GB800932A - Improvements in or relating to the extraction of liquid, such as water, from air or other gases - Google Patents

Abstract

800,932. Separating liquid particles from air and other gases. GODFREY & PARTNERS (HOLDINGS), Ltd., Sir G. Sept. 20, 1954 [June 19, 1953], No. 16945/53. Class 123(3) Extremely finely divided liquid particles suspended in air or other gas, for example those forming the fog produced in the air stream leaving an aircraft air conditioning unit such as that described in Specifications 769,551, 770,430 [both in Group XXVI], 771,756 and 772,473, are removed by first passing the gas through a restricted flow path of such form as to produce coalescence of the particles into larger droplets and then through a zone in which the larger droplets are deposited from the gas stream as a result of the formation of vortices therewithin. The apparatus consists of a two-part cylindrical casing 15, 16 having a gas inlet 13 and outlet 14. The mist-laden gas entering the inlet 13 is guided by vanes 20, 20a, against a cylindrical element 19 made, for example, of glass fibre or porous metal and flows therethrough into an annular space 24, the mist particles coalescing during their passage through the element into larger droplets which are re-entrained in the gas. The gas then flows into the casing section 16 across which extends a number of tubes 30 arranged in staggered rows, the entrained droplets depositing on the downstream sides of the tubes where vortices are set up in the gas flow. Liquid drains from the tubes through holes 31 and discharges from the casing through a pipe 34. If the element 19 becomes clogged with dust or freezes, the build-up of pressure which occurs in the casing section 15 displaces a spring-loaded relief valve 37 to allow for the continued through-flow of air.