GB917406A - Method of and apparatus for converting vapours originating from driers or evaporators to the solid state - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0917406/III/1> Water vapour, alone or in admixture with the vapour of a water-soluble substance, from an evaporator or drier, is converted to the solid state by sprinkling the vapour with a finely divided cooling liquid at a temperature substantially below the solidification temperature of the vapour. As shown vapour from a tumbler drier A, which is heated by a hot-air jacket B and/or a heating coil entering and leaving the drier at C, is passed to a condenser connected to a vacuum pump VP where it flows upwardly in a contacting section H countercurrent to descending droplets of a silicone oil from a perforated plate K. The silicone oil droplets, at about -30 DEG C., become coated with ice and fall into a collecting chamber N, the oil becoming separated from the ice by impact with the walls of compartment U or with the surface of liquid in the sump S. Ice crystals are removed from the sump S while the oil at about -5 DEG C. is passed through the perforated bottom R into compartment V to be recirculated by pump P to the chamber above plate K after heat exchange with cooling brine. In another application the vapours and cooling medium may flow in the same direction and the contact section H need not be vertical.