US2480719A - Gas washing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 30, 1949.

Filed f'Aug. 25, 1945 A. R. EARL GAS WASHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug.30,1949. A, REARL 2,480,719

- GASv WASHING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 25, 1945 2 sheets-shee 2 Bf @M9 Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS WASHING APPARATUS Alfred R. Earl, Toledo, Ohio Application August 25, 1945, Serial No. 612,676

This invention relates to an apparatus for washing gases in which gases are periodically drawn into and expelled from the washer by the operation of liquid piston pumps. It may be used for treating producer gas, for cooling, precipitating solids, for rectiiication purposes, or for any other purpose where an intimate contact of a liquid with a gas is required.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention using twin units so arranged that in one unit the gases are being drawn in to the washer, while in the other unit the gases are being washed and expelled therefrom.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic Vview of the controls, the position of the controls being at the position opposite to that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side view Vfrom the left of one pair of units.

Figure 4 is a detailed view of the gas intake control valve, showing the same in closed position.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the pulsation tank, with a part broken away to show the float and guide in sections,

As best shown in Figure 1, the apparatus consists of four tanks operating as two pairs of units. Each unit consists of a pumping tank I and a washing tank 4, connected by a conduit 2; the arrangement being such that, by periodically applying and releasing pressure in tank I, a body of liquid in the tank will be lowered and raised, thus forcing the liquid level to simultaneously be raised and lowered in the washing tank 4, as liquid passes from tank to tank through conduit 2. The liquid thus acts as a hydraulic piston to draw in gases during the lowering period and tov expel and wash them during the rising period. By a system of controls, later to be described, two units' being in pairs, one washer tank is inhaling and the other is exhaling.

The duct 2 enters a bottom opening 3 of a second vertical axis washing tank 4 (Figure 3). Under the practice adopted herein, it is proposed to have the tanks I, 4, in the range of r ft. in diameter, and the connecting duct or conduit 2 about 2 it. in diameter. The upward pitch or inclination of the duct 2 is shown as about 25. For the hydraulic piston, there is volume of liquid, as water 5, such that, with the connecting duct 2 filled and the upper liquid level in the tank 4 not quite to its bottom, the tank I should be nearly full.

There is a throat or restriction E, centered by a spider I at the bottom opening 3 from the tank 4.

1 Claim. (Cl. 2.61-24) During the lowering of the liquid level in the tank 4, this throat 6 acts as a nozzle. Inasmuch as the spider 'I is not fixed in the opening 3, the action is that the throat 6 is lifted sufficiently to permit relatively free back flow of water 5 from the tank I through the duct 2 into the tank 4 through the opening 3. As this iiow to the tank 4 lessens or stops, the spider 'I and the throat 6 settle back to nozzle position.

A breathing chamber 8, into which new gas is drawn and from which it is expelled by the action of the liquid piston, is in tank 4 above the liquid 5. The tank 4 has a partition 9 with a central port IB to the chamber 8. A poppet valve II is upwardly movable to close the port Ill.

The arrangement is such that gas is drawn in through valves II and expelled through perforations in partitions 9 upon which partitions 9 a liquid level is maintained.

To actuate the liquid piston, air under pressure from compressor I4, is supplied to header I5 connected to both tanks through branches I6, which extend to valve chambers I'I. 'Ihe lower side of chambers I'I have ports I8 opening into a connecting pipe I3 and into the top of the tanks I.

In a branch duct I9 from the header I5 is a valve 2() to control compressed air flow from the compressor I4 to a chest 2| for a slide valve 22 (Figures 1, 2). With the valve chambers I'I for adjacent tanks I aligned, a common piston rod 23 may extend therebetween and have fixed on said rod 23 at the region of the chest 2l, a piston in the housing 24. Also xed with the rod 23, one at each chamber I'I, is a piston valve 25 adapted to be moved across the port I8. With the valve 25 opening the port I8 for communication with the branch I5 (Figure 2 at the left) the valve "25 at the port I8'is in its extreme position at the right and opens the tank I pipe I3 for communication through the port I8 with a branch 26 of a header 2I (Figure 1) The header 21 is connected to a main 28 having a valve 29 therein. It is to be noted that the valve 25, connecting the branch I6 to the tank I, cuts off the tank I from communication with the branch 2B in the showing at the left of Figure 2. Conversely, in the showing at the right of Figure 2, the valve 25, as in position to connect the tank I at the right with the branch 26, cuts 01T communication to this tank I from the branch I6. This out-flow of air from the right hand tank I (Figure 2) allows the hydraulic piston to act from gravity for in-flow of liquid from its companion tank 4 (Figure 1 at the right). This means that as the chamber I 2 in E the tank I is of less volume, the chamber 8 above the hydraulic piston in the tank 4 is increased.

Operation of the inlet and exhaust valves described above is elected as follows: At the top of each chamber I a float 39 is arranged in guide 33. To the float is attached a vertical rod 3l whose descent is cushioned by a spring 32. Fixed to rod 3I is an arm attached to fixed collar 34 whose free end is linked with a pivoted L-shaped lever 35. The othery arm of the L operates a valve 22 through the push rod 36 and valve stem 3l. Valve 22 controls flow of pressure fluid to the piston in housing 24 to move the rod 23 to 4 is a duct 39 having a gas supply branch 40 (Figures l, 3) thereto from a hfeader 4I of producer gas. A stem 42 from the valve Ily (Figures 3, 4)- extendsf through packing 4.3. Connected to the stem 42 is. a. eounterweight 44 for approximating a balanced condition forY the valve LI. and its: connected parts. Upon energizing o i an electromagnet 45, the valve It isl closed at the port I0. Sudden throwing of the valve II- isa dampened by a dashpot 46, adjusted by an inlet valve 41, with further cushioning by a helical compression spring 46* about the rodv 42. The; dashpot 46 has an adjustable outlet valve 48 to control or slow down opening, ofA the valve l0.

Electromagnets 45 are energized by closing of switches 5,9, which in turnl are closed by operatingy arms 5I attached to rod- 2'3. Helical springs 5 2 urge the switches to open position, and they are closed by pressure of arms 5I. As` seen in Figure 1, closing oi left hand switch .Il completes a circuit fromline 49, through left switch 59, line 53, right handv magnet45, to line. 54. Onr reverse movement,y left hand switch 5i!v opens,v while at. the righ-t hand. end the other switch 59, will be closed and a circuit. completed from line 49. through the closed switch 511 to a line 53 extending to the left hand magnet 4.5, and from this magnet to;` line 54.` Thusthe, popplet valves are. arranged toropen when theliquid isfalling and to.y close when theliquid is rising in each of tanks 4.. The chamber 8 in which the liquid 5. is rising. toward the4 closedY valve il, builds up( a pressure in. this chamber.. Ball. check valve ports 5 5 are. in the, partition 9 fromthe. chamber 8 outward from. the port I9. The tank 4, upward from the Ralttion 9, hasa 1chamber 56. A liquid, as water 5T, provides .a level in this chamber 56 submerging the, check valves 55 through which valves the gas, under pressure in the chamber 8', may bubble into the chamberl 56'. Besides washingthe gas as bubbling into the chamber 56, the liquid 51 may have discharge through jets 58 in the duct 39 just above the closed' valve II. With the Valve tII closed, there is thus a shallow pool in the lower portion of the duct 39, With the valve. ll

open, this pool is spilled into the chamber 8 with the inrushing raw gas, while the washing action is supplemented by flow from the jets 58.

Liquid to be treated is supplied from a duct El' (Figure 1), to branches 68, which, as shown in Figure 3, deliver to central funnel member 69. The gases, after bubbling through this body of liquid above the partition 9, are drawn off through a duct 6l to a header '66.

In cases of gases to be washed', this washing function is thus accomplished by ther bubbling action, and replenished through the supply pipes 68.

In case the liquid is to be fractionated, provision is made for drawing off the heavier fractions through a line 6I and the lighter fractions through a line 6.3. The heavier liquid may flow through ports 59 into ring chamber 6G, from which it. is drawn oi through the line 6I. The lighter fractions accumulate near the surface of the liquid body and over ow into a pan 62, from whichY they are drawn off by line 63.

Liquid for the hydraulic piston is supplied through a line '13, reducing valve. 14, branch line. l5 and check valves 'I5 b-y the tanks I.

Heavier particles which may be washed from, the gases and get intothe lower portion or tan-ks 4. may be drawn oi trom the lower end of the bend in conduit 2 through pipes H- controlled` by valves 12.

What. is clair-ned and it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

En a. gas treating deviea, a pair of intercom--` nected gas treating units, keach unit comprising a pumping tank and a wash-ing tank, a conduit connecting the lower ends; of said tanks, said con-1 duit andA the lower portion of said tanks being adapted to contain. a body of liquid, means. to periodically supply and later exhaust a pressure gas to and from thev top of said; pumping tank to force said liquid to rise and fall as a hydraulicpiston in said washing tank; a horizontal periorate partition said washing tank with means tofallowgases topass upwardly therethrough but prevent liquid from flowing downwardly,A means for. a gas to bef supplied to the space beneath said partition and` for a liquid tobe` supplied above the. same as a pool, and valve means so ccordi hated with said pressure` gas su-ppiy and exhaust.

f means, that gas is drawn in tol one unit at the same timeA it is being expelledV and. Washed inthe other unit by bubbling through said pool.

' ALF-RED R. EARL.

REFERENCES CITED` The following references are of record in the le oithisv patent.:

UNITED STATES' PATENTS Number Name Date 248,981 Babbitt Nov. l, 1831' '194,166 Oursier May 30, 1905 9323048 Mower Aug'. 24, 1909= 934,205 Nix- Sept. 14, 1909 1,956,390 Klotz' Apr. 24', 11934- 1,986,9 1-3f Anthony, Ji. Jan. 8, 1935 2,061,938 Griswold Nov. 24, 193'6 21,164,976" Wesgerber July 4, 19391V

Images