GB611068A - Improved separator for a mixture of heavy and light gases - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0611068/III/1> <PICT:0611068/III/2> A separator for heavy and light gases, which is formed of at least two enclosures separated from one another by at least one porous partition, the first enclosure being connected to a gas mixture entry and a heavy gases discharge, and the other enclosure being connected to a light gases discharge, is characterised in that the separator comprises means (electric heating strip 6 and cold water spray 5) for maintaining a temperature difference between the two enclosures, the temperature of this said first enclosure being the lower. Concentric tubes 1 and 2 of metal, Fig. 1, and 3 of porous material (e.g. porcelain, Eternit, earthenware, or infusorial earth) provide annular spaces 9 and 10, the latter being gas-tight. Electrical heating resistance 6 is fixed between insulators 7, the outer tube 1 is immersed in cold water 4 and a pump-fed cold water spray 5 plays on the outside of tube 1. A thermally insulating partition 8 separates conduits 11 and 13. The gas mixture ascends central column 2 and descends in the annular space 9. Light gases pass through the porous tube 3 and travel towards hot tubes 2 and through orifices 12, whilst the heavy gases (e.g. CO2) leave by apertures 13. Gases of intermediate density collect in dome 14 whence they are re-admitted to the apparatus or to a second identical apparatus. Pressure in space 10 may be lower than in the rest of the apparatus. In the construction of Fig. 2, a cylinder 17 of porous plugs 18 separates an outer space 19 from a central chamber which the gas mixture enters by pipe 21 and valve 23. A piston 25 with porous plugs 18 is given a rapid suction stroke and a slow compression stroke so that light gases pass through wall 17 and gases with a high rate of diffusion through porous plugs inserted more particularly in the bottom of the cylinder. Residual gases are expelled through valve 24.