Patent ID: 6797246
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: B01D,F24C,H01L,Y02A,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of recirculating cleaned and neutralized air into a confined environment to retain a substantial portion of a thermal energy content of the air which was originally drawn from the confined environment as part of an exhaust flow which also includes gaseous and particulate contaminants, said method comprising:establishing the exhaust flow of the air and contaminants from within the confined environment, the air of the exhaust flow having the thermal energy content; liquid scrubbing contaminants from the exhaust flow; moving the flow in a curved path to force any liquid mist introduced into the flow by the liquid scrubbing to coalesce into liquid by centrifugal force caused by moving the flow in the curved path; removing the coalesced liquid from the flow; removing any odor from the flow after the coalesced liquid has been removed; catalytically converting gaseous contaminants remaining in the flow into benign gaseous constituents after the coalesced liquid has been removed; retaining a substantial portion of the thermal energy content of the air withdrawn from the confined environment while liquid scrubbing the contaminants, coalescing liquid mist, removing the liquid, removing odor and catalytically converting gaseous contaminants; and discharging the flow with the retained thermal energy content back into the confined environment after the odor has been removed and the gaseous contaminants have been catalytically converted into the benign gaseous constituents.