MXPA99007495A - Apparatus and method for removing entrained liquid from gas or air - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for removing liquid entrained or dissolved in gas from the gas which includes a distributor (82) located proximate an inlet region of a bed (74) containing a network of channels bounded by solid material having sharp protuberances, so as to cause the liquid entrained in the gas to condense, for directing the gas through said bed (74). A collector (87), located proximate an outlet region of said bed (74), is operative to collect the liquid that has condensed in the bed (74) and to direct the gas which emerges from the bed (74) away from the bed.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ELIMINATING THE TRAPPED AND DISSOLVED LIQUID IN GAS OR AIR FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for removing gas and air from trapped and dissolved liquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known in the art how to move a gas through a filter bed so as to eliminate suspended impurities. However, the accumulation of impurities in the filter bed tends to plug or occlude the bed and to inhibit the additional gas flow. In addition, moisture trapped in the gas tends not to precipitate in the filter bed. Filtering beds of desiccant materials such as silica gel or calcium chloride have been used in U.S. Patent No. 3,465,503 issued to Henderson and in U.S. Patent No. 913,325, issued to Touzimsky. In this latter patent, the air flow is around the outer side of a central cylinder of the desiccant bed. Materials such as, for example, glass fiber and steel mesh are known for use in the removal of a gaseous stream from trapped but not dissolved liquid. The Patent of P1462 / 99MX United States No. 5,061,300 issued to Alexander, III, describes a coalescing filter that removes liquid from the air. It depends on passing the air first upwards through a metallic fibrous material for coalescence and then down through a filtering material. Canadian Patent No. 1,125,671 issued to John R. McKenzie, discloses an apparatus for filtering out moisture and impurities from natural gas using as a filter a gravel bed and a series of metal baffle plates to inhibit gas flow. Gravel particles greater than one inch are used. The bed is such that filtration is only achieved without any reduction in the spray point. In this way, the liquid dissolved in the gas is not eliminated, which leaves significant moisture in the gas. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for removing gas from liquid trapped and dissolved in the gas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, an apparatus is provided for removing gas trapped or dissolved in the gas from a gas. The apparatus includes a distributor located close to the P1462 / 99MX input region of a bed containing a network of channels limited by non-porous solid material having sharp protuberances so as to cause the liquid to condense. Also included is a collector located close to the exit region of the bed and which operates to collect the liquid that condensed in the bed and direct the gas that emerges from the bed away from it. Previous efforts have eliminated fog or moisture not dissolved in the air but not dissolved moisture. As a result, the present apparatus causes the reduction in the dew point of the gas passing through the device. The non-porous solid material may be formed by particles and, in fact, may be gravel. An additional refinement that increases the efficiency of liquid extraction is to mix sand with gravel. The conduction means or direction can be a plate having an array of holes through which the gas can pass so as to distribute the gas over substantially the entire cross-sectional area of the bed. The collection means may include a means for applying gravitational force to the liquid, so as to cause it to move in a direction away from the gas flow. Preferably, the apparatus may include a P1462 / 99MX housing that has an entry chamber, a filtering chamber and an exit chamber. The inlet chamber may have a gas port to admit gas therein and a distributor at the inlet end of the bed to distribute the gas in the cross-sectional area of the bed. Advantageously, the housing can be a cylindrical tank. In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for removing from the gas liquid trapped or dissolved in the gas, which includes directing the gas through a bed containing a network of channels limited by non-porous solid material having sharp protuberances. which cause the liquid trapped in the gas to condense and to collect the liquid that has condensed and to direct the gas that emerges from the bed away from it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The novel features that are considered characteristics of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the same invention, as well as other features and advantages thereof, will be better understood by referring to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: Figure 1 is a sectional view P1462 / 99MX transversal and in elevation of a vertical arrangement DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODE Referring to Figure 1, the vertical orientation of an apparatus for separating liquids from gases and air in which the cylindrical tank 70 has three regions is shown. The first region is an inlet chamber 72 separated by the plate 71 of the second region which is the filter or filter section 74. The filter section 74 is separated by the plate 81 of the third region which is the outlet chamber 76. The inlet tube 78 forms a passage for gas or air to the inlet chamber 72. The tube 80 having an inlet near the closed end of the inlet chamber 72 provides fluid communication between this latter chamber and the section filtering 74, by means of a plurality of 1/2 inch orifices 82 spaced one inch apart at the other end of the tube 80. The filter section 74 is filled with the gravel bed, where the gravel particles in the range of 1 / 4 inches in diameter are mixed with sand. The amount of sand can range from being almost negligible to any desired amount that can be selected to provide the required drying efficiency as it is balanced or compensated against the allowable pressure drop from inlet to outlet. The plate 81 P1462 / 99MX has a central portion with an array of holes 84 of 1/2 inch through it and an annular array of holes 86 around the outer side. Below the holes on the outer side there is a tubular baffle 88 which extends into the outlet chamber 76. A collector 87 in the lower part of the outlet chamber 76 collects the condensed liquid. A tube 91 near the top of the outlet chamber 76 provides the gas outlet while near the bottom there is a tube 92 designated as a passage or conduit for the separated liquid. In this case, the gas or air enters the tube 78, fills the inlet chamber 72 and enters the upper part of the tube 80. Normally, the pressure in the chamber 72 is in the region of 800 to 1200 psi. The gas then passes through the orifices 82 to the gravel bed of the filter section 74. As a result of passing over the sharp edge regions of the granules, the liquid trapped and dissolved in the gas condenses and flows outwardly and down. The liquid passes through the orifices 86 and towards the bottom of the outlet chamber 76, where it flows out of the tube 92 when it reaches the level of the outlet nozzle 93. The clean gas emerging through the orifices 84 comes out through the exit port 90 of the tube 91 with very little pressure drop with respect to the pressure in the P1462 / 99MX inlet chamber 72. In addition, after passing through the apparatus, the gas dew point is reduced, indicating that the trapped and dissolved liquid is being removed from the gas. It has been found that the efficiency of gas liquid separation depends directly on the amount of sand in the gravel bed. For example, with natural gas, the sand reduces the moisture content of the gas from 7 pounds per one million cubic feet that is obtained without sand to less than 2 pounds per million cubic feet, which is obtained with a significant amount of sand . While it has been found that sand and gravel work well in separating liquid from a gas, other types of arrangements can be used. For example, plates with perforated nozzles or single-hole or multi-orifice devices can be used. In a similar way, glass particles broken with fines or with any other granular material could be used. Regardless of whether the structure of the particles is disordered or ordered. Materials that do not work as well, would include porous materials such as volcanic rock. The important issue is that the bed contains a network of channels limited by solid non-porous material that has sharp protuberances. It is not required to significantly cool the gas at the entrance to P1462 / 99MX the output to obtain condensation. While the separation by gravity of the condensed liquids has been revealed in each of the modalities described above, cyclone or velocity separation systems could be used. In the present embodiments, particle sizes of the order of 1/4 inch have been described. However, the preferred size range depends on the gas flow velocities. In accordance with the above, insofar as this invention has been described with reference to the illustrative modalities, it is not intended that this description be interpreted in a limiting sense. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to this description. Therefore, it is contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or modalities that fall within the true scope of the invention.

P1462 / 99MX

Claims (15)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following CLAIMS is claimed as property; 1. Apparatus for removing liquid trapped and dissolved in a gas, the apparatus has a housing with a gas inlet, a gas outlet and a fluid outlet, comprising: (a) a distributor located in a manner close to the inlet gas; (b) a bed in the housing containing a network of channels limited by solid and non-porous material having sharp protuberances, so as to cause the liquid trapped and dissolved in the gas to condense, the distributor operates to disperse the gas that comes from the gas inlet at one end of the bed; (c) a collector located close to the exit region of the bed, which operates to collect the liquid that has condensed in the bed and to direct the gas that emerges from the bed away from the bed and toward the gas outlet.
2. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-porous solid material is formed of particulates.
3. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-porous solid material is gravel. P1462 / 99MX 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-porous solid material is gravel mixed with sand. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distributor is a plate having an array of holes through which the gas can pass, so as to distribute the gas over substantially the entire cross-sectional area of the bed. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collector is located so that gravitational force is applied to the liquid to cause it to move in a direction away from the flow of gas entering the gas outlet. 7. according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a gas inlet chamber and a gas outlet chamber, wherein the gas inlet is located in the gas inlet chamber to admit gas therein and the gas inlet chamber. Gas outlet is located in the gas outlet chamber to drive the gas from it. 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the housing is cylindrical. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a housing axis is horizontal and the collector is located vertically below the bed when the apparatus is in operation. 10. A method to remove fluid P1462 / 99MX trapped and dissolved in a, comprising: (a) directing the gas through a bed containing a network of channels limited by non-porous solid material having sharp protuberances, which cause the liquid trapped and dissolved in the gas condense without absorbing liquid; and (b) collecting the liquid that condensed and directing the gas that emerges from the bed away from it. 11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the non-porous solid material is formed by particulates. 12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the non-porous solid material is gravel. 13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the non-porous solid material is gravel and sand. A method according to claim 10, including a manifold mounted at the inlet to the bed to distribute to the gas in the inlet region. 15. A method according to claim 10, including a collector near the outlet of the bed, located to collect the condensed liquid in the bed. P1462 / 99MX