Patent ID: 9504946
Filing Date: 2016-11-29
CPC Classification: B01D

Claim Text:
1. A method for separating droplets of finely aerosolized elemental mercury from a gaseous stream in which the droplets are dispersed, comprising: contacting a metallic capillary surface with said gaseous stream, causing said droplets to deposit on said surface and by capillary action to coalesce with other of said droplets to form increasingly large drops of mercury, wherein the metallic capillary surface is comprised of braided strands of metal wire, the metal wire being made of a precious metal or a combination of precious metals, or the metal wire being made of a non-precious metal which is coated with a precious metal or a combination of precious metals; and wherein the said surface is oriented to allow the mercury drops to flow by gravitational forces and capillary action to the lowermost portion of said surface where it accumulates.