5 for the gas and in its lower part of holes 6 for the evacuation of the condensates towards the funnel of recovery 7 provided with a valve or a siphon. Above the diffuser-distributor, there are the drawers 9 with a drilled bottom, provided with tight seals 10, which slide on the slides 8 and intended to receive the purifying products. Above the drawers, the diamond-tipped roof of the purifier comprises a purified gas outlet valve 13 and a sampling tap 14 provided with double safety.

 The manure gas leaving the fermentation tanks and arriving in the purifier by the diffuser-distributor 4 loses its moisture which is collected in the funnel 7; the gas passes through the purifying products contained in the drawers 9, and continues its path towards the gasometer by crossing the outlet valve for the purified gas 13. The valve with double safety 14 makes it possible to control the quality of the gas by sampling and analysis, or more simply by combustion test.

 When the scrubbers are saturated, or need to be changed, it is sufficient, after having closed the inlet and the outlet of the scrubber in question, by directing the gases, either towards the gasometer directly, or towards a second scrubber the door with care, the exchange being exothermic, and changing the products.

 The device can be used in all cases where the production of manure gas must be purified, whatever the composition of the gas, and whatever the size of the installation, the number and surface of the drawers being variable , and the possibility of grouping several purifiers allowing to extend the possibilities to infinity.

Claims (3)

 1. Modular bio-purifier of gas, transportable, characterized in that the solid purifying products are placed in removable drawers whose arrangement allows the easy evacuation of condensates and the modification at will by the non-specialized user, of the masses and contact surfaces of the purifiers with the gases to be purified.  2. Bio-purifier according to claim 1, characterized in that the evacuation of condensates is continuous and automatic.  3. Bio-purifier according to claim 1, characterized in that the watertight removable door, and the side of the drawers, made of special glass, allow permanent visual monitoring of variations in the color of the purifying products.