Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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h~thod and Apparatus ~g~ Puri~ing Gas~ous Fluids
~x The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for
purifying gases ~y separating the con~minant parti~le~ ~r
fluids ~uch as oils present thereih, comprising ~t least
first and second profile sections ~'or forma~ion o~ at le~t
one separator area, being open in cro~s-section and
t.rough-shaped and arranged in two rows facing each other,
where preferably the ~ree longitudinal edges of the borders
of the fir~t profile se~tions overlap the free longitudinal
edge~ of the border~ of the second profile sections and
where projection~ start at the inner s~rfaces of the
profile sections and extend in the longit~dinal direc~ion~
~he apparatus can comprise an outlet for purifyinq fluid
dispensed by a cleaning device.
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A ~orresponding apparatus is described in EP 0 306 807 Bl.
In this appa~atus, the possib~lity of simple cleaning o~
the separator areas or the elements forming these is given
when the apparatus is easily accessible. This allow~ a
high-pressur~ oleaning device to be used for spraying
p~rl~ying fluid onto the separator areas. The fact that the
profile elements are easily removable means that the
pro~ile el2ments not accessible from the outside can also
be cleaned witho~t difficulty. It is however neGessa~y to
interrupt thé waste air f lo~ during this operation.
Consequently, the ventila~ion facility incorporating the
apparatus must be taken out of service.
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Cleaning can however ca~se pro~lems i~ the apparatus itself
should p~ove no~ to be easily accessible. Since the only
pu~ifying fluids that can be used are those that can be
di~pensed b-~ a high-pressure cleaning device, while the
separated fluids such as oil mists have to be treated, care :
must be taken that the purifying fluid itself does not get
into the collecting vessel holding the separated fluids.
One of the o~jects un~erl~ing the present inventio~ is to
develop a ~ethod ~nd an appa~tu~ of the type de~ribed
above such that problem-f~ee cleaning of the profile
elements can take place reg~rdless of where the apparatus
is installed. Howe~er, a further object of the present
invention is to ens~re by simple measures that treat~ent o$
the separated fluids U~ing the purifying fluid it~elf is
not impaired. In addition~ hould be possi~le to perform
the purification operation without having to take the
ventiiation facility incorporating the apparat~s out of
service, 1.e. the separa~or must remain ln operation during
pu~ification. In particular, however, an increase in the
~ep~rating degree shall be achieved, possibly with
simultaneous cleaning off of the se~aration sur~ace.
According to the ~ethod, ~he problem is ~olved
6ubstantially in that the g~seous fluid to be purified i5
cooled before pas~ing through the separator are~ and/or
fluid is sprayed in~o the fluid. The fluid is cooled here
using ga~ or air to a temper~ture lo~er ~han that of the
fluid.
~he measures in accordance with the invention result in
virtually a nucleation of the particles to be separated in
the gas f low through the separator area as a result of the
spraying of cooling ai~ or fluid. As a result, large
quantitie~ of liquid media are ~eparated at the profile
ele~ent8 the~selves~ WhiCh in turn gener~eS a cleaning
effect. ~hi~ is parti~ularly the case when fluid is
sprayed into the gas to be purified, with the sprayin~
direction for thiS f~id ~eing op~osite to that of the
fluid to be purified.
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In other words, the fluid or air used for additiona1
'condensation" of particles or for cleaning of the profile
elements forming ~he sepa~at~r area are supplied in
coun~erflow to the gaseous fluid~ ~o ~e purified.
It is p~ovided in particular ~hat the fluid to be spraye~
is one that co~prises or contain~ liguid media separated by
the separator area. This ens~res that ~he treat~ent or
disposal o~ the separated fluids such a~ oil is not
impaired by the sprayed fluid, su~h as condenRa~ion or
uri~ying fluid. This measure too re~eal~ that the required
puri~i~ation erfect cian be achieved while ~he fluids are
flowing throu~h the separator, thereby obviating the need
~or an interruption in the operat~on of the ven~ilation
facility incorporating the separator.
Accordi~g to the apparatus, the pro~lem is solved in that
the npparatus has at le~st one spraying device di~pen~ing
certain gaseou~ and/or liquid ~edia for nucleation o~
conta~inant droplets and/or purification of the s~parator
area, said spraying device preferably comprising at leas~
one nozzle that sprays fl~id ahd/or gas such a~ cooled ga~
in a coun~erPlow to the gaseous ~luid supplied to the
apparatu~i for purification.
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Here~ the sprayed fluid - on the one hand used to nucleate
contaminant particle~ to be separated and on the other hand
leading to the cleanlng of the pro~'ile section surface~ by
~lowing along the lat~er - is liquid fluid separated in t~e
apparatus. An agglomerator provided in the f1uid flow can
also be moistened with fluid here, ~hereb~ increasing the
efficiency on the one hand and ensuring on the other hand
th~t the agglomerator cannot dry out.
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The fact that the liquid fluid t~ be sprayed is that which
is also to bfef sep~rated from t~e gas to be purified means
that the p~ifying or nucleation ~luid a~ well a~ the
separated f-luid can be supplied ~o a collecting vessel via
a common pipe. ThiS permits simplified designs. ~t the ~ame
ti~e, the amount o~ fl~id to be di~posed o is greatly
reduced.
Further details, advantages and feat~Qs of the invention
'' are f~lear not only from the claim~ and from the features
I they describef, singly and/or in combination, b~t also from
thQ following description of a preferred embodimen~ shown
in the drawings.
In the~f~f drawings,
Fig. 1 shows a side view of an apparatus mounted in a
housing ~or the separation of fluids with the housing walls
omitted,
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/ Fig. 2 shows the apparatus ac~ording to Fig. 1 in a front
f view,
Fig. 3 shows a p~inciple diagram o~ a ~rther e~bodiment of
an apparatus for separation of fluids, and
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f Fig. 4 shows a principle diagram of a separator array ~ith
, agglomerator.
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In Figs. 1 and 2, an apparatus (10) for purifying gaseous
fluids and for separation of fluids s~ch a~ oils present
therein and of contaminant par~icles present therein,
comprising a housing (~2) and separator areas (14), (16),
~18) and t20) p~ovided therein. The housing (12) is open at
the ends and has an inflow opening ~22) and an outflow
opening (24) designed as a co~neator. The front edges of
the ho~sing (12~ and of the connector (24) have flanges,
not shown in detail, in order to permit installation inside
an existing ventilation system such as a ventilation duct,
for example.
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Th~ separator areas (14), (16), (18) and (20) comprise
fir~t and second pro~ile sec~ions heing open in
cross-section and trough-shaped a~d arranged in rows, where
preferab~y the ~ree longitudinal edges of the borders of
the first profile ~ections overlap t~e free longitudinal
edges of the korders of the 6econd pro~ile sections. In
addition, projections starting in the c~est area of the
inner surfaces and extending in ~he di~ectian of the
profile section openings and along their longitudinal a~es
c~n b~ provided, whereby on the one hand the additional
chambers affecting the fluid flow speed are formed and on
the other hand fixtures are provided for holders to mo~nt
th~ i~divi~ual profile sections detachably, but in exact
pOSition.
~n other words, the profile sections arranged in rows and
for~ing the separator area~ (14), (16), (18) ~nd (20) have
a ~tr~cture as shown in, for examp}e, EP 0 206 204 B1 and
in particular Figs. 1 and 2 thereo~. Regardless of thi~
special embodiment, EP 0 206 204 Bl represents - as do EP 0
306 807 ~l or EP 0 280 160 A1 - a supplementary disclosure
to the present description.
To ensure th~t the separator areas (14), ~16), (18) and
(20~ cannot be flowed round, i.e. bypassed, the interio~
sp~ce (40) surrounded by the ~eparator areas (14), (16),
(18) and (20) is covered by an in~low element such as an
inflow cone (42), by which the fluids to ~e purified are
first guided along the inner ~Jalls (48) of the housing (12)
and then flow through the geparator areas (14), (16), (læ)
and (2~) for~ed by the profile se~tions. ~he purified
fluids th~n pass into the interior (40) and are finally
dispensed from the housing (12) via the outlet connector
(~4).
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The profile sections a~e fastened in moun~ing parts such as
f~a~es, not shown in detail and ~orming the outer limit of
the separator areas (14), (16), (18) and (20). The adjacent
edges then practically form a collecting pipe (50) which
collects media ~uch as oil separated in the separator areas
and flowing due to gravity to the collec~ing pipe (50), and
then passs~ them to an outlet pipe, not shown, ~hich in
turn ~lows into a oollecting vessel. ~he fluids collected
in the ~ollecting vessel can then be p~rified, thereby
permitting a ~ajor reduction i~ the amount of substances
for disposal.
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~he ~parator areas (14~ 6), (18) and (20) are connected
by their mounting parts 6uch as pro~ile strips - not shown
in detail - for mounting the holders for the profile
sections to a back-up tube (52) runni~g coaxially to the
longitudinal axi~ (38) of the housing (12), said back-up
tube in lts turn being supported rotatably by tube ele~e~ts
(54), (56), (58) and (60) ~nd centra~ly on the housing
inner walle, in the central area of the housing surface6.
To permi~ cleaning of the pro~ile sections forming the
separator ~reas (14), (16), (18) and (20), wit~out
necessitating either an interr~p~ion of operation or t~e
removal or opening of an inspection cover provided, and
withou~ the ~eed to u~e a special high-pressure cleaning
device, it is provided in accordance wi~h the invention
tha~ al~ng the corners (62), 164), (66) and (68) of the
housing (12~ pipes (70) and (72) are provided ~rom whiGh
nozzles (74), (76), (78), (80), (82) and (~4) start,
through which the purifying ~luids are dispensed onto the
~eparato~ area6 (14), (16), (18) and (20).
The purifying fluids are ~edia separated by the separator
ar~a6 (14)j (16) (18) and (20), ~t in purified form. Thi6
has the advantage that the purifying media together with
the separated media ca~ be jointly passed to the col~ecting
ve~sel via collecting pipes, and ~hen u~dergo treatment and
purificatio~.
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This has the advantage not only that separation of
purifying fluid and separa~ed ~edia is not necessary, but
also that cleaning of the separator areas can t~ke place
even during operation of the apparatus in accordance wit~
the invention. To increase the efficiency, the purifying
fluid G~m be heated beforehand.
It is of course also possible to provide only one pipe with
cleaning nozzles inside the housing (12), with the
separator ~re~s ( 14), (l~), ( 18) and (20) then having to
pass theEie no221e3 successively. In this case, however, it
would be neces~ary for the element ~or~ing the separator
areas ~14), (16), (18) and (20) to be rotatably mounted. If
clean1ng nozzles are provided along each corner o~ the
h~usi~g (12), however, a rotatable mounting is not
necessary.
~o permit nore efficient cleanin~, the separator areas
~14), (16), (18) and (20) should, in accordance with the
illustration in Fig. 2, be aligned in relation to the
corners (62), (64), (66), (68~ and hence to ~he nozzles
(74), (76), (78) and (80), meaning that normal lines
gtart1ng from the separ~tor areas bisect ~he corners (62),
(64), t66~ ~nd (68).
Fig. 3 5hows a preferred embodiment of a separa~or (88)
provided in a waste air duct (~fi) in a design corresponding
to the apparatus according to ~igs. 1 and 2.
~he ~luid sep~ated by the separator (88) is passed via a
collecting pipe provided in the bottom area of the housing
~86) holding the separator ( 88) to a collecting ves&el (~0)
from which the fluid can be drawn off or drained off in the
usual ~anner for treatment or dispo~al ~e~pectively.
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A pipe (92) starts ~rom the collecting vessel ~90) in
~ccordance with the invention, a~d leads to a spraying
device such as a nozzle (9~) provided in the air intake
duct (96) and through which the gaseous fluids to be
pu:rified are supplied to the ~pparatus (88).
Separated ~luid can now be s~rayed through ~he fllter (9~)
into the gas to be pu~ified, if necessary af~er passin~
throu~h a ~ilter (~8) in a counte~flow. This c~uses a
nucleation of the contaminant particles to be separated
such that large droplets are formed on which contaminant
p~rticle~ too ~an collect and hence be separated by purely
mechanical ~eans ~t the pro~ile sections of the apparatus
(88) that form the separator areas.
~he increased fluid content in the gases ~lowing through
the separator (8) ~imultaneously results in a cleaning of
the profile ~eations themselve~, ~ince the increased fluid
quantity ensures a self-cleaning effect.
Instead of fluid for spraying, cooled gas such as cooled
air ca~ ~e sprayed in a counterflow into the gas to ~e
puri~ied, resulting in condensation of the particle~ to be
separated. This also ~eans that on the one hand the
separating degree i5 in~rea~ed and on the other hand that
cleaning o~ the prof ile sections i8 made possible th~nks to
the increased fluid quantity.
To spray the fluid or gas in a counterflow, a conveying
means such ~s a pump (1~0) is provid~d in the pipe leadi~g
to the nozzle (94) such as an injector.
It is of course not necessary to suppIy flUid or cooled
air continuously to the gas to be purified; this can also :
take place at intervals.
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Fig. 4 shows a fur~her embodi~ent of a sep~rator array
(102) that co~prises several separator areas (104~, (106)
and (108) arran~ed one behind the other. The separator
areas (104), (106) and (108) are designed as described in
the ~oregoing. Regardless of this, the separator ~rray
(102) corresponds in its design to the separator apparatus
described in EP 0 280 160, and accordingly comprises an
agglomerator ~110) for separating in particular
~i~ro-particles too.
To clean or moi~ten the ag~lomerato~ (110), so that it
cannot dry out, a spraying device (112) is provided that is
connec~Qd via a pipe (114) to the collecting vessel (90).
By the arrangemen~ in accordance with the invention, ~he
a~glo~erator (110) is sprayed with the medium that is
separQted at the separator areas ~104), (106) and (108).
This again has the advantage that in spite of moistening
~here is no additional fluid to be disposed of.
Fig. 5 ~hows a further variant of a ~eparator in which a
separYtor are~ (118) is provided in a housing (1~8).
