Patent ID: 11857921
Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF THE STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 18:
19. Apparatus for capturing and converting fumigants, comprising:
first feeding means configured and arranged for feeding a buffer solution into an absorber/scrubber;
second feeding means configured and arranged for continuously feeding an alkyl halide fumigant/air mixture into said absorber/scrubber such that said alkyl halide fumigant/air mixture contacts said alcohol and metal hydroxide buffer solution, wherein at least a portion of said fumigant component of said alkyl halide fumigant/air mixture transfers from said alkyl halide fumigant/air mixture to said alcohol and metal hydroxide buffer solution to thereby create a reaction by which said fumigant component reacts with said metal hydroxide component of said alcohol and metal hydroxide buffer solution to yield a second mixture comprising product alcohol, unreacted metal hydroxide, and a metal halide;
an absorbing drum configured for feeding said second mixture from said absorber/scrubber to said absorbing drum and combining it with a small make-up stream, which contains absorbing alcohol, and a make-up alkali stream, which contains metal hydroxide and alcohol at a certain concentration, to form a discharge stream;
dividing means configured and arranged to divide said discharge stream into an absorbing solution stream and a purge stream, which comprises said unreacted metal hydroxide, said product alcohol and said metal halide;
return means configured and arranged to return said absorbing solution stream into said absorber/scrubber; and
separating means configured and arranged for continuously separating said metal halide from said purge stream to yield solid metal halide.