Technical Field The invention relates to a liquid eliminator comprising a plurality of blades for separating entrained liquid from a moving gaseous stream.

Background of the Invention In many operations, it is necessary to extract a liquid mist and/or liquid particles, which may also con¬ tain solids, from a gas in which it is suspended ^" or en- ^" trained, either because the gas must be freed of the entrained liquid before the gas can be used, or exhausted to the atmosphere or because the liquid forming the mist is itself useful and comprises a valuable recovery prod¬ uct. Various ^' devices have been employed for removing entrained liquid from gases. Pertinent and illustrative prior art patents include Carrier U. S. Pat. No. 808,897 of 1906; Smith U. S. Pat. No. 1,603,878 of 1926; Smith U. S. Pat. No. 2,643,736; Dinkelacker U. S. Pat. No. 3,338,035 of 1967; Freese et al. U. S. Pat. 3,358,580 of 1967; Regehr et al. U. S. Pat. No. 4,072,478 of 1978; and Arndt et al. U. S. Pat. No. 3,870,488 of 1975. Generally, the prior art devices known to applicants have not pro¬ vided the triple goal of high mist and liquid elimination, high volume throughput and little pressure drop through the eliminator. The patent to Arndt et al. while gener¬ ally effective is subject to certain constraints of economy and efficiency.

Summary of the Invention Blades are provided for separating and trap¬ ping-out entrained liquid from rapidly moving gas. Each blade comprises a pair of oppositely disposed portions of plane curves. Preferably these main arcs are 90° portions of a plane curve, such as a circle. However, these main

arcs can range from 20° to 90°. In certain embodiment smaller secondary arcs extend inwardly from the open end of the main arcs. These secondary arcs are preferably 45 portions. They can, however, be within the range of 0° t 90°. In both cases the 0° arc angle forms a line perpen dicular to the direction of the gas flow when the blade are in an uncanted position.

Each arc extends the full vertical height some times called vertical length, from top end to bottom en of the blade; i.e., the vertical height of the blades ^" com prising an eliminator as viewed in FIGURE 2 so tha trapped liquid flows out of the blades by gravity. I will be recognized that the blades may also be dispose horizontally to accommodate a vertical gas flow. It i further contemplated that the blades may be inclined o canted at various angles in relation to the gas flow t meet the requirements of particular circumstances. Th lateral side edges of the blades at their right and lef extremities in these figures will- be referred to as th "ends", or horizontal ends of the blades. For conveni ence, the width of the blades; i.e., the dimensions be tween the right and left ends as viewed in FIGURE 2 whic is the horizontal length, or length in the direction o fluid movement is referred to, arbitrarily, as the "depth of the blades.

Each blade having the arcuate profile charac terizing the blades of the present invention can b adapted to be supported by a frame in combination with series of other like coacting blades in transversel spaced relation to form a plurality of parallel path between every pair of blades through which the fluid i moved. A mist and/or liquid eliminator comprising thes blades arranged in side-by-side fashion, as more full disclosed below, affords a significantly greater volum throughput of the gas stream with less pressure dro through the eliminator, and with more complete liqui elimination than has been possible with prior art devices.

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Brief Description of the Drawings In the accompanying drawings: ^' FIGURE 1 is an isometric view on a reduced scale of a liquid eliminator comprising a typical assembly and combination of blades of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a modified plan view of three of one form of the many vertically disposed blades as they would be seen looking ;

FIGURES 3, 4, and 5 are top plan views showing blades having three varied modified forms;

FIGURES 6, 7, and 8 are, respectively, top plan views showing blades having modified profiles;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view showing a blade having a rounded or snub nose at the arc intersections; FIGURES 10 and 11 are, respectively, top plan views of perforated plates for holding the blades of FIGURES 3 and 5, respectively.

FIGURE L2 _, is a plan view of a notch spacer, normally made of an angle, for holding the blades of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 13 is a side view of the spacer of FIGURE 12.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment FIGURE 1 illustrates one form of eliminator . apparatus in which blades of the present invention may be mounted and used. This comprises an open-end cabinet having a horizontal top 10, a bottom 11, jointed by two vertical sides 12 so as to leave opposed open ends 13 through which a liquid-laden gas may be forcibly passed. A series of blades generally designated B, standing verti¬ cally, fills the cabinet from top to bottom with the hori¬ zontal lengths of the blades extending from one open end 13 to the other. Spacer brackets 15 fixed to the cabinet adjacent the top 10 and bottom 11 (FIGURE 2) removably grip the ends of the blades (the left end only being shown for illustration) to hold them in parallel, spaced rela¬ tion as shown in FIGURE 2. A center, notched reinforcing bar 14 extends between and is secured to the sides 12 and

has notches in which the midportions of the horizonta ends of the blades B are seated and held steady agains the rush of the gas stream through the eliminator. Th perforated plates as shown in FIGURES 10 and 11, respec tively, can be used in place of spacer brackets and th notched reinforcing bar 14.

In FIGURE 2 blades embodying one form of our in vention are shown in relation to each other as they ar disposed in the eliminator; three blades being arbitraril shown for illustration. In this form each blade B is th same as the others and comprises a sheet of materia formed into an arcuate configuration in the direction o its length, as viewed, to form substantially right,angle bends between the plane curve portions 20 comprising th oppositely disposed arcs. The blades are juxtaposed t one another in uniform, symmetrical, spaced relation t define paths 17 therebetween for the forced rapid movemen of the gas stream in _^ the direction of arrows 21.

Each blade B has mounting means at its horizon tal ends in the form of our invention illustrated herein One mounting means is shown at the left of FIGURE 2. Th blades, resiliently yielding material, are snapped int and secured in the opening 25 of holding brackets 14. Th brackets 14 grip only a limited part of the vertica length of the blade so that there is no loss of surfac area of the blades.

The materials from which blades embodying ou invention are made preferably comprise those which may b shaped such as aluminum, or thermoplastic and thermose resins including also fiberglass reinforced plastics. I is also possible to fabricate from stainless steel o other metallic alloys. The choice of materials will als comprehend cost as well as environmental accomodation a to temperature and the nature of the fluids to which th blades are exposed. Exemplary resins which may be use include polyphenylene oxide, polyvinyl chloride, polyte traflurorethylene, vinylesters and polyesters, and th like. ^τ

The profiles of three embodiments of the blades of the present invention are shown in FIGURES 3, 4, and 5. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, the first embodiment is com¬ prised of a pair of main arcs and a pair of secondary arcs. Each of the main arcs 20 is a portion of a circle ranging from 45° to 90° having a radius R. The secondary arc 22 is a portion of a circle ranging from 0 to 45° having a radius of R/2. The spacing between blades D is normally equal to the radius R. However, this spacing can be varied to effect significant changes in the removal of the entrained mist or liquid. The entrained mist or liquid is comprised of quantities of different size dis¬ crete particles. As the gas and liquid pass through par¬ allel blades centrifugal forces cause the droplets to impinge on the surfaces of the blade and to be removed from the gas stream. By varying the degrees of the arcs, both main and secondary, and by varying the spacing D it is possible to attain maximum efficiencies of removal regardless of the droplet size that may be present in the gas stream.

In the second embodiment, illustrated in FIGURE

4, only one of the secondary arcs is present. In this embodiment the secondary arc can now range from 0° angle to 90° angle. In the third embodiment, illustrated in FIGURE

5, the secondary arcs 22 have been omitted. The choice between the embodiments illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4, and 5 is largely dependent upon the end use application. Thus, the embodiment of FIGURE 3 is preferably used where maxi- mum efficiencies are required in the air pollution control markets. The embodiment of FIGURE 5 is preferably em¬ ployed in cooling tower applications. The embodiments of all figures can be used in any of the known applications depending on the desired objectives. FIGURES 6, 7, and 8 illustrate modified profiles of the basic blade profile shown in FIGURE 3, showing how the angle of intersection of the primary arcs can be varied. FIGURE 8, in particular, represents a particular-

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ly advantageous form wherein the arcs are portions of a oval or ellipsoidal plane curve as defined by lengths and b. The performance of the blades having the oval shaped arcs is fully comparable in efficiency with arc based upon other plane surfaces, such as a circle, whil offering a distinct advantage in that less material i employed in the blades of this profile. It is obviou that the aforementioned second and third embodiments ca be incorporated into these modified profiles. It will be recognized by those skilled in th art to which the present invention pertains that th intersection of the arcs in a sharp projection is onl practical in the case of blades fabricated from metals Where plastic materials are employed in fabricating th blades, a rounded or snubnosed projection is embodied i the blades as illustrated in FIGURE 9. The primary arc 20 intersect or join at projection 28 having a rounde contour and a radius as shown, which is commonly of th order of about 1/4 inch (0.635 cm) to about 5/16 inc (0.79375 cm). These dimensions, however, are not to b considered as limiting. The provision of such rounde projection is more readily within the forming capabilitie of industry and gives a much stronger juncture.

The blades of the present invention provid material and significant advantages over .those heretofor employed. The savings in material of construction is o the order of about sixty (60) percent. Excellent remova characteristics with comparable static pressure drop ar provided in addition to greater flexibility in arrangemen to remove a wider range of droplet sizes.

It is possible for horizontal gas flow applica tions to employ blades embodying our invention of an desired vertical length and the particular length selecte will depend upon the particular circumstances and th desired objectives. By way of example only and withou limiting the present invention, it is practical to emplo blades of 12 feet (3.6576 meters) in vertical length i eliminators where a large volume of gas with light t medium liquid content is to be removed. In installations

where the liquid content of the gas stream is high the vertical length of the blades, in each eliminator cabinet or container having the same number of blades and having its own drainage tray or system, is prudently reduced as for example from 12 feet (3.6576 meters) down to 6 feet

(1.8288 meters) so that the device will not be overloaded with liquid near the bottoms of the blades. The number of blades of the forms and sizes herein depicted that may be most advantageously employed in one eliminator cabinet as suggested in FIGURE 1, reduces itself to a matter of dollars and cents in respect to the cost of the cabinet in one form or another in relation, for example, to the shape and form of duct work employed to lead the liquid laden gas to the eliminators that are required to remove the desired amount or part of liquid content from the carrier gas stream.

FIGURE 10 illustrates a blade holding means for use in an eliminator particularly intended for use in cooling towers. The device comprises a plate 30 having slots 32 into wEicϊT the arcs of the eliminator blades are inserted. The resilient blades snap into place, securely affixing the blade to the perforated plate in a predeter¬ mined position.

FIGURE 11 illustrates a similar blade holding means particularly intended for use in air pollution controls. The ^' means depicted here differs from that of FIGURE 10 only in that the perforated plate 40 contains slots 42 of a differing configuration in order to accomo- date the secondary arcs present in the eliminator blades found preferably for this particular application.

FIGURE 12 illustrates a blade holding means which has been found to be particularly effective. The bracket 30 has openings 32 into which the resiliently yielding blades are readily snapped. The openings 25 have restricted throat entrances 34 to provide a secure fit and are spaced a predetermined distance apart.

FIGURE 13 provides a side view of the bracket depicted in FIGURE 12, the dotted line denoting the level of openings 25.

While particular reference has been made in th foregoing discussion to the employment of particular hold ing means, it will be apparent -that the holding means ca be varied according to the objectives, environment an circumstances encountered.

The eliminator blades of the present invention in all modifications, can include trapping vanes an serrated notches such as are described in U. S. Paten 3,870,488. The radii R and R/2 referred to in connectio with the discussion of the main arcs and the secondar arcs can be varied and the spacing between blades can b likewise adjusted in accordance with requirements o convenience in particular applications or under particula conditions.

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