Background Art In general, heat-using equipment generates exhausted gas as a result of energy consumption. Methods and equipment to treat exhausted gas containing contaminants to cause pollution have been suggested.

Figure 2 is a circuit diagram showing a general process of purifying exhausted gas, wherein a processing chamber (100) comprises an entrance (101) and an exit (102) and processed materials are heated and treated by passing through the processing chamber (100). An exhaust duct (111A), which absorbs high-temperature exhausted gas in the processing chamber (100) by the operation of a blower (111B), is positioned above the processing chamber (100) and the exhaust duct (111A) is positioned on a processing apparatus (110) so that contaminants in exhausted gas can be treated.

The processing apparatus (110) comprises a cyclone-shaped wet-scrubber main body (111), a water nozzle (115) is positioned inside the wet-scrubber main body (111) for injecting water, and a mist filter (116) is located on the top of the water-injection nozzle (115). The water-injection nozzle (115) is directed to a water-storage tank (112) and a suction pipe (113), and a pump (113A) is provided on the suction pipe (113) so that water on a water-storage tank (112) can be provided to the water-injection nozzle (115) by the operation of the pump (113A).

A gas discharger (111A) is positioned on the top of the wet-scrubber main body (111) and a blower (111B) is provided on gas discharger (111A) so that gas in the wet-scrubber main body (111) can be discharged from the gas discharger (111A) by the operation of the blower (111B). A drain pipe (114) connected to the water-storage tank (112) is positioned on the lower part of the wet-scrubber main body (111).

In such a conventional purifier for treating exhausted gas, high-temperature exhausted gas in a processing chamber (100) is flowed into an exhaust duct (111A) by the operation of a blower (111B), and the flowed high-temperature gas is discharged into a wet-scrubber main body (111). The exhausted gas discharged into the wet-scrubber main body (111) is watered from a water-injection nozzle (115) to separate gas from contaminants. The separated gas is flowed through a mist WO 01/37975

filter (116) and then discharged from a gas discharger (111A) while the contaminants is flowed through a drain pipe (114) connected to a wet-scrubber main body (111) and then stored in a water-storage tank (112). Then, for further treatment, this wasted water is delivered to a tank car (117) through a drain pipe (112B) of a water-storage tank (112) having a drain valve (112A).

However, a conventional purifier for exhausted gas has low efficiency since it absorbs and removes contaminants in exhausted gas by means of water injection, and requires sizable space for installation and use.

Further, a conventional purifier increases manufacturing cost since it needs additional parts and equipment such as water-storage tanks, injection nozzles, pumps, etc.

Disclosure of the Invention Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a purifier for removing contaminants in exhausted gas, which has a simple structure and high efficiency.

In order to accomplish the object, the purifier according to the present invention comprises a purifier main body empty to contain liquid, having a suction duct on one side and an WO 01/37975

exhaust duct on the other. Further, a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber are formed by a separator inside the purifier main body, the first chamber having a suction duct, the third chamber having an exhaust duct with a mist filter, and a drain pipe with a drain valve being positioned on the bottom of the purifier main body.

The purifier main body whose cross-section is polygonal comprises a separator on the inside top, the separator further comprising a downward first wall dividing a first chamber with a suction duct and a third chamber with the exhaust pipe, a second wall and a third wall similarly formed in a similar shape of the upper part of a purifier main body at the bottom end of the first wall, and a forth wall and a fifth wall extended downward from the ends of the second wall and the third wall to form a second chamber.

The vertically downward length of the second wall herein is longer than that of the third wall.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figures la, lb, lc, and ld describe an overall structure and functions of the present invention.

Figure la is a diagram showing an equilibrium state.

Figure lb is a diagram showing an initial operation.

Figure lc is a diagram showing a continuous operation.

Figure ld is a diagram showing a halted operation.

Figure 2 is a circuit diagram showing a general process of purifying exhausted gas.

Reference Numerals 1 : purifier main body 11 : suction duct 12 : exhaust duct 13 : drain valve 14 : drain pipe 2 : first chamber 3 : second chamber 4 : third chamber 5 : separator 51 : first wall 52 : second wall 53 : third wall 54 : forth wall 55 : fifth wall 6 : mist filter Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention Next, a detailed description will hereinafter be given of a purifier according to the present invention, with reference to the drawings.

Figs. la to ld show an overall structure of the current invention. According to the present invention, a purifier main body (1) empty to contain liquid has a suction duct (11) on

one upper side for absorbing exhausted gas and an exhaust duct (12) on the other upper side for releasing gas which is absorbed and treated inside the purifier main body (1).

The inside of the purifier main body (1) is divided by a separator (5) into room with the suction duct (11) and room with the exhaust duct (12), thus forming a vertical first wall (51) separating a first chamber (2) with the suction duct (11) from a second chamber (3) with the exhaust duct (12). The bottom end of the first wall (51) is divided into a second wall (52) and a third wall (53). The second wall (52) and the third wall (53) extend downward to form a forth wall (54) and a fifth wall (55), thereby forming a second chamber (3). In this case, the forth wall (54) and the fifth wall (55) remain immersed in washing liquid.

In other words, the first wall (51) is located between a first chamber (2) having a suction duct (11) and a third chamber (4) having the exhaust duct (12), the second wall (52) and the forth wall (54) are located between the first chamber (2) and the second chamber (3), and the third wall (53) and the fifth wall (55) are located between the second chamber (2) and the third chamber (4).

A drain pipe (14) is positioned on the bottom of the purifier main body (1), which is divided by the separator (5) into several sections, so that the washing liquid inside the purifier main body (1) can be discharged. For opening and

closing, a drain valve (13) is positioned on a drain pipe (14).

The separator (5) divides space in the purifier main body (1) whose cross-section is preferably in the shape of polygon to increase purifying efficiency of the separator. It is also preferable to make the vertically downward length of the forth wall (54) longer than that of the fifth wall (55). The third chamber (4) has a mist filter (6) so that minute particles and other impurities in gas flowed through the first chamber (2) and the second chamber (3) can be totally removed, and the exhaust duct (12) comprises a blower (not illustrated herein).

Operations and features of the invention will be explained from the following description.

As seen in Fig la, on an initial operation, pressures P1, P2, and P3, temperatures Tl, T2, and T3 and water levels L1, L2 and L3 respectively at the chambers (2), (3), and (4) remain in a equilibrium state.

In this state, if high-temperature exhausted gas is flowed through the suction duct (11) of the purifier main body (1) into the first chamber (2), pressure Pl and temperature Tl in the first chamber (2) are rising as seen in figures lb and lc, with P1>P2>P3 and T1>T2>T3. Water-levels Ll, L2, and L3 at chambers (2), (3), and (4) are also changing to Ll<L2<L3.

Cooling and condensation occur simultaneously because the

first wall (51), the second wall (52) and the forth wall (54) contact each other.

When the water level at the first chamber (2) continues to lower to the end of forth wall (53), spontaneous opening causes the exhausted gas in first chamber (2) to infiltrate into the washing liquid in the second chamber (3). The exhausted gas generating bubbles is absorbed to the washing liquid, buoyed, and released into the second chamber (3).

The released gas pushes stagnating air, contacts the forth wall (54) and the second wall (52), thereby raising temperature, containing water, and making an ascending air current due to difference in gas density. Then, the gas moves along the third wall (53) and the fifth wall (55) at lower temperature, thereby absorbing and removing contaminants in state of liquid, which has been cooled and condensed in exhausted gas.

The gas moving along the fifth wall (55) is absorbed into the washing liquid in the third chamber (4), buoyed and then discharged into the third chamber (4). The discharged gas flows through a mist filter (6) positioned in the third chamber (4) so that minute particles and other impurities can be filtered. Consequently, gas without contaminants is discharged from the exhaust duct (12).

Industrial Applicability

As apparent from the above description, the present invention removes contaminants in exhausted gas by repeatedly cooling and condensing them, and thereby changing their state from air to liquid when contaminants go through walls.

Therefore, the present invention is more efficient and requires less manufacturing cost than a conventional method of absorbing water because it doesn't need additional parts such as washing -liquid storage tanks, injection nozzles, pumps, etc.

Further, the purifier according to the present invention has such a simple structure and a small size that it enhances space efficiency.