GB2177018A

GB2177018A - Apparatus and method for treating a gas or a gaseous mixture

Info

Publication number: GB2177018A
Application number: GB08515243A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Roland Gayfer; Raymond Field
Original assignee: BECORIT
Current assignee: BECORIT
Priority date: 1985-06-15
Filing date: 1985-06-15
Publication date: 1987-01-14
Also published as: GB8515243D0

Abstract

The exhaust from an internal combustion engine used in a mine is treated with water in a chamber (11) and is then directed around an axis so that entrained water droplets separate from the gas stream for return to the chamber. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus and methodfortreating a gas ora gaseous mixture This invention relates to apparatus and a method for treating a gas or a gaseous mixture, and particularly, but not exclusively, to treating exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine.

Where it is necessarytoemitexhaustfumesintoa confined environment, for example by the use of in ternal combustion engines in mines, itis desirableto at least partly remove the noxious components of the exhaust before emission. It is also desirable to cool the exhaust to an acceptable temperature before emission.

It is known to pass the exhaust through a water bath for this purpose. However, this results in a considerable quantity of water being emitted with the exhaust invapourand dropletform.

The emission of a substantial quantity of water with the exhaust is undesirable, firstly because this rapidly increases the humidity of the environment, and secondly because this depletes the supply of water in the machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for treating exhaust gases with water, the apparatus being ableto runforan extended period of time without the need fortopping up and without emission of substantial quantities of water, yet being economical and simple in construction and capable of running without an additional power supply.

According to a first aspect of the invention, we provide apparatus for treating a gaseous mixture with a liquid comprising afirstchambercontaining the liquid, a second cham ber, the second chamber defining a second chamber axis, an inletforadmitting the gaseous mixture to the first chamber to contact the liquid therein, means defining a flow path forthe gaseousmixturefromthefirstchambertothesecond chamber, an outlet for discharging the gaseous mix turefromthesecondchamber, means causing said gaseous mixtureto rotate around the second chamber axis in the second chamber and means defining a flow path along which liquid may pass from the second chamberto the first chamber.

Preferably said meansfordefining a flow path along which liquid may pass from the second cham- berto the first chamber comprises a closed pipe connected between the first and second chambers at first and second connecting regions respectively, means defining the second chamber presents a concave surface towards the interior of the second chamber in said second connecting region, that part ofthe pipe in the proximity of the second chamber defines a pipe axis and said pipe axis is approximately tangential to said concave surface.

Preferably said second chamberfurther comprises an annular channel, a part of the channel is adjacent to said second connecting region and said channel opens towards the second chamber axis.

According to a second aspect of the invention, we provide a method oftreating a gaseous mixture with a liquid comprising passing the gaseous mixture through a first chamber containing the liquid, causing said gaseous mixture to rotate in a second chamber thereby causing liquid entrained in the gaseous mix tureto be separated in the second chamber and directing the separated liquid from the second cham bertothefirstchamber.

Preferably passage of liquid from the second chamberto the first chamber is promoted by kinetic energy of the liquid.

Preferably part of the kinetic and potential energy ofthe gaseous mixture is imparted to the liquid and promotes circulation thereof between the first and second chambers and the liquid is circulated without the provision of a substantial additional source of energy.

The gaseous mixture may comprise exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine.

According to a third aspect of the invention, we provide, in combination, an internal combustion engine and apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention.

An example of apparatus according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view, partly cut away, ofthe apparatus embodying the invention; Figure 2 shows the apparatus viewed in the direction ofthe arrow 11 in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, there is provided a first cham ber 11 which has an inlet pipe 13 through which exhaust gases to betreated are supplied. The first chamber may contain baffles or other known means (not shown) for contacting a gas with a liquid. Water is contained within the first chamberto a certain level.

An intermediate pipe 14 Ieadsfromthetop ofthefirst chamberto a second chamber. The second chamber is above the level ofthe liquid in the first chamber.

The second chamber is defined by a substantially cylindrical sidewall 22 and two end walls 20, 21,the sidewall being arranged with its axis horizontal.

The second chamber contains a static means for causingtheexhausttofollowaspiral path and comprising a central core 23 and vanes 17 which extend along concentric, equally spaced, spiral paths. The sidewall 22 defines an annular channel 19,which opens towards the horizontal axis of the second chamber, adjacent to the end wall 20 from which channel leads a return pipe 16. The opening ofthe annular channel may be discontinuous.

Referring to Figure 2, that part 18 of the return pipe 1 6 which is in the proximityofthechannel 19 is approximately tangential to the side wall 22.

Referring again to Figure 1, the return pipe 16 leads back to the first chamber 11 and is connected thereto at a region substantially below the level of water in the first chamber. A means forfiltering water may be provided in the return pipe 16.

An outlet pipe 15 leads from the centre of the end wall 20 ofthe second chamber 12 to the ambient atmosphere. The outlet pipe is spaced from the periphery ofthe second chamber such that the horizontal axis of the second chamber lies inside the outlet pipe.

It will be noted that the configuration of andre- lationship between the channel 19, the end wall 20 and the outlet pipe 15 may be altered without depart ing from the scope of the invention. For example,the end wall 20 may be concave or convexfrusto-conical, the outlet pipe 15 may protrudethroughthe endwall 20 into the second chamber 12 orthe annularchannel 19 may be spaced from the end wall 20.

In use, exhaust gases enter the first chamber through inlet pipe 13 where they are forced to contact the water contained in the first chamber by baffles or other known means. During contact with the water, water vapour mixes with and water droplets and become entrained in the exhaust gases. The exhaust gases then pass through intermediate pipe 14 into the second chamber 12,the gases are directed towards the periphery of the chamber by the central core 17 and are made to follow a spiral path byvanes 17.

During the spiral movement, entrained water droplets each acquire a component of motion away from the axis. The droplets are thus thrown onto the internal surface of side wall 22. The separated waterthus flows into the annular channel 1 9 and thence into the proximal part 18 ofthe return pipe 16 under its own kinetic energy. This is facilitated by the proximal part ofthe return pipe being tangential to the side wall 22.

Exhaust gases, relativelyfreefrom entrained water, pass out ofthe second chamber through outlet pipe 15.

It will be noted thatthe kinetic energy imparted to the water enables it to circulate between the two chambers without provision of an additional power supply. This kinetic energy is introduced to the apparatus by the exhaust gas entering through the inlet pipe 13 The features disclosed in the foregoing description, orthe following claims, or the accompanying draw- ings, expressed in their specificforms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, ora method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination ofsuch features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverseformsthereof.

Claims

1. Apparatusfortreating a gaseous mixture with a liquid comprising a first chamber containing the liquid, a second chamber, the second chamberdefin- ing a second chamber axis, an inletfor admitting the gaseous mixture to the first chamber to contact the liquid therein, means defining a flow path for the gaseous mixture from the first chamberto the second chamber, an outletfordischarging the gaseous mixturefrom the second chamber, means causing said gaseous mixtureto rotate around the second cham beraxisinthesecondchamberand meansdefininga flow path along which liquid may pass from the second chambertothefirstchamber.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said means for defining a flow path along which liquid may pass from the second chamber to the first chamber comprises a closed pipe connected between the first and second chambers at first and second connecting regions respectively, means defining the second chamber presents a concave surface towards the interior of the second chamber in said second connecting region, that part ofthe pipe in the proximity of the second chamber defines a pipe axis and said pipe axis is approximately tangential to said concave surface.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said means causing said gaseous mixture to rotate in the second chamber is static with respect to said second chamber.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 as appendantto Claim 2 wherein the liquid in thefirst chamber defines a horizontal plane by its uppermost extremity and said first connection region is substantially below said horizontal plane.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the liquid inthefirstchamberdefinesa horizontal plane by its uppermost extremity and said second chamber is substantially above said horizontal plane.

6. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein said second chamber further comprises an annular channel, a part ofthe channel is adjacentto said second connecting region, and said channel opens towards the second chamber axis.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said second chamber axis is substantially horizontal.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said liquid comprises water.

9. Amethodoftreating a gaseous mixture with a liquid comprising passing the gaseous mixture through a first chamber containing the liquid, causing said gaseous mixture to rotate in a second chamber thereby causing liquid entrained in the gaseous mixture to be separated in the second chamber and directing the separated liquid from the second cham bertothefirstchamber.

10. A method according to Claim 9 wherein passage of liquid from the second chamberto thefirst chamber is promoted by kinetic energy of the liquid.

11. Amethod according to Claim 9 or Claim 10 wherein part of the kinetic and potential energy of the gaseous mixture is imparted to the liquid and promotes circulation thereof between the first and second chambers.

12. A method according to Claim 11 wherein liquid is circulated without the provision of asubstan- tial additional source of energy.

13. A method according to any one of Claims 9to 12 wherein a flow path for the gaseous mixture is provided in the second chamber, said flow path is substantially cylindrical and said gaseous mixture is allowed to flow only in the proximity of the periphery ofthe cylindrical path.

14. A method according to anyone of Claims 9to 13 wherein the gaseous mixture comprises exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine.

15. A method according to any one of Claims 9to 14 wherein there is used apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 8.

16. In combination, an internal combustion engine and apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to8.

17. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

18. Amethodoftreating agaseousmixturesub stantially as herein before described.

19. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.