Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPARGER APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EXTRACTING
PARTICLES
Field of the invention
The invention relates to a sparger apparatus as defined in the preamble of
independent claim 1.
A sparger is used to feed a first fluid such as gas into a second flowing
liquid such as
into a flowing liquid media. It is known in the prior art to use venture
systems, and spargers
comprising porous material such as ceramic, sintered or laser cut holing
systems.
A known problem with spargers is the control of the bubble size of the first
fluid that
is fed into the second flowing fluid and to control the distribution of the
bubbles of the first
fluid in the second flowing fluid. Lack of control results in that tiny
bubbles of first fluid
merge together to create larger bubbles of first fluid or in that large
bubbles of first fluid are
divided to create smaller bubbles of first fluid that possible merge again.
Objective of the invention
The object of the invention is sparger apparatus that provides for a
controlled feed of
a first fluid such as gas into a second flowing liquid such as a flowing
liquid media.
Short description of the invention
The sparger apparatus is characterized by the definitions of independent claim
1.
Preferred embodiments of the sparger apparatus are defined in the dependent
claims
2 to 37.
The invention relates also to a method for extracting particles from a second
fluid as
defined in claim 38.
Preferred embodiments of the method are defined in the dependent claims 39 to
41.
List of figures
In the following the invention will described in more detail by referring to
the figures,
of which
Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the sparger apparatus,
Figure 2 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 1 in partly cut state,
Figure 3 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 1 in partly cut state,
Figure 4 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 1 as cut along plane B-B
in
figure 1,
Figure 5 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 1 as seen from one side,
Figure 6 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 1 as seen from another
side,
Figure 7 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 1 as cut along plane A-A
in
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figure 5,
Figure 8 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 1 as seen from the
downstream
end,
Figure 9 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 1 as seen from yet
another side,
Figure 10 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 1 as cut along plane C-C
in
figure 9,
Figure 11 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 1 as cut along plane D-D
in
figure 9,
Figure 12 shows detail E in figure 11,
Figure 13 shows a pattern in which the opening of the nozzles can be arranged,
Figure 14 is a section view of a second embodiment of the sparger apparatus,
Figure 15 is a section view of a third embodiment of the sparger apparatus,
Figure 16 shows a fourth embodiment of the sparger apparatus as seen from one
side,
Figure 17 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 16 as cut along plane R-
R in
figure 16,
Figure 18 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 16 as cut along plane S-
S in
figure 16,
Figure 19 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 16 as seen from the
downstream end,
Figure 20 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 16 as cut along plane T-
T in
figure 19,
Figure 21 shows detail X in figure 18, and
Figure 22 shows the sparger apparatus shown in figure 16 as seen from the
upstream
end.
Detailed description of the invention
The figures show examples of a sparger apparatus 1 for feeding a first fluid
(not
shown in the figures) into a second flowing fluid (not shown in the figures).
The first fluid can be gas such as air, oxygen, nitrogen, ozone, or carbon
dioxide.
The second flowing fluid can be a flowing liquid media such as effluent,
industrial
process fluid, fresh water, raw water, mine water, process water, water that
contains
substances that requires biological oxygen demand, water that contains
substances that
requires chemical oxygen demand, or water that contains substances often
called total
organic carbons.
The sparger apparatus comprises a hollow tube member 2 defining a straight
duct
flow space 3 having an upstream inlet end 4 and a downstream outlet end 5.
The sparger apparatus comprises nozzles 6 in the straight duct flow space 3.
The nozzles 6 are configured to feed first fluid into second flowing fluid
that is
configured to flow in a direction of flow X in the straight duct flow space 3
from the upstream
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inlet end 4 to the downstream outlet end 5.
The nozzles 6 are provided in a sparger 7 arranged in the straight duct flow
space 3.
The sparger 7 comprises wing elements 8; 9.
The nozzles 6 are provided at the wing elements 8; 9.
The wing elements 8;9 can configured to, for a moment, divide the flow of
second
flowing fluid in the straight duct flow space 3 for example into a laminar
flow or into a
transitional flow.
The openings 10 of the nozzles 6 are distributed at several positions along
the
direction of flow X so that the openings 10 forms upstream openings and
downstream
openings and so that each upstream opening is unfollowed by a downstream
opening in the
direction of flow X.
An advantage of the sparger apparatus is that the wing elements 8; 9 will
protect the
bubbles of first fluid that is fed from the openings 10 of the nozzle 6 into
the second flowing
fluid.
Because of the positioning of the openings 10 of the nozzles 6, bubbles of
first fluid
fed from openings 10 in nozzles 6 upstream into the second flowing fluid will
not merge
with fluid bubbles of first fluid that fed from openings in nozzles downstream
into the second
flowing fluid.
The straight duct flow space 3 does not have to be as long in comparison to
the
sparger 7 as shown in the figures. It is enough that the straight duct flow
space is provided
at the nozzles and at a short section downstream of the nozzles.
The relative number of openings 10 increases preferably, but not necessarily,
in a
direction along the direction of flow X towards the middle of the straight
duct flow space 3
such as towards a longitudinal central axis Y of the straight duct flow space
3. This is
advantageous, because the flow rate is higher at the middle of the straight
duct flow space,
because of the friction between the second flowing fluid and the walls of the
straight duct
flow space at the walls of the straight duct flow space. Therefore shall more
first fluid
preferably be fed at the middle of the straight duct flow space than at the
walls of the straight
duct flow space to achieve an even distribution of first fluid in the second
flowing fluid.
The straight duct flow space 3 has preferably, but not necessarily, a
longitudinal
central axis Y, and the straight duct flow space 3 is preferably, but not
necessarily,
symmetrical around the longitudinal central axis Y of the straight duct flow
space 3.
If the straight duct flow space 3 has a longitudinal central axis Y, and if
the straight
duct flow space 3 is symmetrical around the longitudinal central axis Y of the
straight duct
flow space 3, the openings 10 of the nozzles 6 are preferably, but not
necessarily, arranged
symmetrically about the longitudinal central axis Y of the straight duct flow
space 3. An
advantage of this is more even concentration of first fluid in the second
flowing fluid.
If the straight duct flow space 3 has a longitudinal central axis Y, and if
the straight
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duct flow space 3 is symmetrical around the longitudinal central axis Y of the
straight duct
flow space 3, the wing elements 8; 9 are preferably, but not necessarily,
arranged
symmetrically about the longitudinal central axis Y of the straight duct flow
space 3. An
advantage of this is less turbulence in the second flowing fluid, because the
wing elements
causes less flow rate difference in the second slowing fluid.
If the straight duct flow space 3 has a longitudinal central axis Y, and if
the straight
duct flow space 3 is symmetrical around the longitudinal central axis Y of the
straight duct
flow space 3, the openings 10 of the nozzles 6 are preferably, but not
necessarily, as shown
in figure 13, provided in a pattern 14 defined by several rings 15 having the
center at the
longitudinal central axis A of the straight duct flow space 3, wherein each
ring 15 is provided
at a location along the longitudinal central axis Y of the straight duct flow
space 3 that is
different from the location of the other rings 15 and wherein each ring 15 has
a diameter that
is different from the diameter of the other rings 15. This provides for an
easy and clear way
to form upstream openings and downstream openings and so that each upstream
opening 10
is unfollowed by a downstream opening 10 in the direction of flow X.
The sparger apparatus comprises preferably, but not necessarily, a fluid
distribution
ring 11 surrounding the straight duct flow space 3, and the wing elements of
the sparger 7
comprises preferably, but not necessarily, first wing elements 8 and second
wing elements
9, so that the first wing elements 8 are in fluid connection with the fluid
distribution ring 11,
.. so that by the second wing elements 9 are in fluid connection with the
first wing elements 8,
and so that by the nozzles 6 are provided at the second wing elements 9.
If the sparger apparatus comprises a fluid distribution ring 11 as presented,
the
sparger apparatus comprises preferably, but not necessarily, a fluid inlet 12
in fluid
connection with the fluid distribution ring 11.
If the sparger 7 of the sparger apparatus comprises first wing elements 8 as
presented,
each first wing element 8 extend preferably, but not necessarily, from the
fluid distribution
ring 11 to the middle of the straight duct flow space 3 inclined in relation
to the direction of
flow X, towards the downstream outlet end 5 of the hollow tube member 2. The
first wing
elements 8 are preferably, but not necessarily, in fluid connection with each
other in the
middle of the straight duct flow space 3 such as at a longitudinal central
axis Y of the straight
duct flow space 3. An advantage of this is that it evens out possible pressure
differences
between the first wing elements 8. Each first wing element 8 extend
preferably, but not
necessarily, in an angle between 15 and 75, preferably between 30 and 60 ,
such as about
45 , in relation to the direction of flow X or in relation to a longitudinal
central axis Y of the
straight duct flow space 3.
If the sparger 7 of the sparger apparatus comprises first wing elements 8 and
second
wing elements 8 as presented, the second wing elements 9 extend preferably,
but not
necessarily, between adjacent first wing elements 8. The second wing elements
9 extend
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preferably, but not necessarily, between adjacent first wing elements 8 in an
inclined and/or
curved configuration towards the downstream outlet end 5 of the straight duct
flow space 3
between adjacent first wing elements 8. It is for example possible that the
second wing
elements 9 are in side profile of arc shape or of pointed gothic arch shape.
The second wing
5
elements 9 can form in the direction transverse to the direction of flow X, at
least two,
preferably three or four circular concentric formations in the straight duct
flow space 3 so
that arc shaped intermediate flow spaces 13 or intermediate flow spaces having
the form of
a part of a segment are formed between the first wing elements 8 and second
wing elements
8 of the sparger 7.
If the sparger 7 of the sparger apparatus comprises first wing elements 8 and
second
wing elements 8 as presented, the cross-section of the first wing elements 8
have preferably,
but not necessarily, the shape of an ellipse, a droplet or a vesica piscis. An
advantage of this
is that the first wing elements causes less turbulence in the flow of second
flowing fluid.
If the sparger 7 of the sparger apparatus comprises first wing elements 8 and
second
wing elements 8 as presented, the cross-section of the second wing elements 9
have
preferably, but not necessarily, the shape of an ellipse, a droplet a vesica
piscis, a
parallelogram, a kite, an isosceles trapezoid and similar shapes that are
irregular. An
advantage of this is that the second wing element causes less turbulence in
the flow of second
lowing fluid.
The openings 10 of the nozzles 6 have preferably, but not necessarily, the
shape of a
convex polygon such as the shape of a quadrilateral, a rhombus or a square. An
advantage
of this is that the sharp edges of the openings 10 will make the bubbles of
first fluid smaller
and will facilitate detaching of a bubble of first fluid from the opening 10.
The openings 10 of the nozzles 6 have preferably, but not necessarily, an area
between 3 ium2 and 750 m2 in order to create bubbles of first fluid of small
size.
The nozzles 6 extend preferably, but not necessarily, from the wing elements
8; 9, at
least partly in a direction transversal to the direction of flow X. An
advantage of this is that
the nozzles 10 will locally cause turbulence and/or vacuum in the second
flowing fluid at the
nozzle 10, which facilitates sucking of first fluid from the opening 10 in the
nozzle 6 into
the second flowing fluid flowing in the direction of flow X in the straight
tubular flow space
3. The nozzles 6 extend preferably, but not necessarily, from the second wing
elements 9,
provided that the wing elements comprises such second wing elements 9, at
least partly in a
direction transversal to the direction of flow X. The height of the nozzles 6
can for example
be between 100 and 500 lam.
The openings 10 of the nozzles 6 can alternatively, as in the fourth
embodiment
shown in figures 16 to 22, be at the surface of the wing elements 8; 9.
It some embodiments of the sparger apparatus 1, as in the fourth embodiment
shown
in figures 16 to 22, each second wing element 9 has an elongated upstream edge
18 and an
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elongated downstream edge 19, on one side of the second wing element 9 a first
surface 20
between the elongated upstream edge 18 and the elongated downstream edge 19,
and on the
other side of the second wing element 9 a second surface 21 between the
elongated upstream
edge 18 and the elongated downstream edge 19. In such embodiments the cross-
section of
the second wing elements 9 are formed and dimensioned so that the distance
between the
elongated upstream edge 18 and the elongated downstream edge 19, as measured
along the
first surface 20, is longer than the distance between the elongated upstream
edge 18 and the
elongated downstream edge 19 as measured along the second surface 21. In such
embodiments the openings 10 of the nozzles 6 are provided at the first surface
20 of the
second wing elements 9. An advantage of this is that because the second fluid
flows faster
on the first surface 20 than on the second surface 21, because the first
surface 20 is longer
that the second surface 21, a suction effect is created on the first surface
20 that facilitates
suction of first fluid from the openings 10 in the nozzles 6 in the first
surface 20 of the second
wing elements 9. The cross-section of the second wing elements 9 can be formed
and
dimensioned so that the cross section of the first surface 20 is in the form
of a curve. The
cross-section of the second wing elements 9 being formed and dimensioned so
that the cross
section of the second surface 21 is in the form of a straight line. The first
surface 20 has
preferably, but not necessarily, a ridge 22 so that a first surface section 23
is formed between
the elongated upstream edge 18 of the second wing element 9 and the ridge 22
of the first
surface 20 of the second wing element 9 and so that a second surface section
24 is formed
between the elongated downstream edge 19 of the second wing element 9 and the
ridge 22
of the first surface 20 of the second wing element 9 and the first surface
section 23 is
preferably being free of openings 10 of the nozzles 6 so that the openings 10
of the nozzles
6 are formed in the second surface section 24.
Figures 1 to 12 shows a sparger apparatus having a hollow tube member 2 having
straight duct flow space 3 having the same cross-section form and dimensions
between the
upstream inlet end 4 and the downstream outlet end 5 of the straight duct flow
space 3. It is
however possible that the hollow tube member 2, as shown in figure 14,
comprises a throat
section 16 between the upstream inlet end 4 and the downstream outlet end 5 of
the straight
duct flow space 3, and that the sparger 7 is arranged in the throat section
16. In such case,
the diameter of the throat section 16 is preferably, but not necessarily,
between 99 and 80 %
of the diameter of the straight duct flow space 3 between the upstream inlet
end 4 of the
straight duct flow space 3 and the throat section 16 and between the
downstream outlet end
5 of the straight duct flow space 3 and the throat section 16.
Figures 1 to 12 shows a sparger apparatus having a hollow tube member 2 having
straight duct flow space 3 having the same cross-section form and dimensions
between the
upstream inlet end 4 and the downstream outlet end 5 of the straight duct flow
space 3. It is
however possible that the hollow tube member 2, as shown in figure 15,
comprises an
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enlarged section 17 between the upstream inlet end 4 and the downstream outlet
end 5 of the
straight duct flow space 3, and that the sparger 7 is arranged in the enlarged
section 17. In
such case, the diameter of the enlarged section 17 is preferably, but not
necessarily, between
101 and 120 % of the diameter of the straight duct flow space 3 between the
upstream inlet
end 4 of the straight duct flow space 3 and the enlarged section 17 and
between the
downstream outlet end 5 of the straight duct flow space 3 and the enlarged
section 17.
In the sparger apparatus, the openings 10 of the nozzles 6 are preferably, but
not
necessarily, provided in the sparger 7 so that the sparger 7 is free of
openings 10 of the
nozzles 6 as the sparger 7 is viewed from the upstream inlet end 4 of the
hollow tube member
2, in a direction in parallel with the direction of the flow X, as illustrated
in figure 22. An
advantage of this is that the openings 10 of the nozzles are on the downstream
side of the
wing elements 8, 9 of the sparger 7, because the sparger 7 creates a suction
effect in the
second fluid on the downstream side of the sparger 7 where the openings 10
are. This suction
effect sucks first fluid from the openings 10 of the nozzles 6 into the second
fluid.
In the sparger apparatus, the sparger 7 has preferably, but not necessarily,
an
upstream face (not marked with a reference numeral) that faces the upstream
inlet end 4 of
the hollow tube member 2 and a downstream face (not marked with a reference
numeral)
that faces the downstream outlet end 5 of the hollow tube member 2 so that the
openings 10
of the nozzles 6 are provided in the downstream face of the sparger 7, as
illustrated in figure
19, and so that the upstream face of the sparger 7 are free of openings 10 of
the nozzles 6, as
illustrated in figure 22.
In the sparger apparatus, the openings 10 of the nozzles 6 are preferably, but
not
necessarily, distributed at several positions along the direction of flow X so
that the openings
10 forms upstream openings and downstream openings and so that each upstream
opening
is unfollowed by any part of the sparger 7 in the direction of flow X, as
illustrated in figures
8and 19. An advantage of this is that the first fluid that is fed from the
openings 10 of the
nozzles into the second fluid does not hit the sparger 7 as the second fluid
flows in the
direction of flow X, which for example means that droplets of first fluid are
not destroyed
by the sparger 7. This facilitates creating of a laminar flow of first fluid
in the second fluid.
In the sparger apparatus, the sparger 7 is preferably, but not necessarily, in
fluid
connection with a gas source configured to feed first fluid in the form of gas
into the sparger
7.
In the sparger apparatus, the upstream inlet end 4 of the hollow tube member 2
is
preferably, nut not necessarily, in fluid connection with a fluid source
configured to feed
second flowing fluid containing particles to be extracted and having a
particle size in the
range of 0.2 to 0.3 mm such as 0.25 mm into the straight duct flow space 3 of
the hollow
tube member 2. The particles can for example be macromolecules, complex ions,
colloids or
small particles having a particle size under 10 lam having solid particle
density between 0,8
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and 1,25 kg/liter, and if the particle size is small, such as between 0,1 and
2 lam, the solid
particle density can be between 0,9 and 6 kg/liter. Such particles can for
example be 0,001-
10g/liter, preferably 0,001 to 1g/liter. Gas can for example be fed so that a
layer of 3 to 8um
of gas is formed on the surface of a particle.
The direction of flow X is preferably, but not necessarily, a linear direction
of flow.
The straight duct flow space 3 of the hollow tube member 2 is preferably, but
not
necessarily, vertical so that the upstream inlet end 4 is either arranged
vertically above the
downstream outlet end 5 or so that the upstream inlet end 4 being arranged
vertically below
the downstream outlet end 5, whereby the direction of flow X being a vertical
direction of
flow. An advantage of this is that the provision of such vertical straight
duct flow space 3
effectively prevents the bubbles of first fluid fed from openings 10 in
nozzles 6 upstream
into the second flowing fluid will not merge with fluid bubbles of first fluid
that fed from
openings in nozzles downstream into the second flowing fluid.
The invention relates also to a method for extracting particles from a second
fluid.
The method comprises providing a sparger apparatus 1 according to any
embodiment
described earlier, feeding the second fluid through the straight duct flow
space 2 of the
sparger apparatus 1, feeding first fluid in the form of gas droplets into the
sparger 7 of the
sparger apparatus 1 to cause first fluid in the form of gas to be fed out of
the openings 10 of
the nozzles 6 in the sparger 7 into the second fluid to cause particles in the
second fluid to
attach to gas droplets of first fluid, and extracting gas droplets of first
fluid having particles
attached thereto from the second fluid.
It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that as technology advanced, the
basic idea
of the invention can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its
embodiments
are therefore not restricted to the above examples, but they may vary within
the scope of the
claims.
