Multicellular reactor with liquid/gas phase contacts

A reactor apparatus for contacting a gas with a liquid including geometrically patterned cells connected in series to generate narrow and large areas with connecting neck portions wherein the flow of gas is reversed to create turbulent gas flow which produces suspension of liquid droplets and liquid/gas emulsions and which creates internal recycling of the liquid as the liquid flows through the cells.

The present invention relates to a gas/liquid phase contactor which 
utilizes the following three aerodynamic and hydraulic phenomena hereafter 
referred to as Effects 1, 2 and 3: 
1. Pelling off the boundary layers of gas and of liquid. 
2. Reversal in the direction of flow of the jets of gas with creation of 
gas/liquid droplets and emulsions. 
3. Suspension of droplets and emulsions in the jets of gas with recycling 
thereof in a given geometrical volume. 
The present invention is not an improvement over known gas/liquid transfer 
systems but a new assembly which meets the requirements of gas/liquid 
contacting by controlling aerodynamic and hydraulic effects on a 
macroscopic scale. 
The known apparatus for achieving gas/liquid contacting are classified in 
several categories, namely: 
(A) Filling-in, filling-up, etc., with flowing of liquid 
(B) Tuyeres, venturis, gates and plates, etc. 
(C) Pulverization chambers. 
These apparatus function according to different principles including the 
following: 
(A) Generation of a maximum turbulence of gas on a large support surface on 
which the liquids are flowed but without removing the layer of liquid from 
the support surface. 
(B) Dispersion of the gas in the liquid through the dynamic energy of the 
gaseous currents. 
(C) Dispersion of the liquid under pressure in the gas. 
Previously known devices have not provided control of all of the following 
parameters: 
GAS LIQUID INTERFACE AREA 
LIQUID FLOW/GAS FLOW 
PRESSURE ENERGY IN GASES OR LOSS OF CHARGE 
PRESSURE ENERGY IN THE LIQUIDS 
RATE OF LIQUID RECYCLING 
FLOW CONTROL OF JETS OF GAS OR UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION OF THE GAS FLOW 
UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION OF THE LIQUIDS 
CAITY FOR PROCESSING 
POLYVALENCY OF FUNCTION WHEN FACING VARIOUS PROBLEMS SUCH AS CLEANING, GAS 
WASHING, ADSORPTION OR ABSORPTION, LIQUID ENRICHMENT, HEAT TRANSFER, ETC. 
CLOGGING AND EASY, COMPLETE DISASSEMBLY 
INITIAL COST 
ABILITY TO ECONOMICALLY OBTAIN RATIOS OF GAS/LIQUID TRANSFER IN THE 
VICINITY OF 1. 
The present invention provides a device permitting simultaneous or 
independent control of the above-mentioned parameters. 
The present invention permits control of the Effects 1, 2 and 3 which 
include pelling off, reversal and suspension, as discussed above, to 
control the liquid recycling, without dripping effect but with controlled 
flowing back. 
Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide a novel 
reactor. 
Another object of the present invention is to generate geometrically 
patterned cells of specific type, shape and size to accomplish the desired 
liquid/gas contacting. 
An additional object of the present invention is to generate an assembly of 
specific arrangements of geometrically patterned cells which utilize 
pelling off, reversal and suspension effects to process desired volumes of 
gas and liquid. 
A further object of the present invention is to generate an assembly of 
cells of specific arrangements to provide repeated gas/liquid transfers.

According to the present invention, the gases to be treated, with or 
without any enrichment of the washing-liquid, pass through the channels 
which are preferably vertical and include panels arranged opposite each 
other. The panels are systematically counter-folded according to 
preferential angles described hereafter to provide passages which are 
horizontal, rectilinear and perpendicular to the direction of flow of the 
gases. The object of such an arrangement being to generate, between the 
gases and the liquid, aerodynamic whirling effects with internal recycling 
of the liquid in each cell. A certain adjustable proportion of the liquid 
which is recycled in flowing back in each cell is adjustable and depending 
on the ratio of gas flow to liquid flow and on the volume between each 
panel at the neck of the patterns. 
According to the present invention the patterns on the walls of the cells 
are used in opposed or symmetrical pairs as shown in FIG. 6 with two 
panels at a distance "e" with 0&lt;e&lt;5a where "a" is the thickness of the 
patterns as shown in FIG. 6. The patterns are joined together in panels 
comprising at least two complementary patterns as suggested in FIG. 7. The 
patterns are offset in relation to each other with 0.ltoreq.h&lt; length of a 
pattern as shown in FIG. 3. 
The panel disposition according to the present invention are also 
characterized in that the volume of gas V which must be completly treated 
is divided into "n" identical volumes by n + 1 panels which create similar 
pressure and flow characteristics. Each volume V/n of gas must not 
communicated with contigeous chanel for panels comprising at least two 
patterns. 
These patterns are characterized by convergent and divergent portions 
separated by a neck portion, such as shown in FIGS. 5a through 5e and 
described hereafter. A cell is definited by area comprising between two 
necks in a vertical direction and the two patterns of concomittent panel 
in the other direction. The liquids flow in the cells from the top and 
downwardly due to gravity thereby providing contact with the gases in the 
cells as indicated in FIG. 9. 
A reactor according to the present invention produces the following 
phenomena, as indicated in FIG. 9, within each cell: 
91. Pelling off effect of the layer of the liquid film at the neck or 
narrowing (initiation of Effect 1 cited above), 
92. Generation of a separating jet of gas, 
93. Generation of a liquid pool which permits a jet of air 92 to penetrate 
beneath it and yet remain stable (the end of Effect 1 cited at the 
beginning of the text), 
94. Creation of a second surge of liquid through the jet of gas 92, 
95. Generation of two recycling areas 95' and 95" with two jets of 
turbulent gas behind liquid pools 93 and 94, 
96. Recycling of the jet of turbulent gas 95' in opposition to the jet of 
gas 92 (beginning of Effect 2 cited at the beginning of the text), 
97. Generation in the turbulency described in 96 of a liquid/gas emulsion 
recycled at 98, 
98. Vanishing area of the emulsion 97 (the end of Effect 2), 
99. The same as at 8, 
100. Suspending the droplets and emulsions in the main jet, (Effect III 
cited at the beginning of the text). These phenomena in 100 are linked 
together during pulsatory or stabilized regimes depending on the 
configuration of the apparatus. 
Thus, the invention produces the generation of these effects within the 
channels formed by two panels facing each other on a level with 
geometrical patterns forming narrowed areas or necks between widened areas 
called cells. 
The dynamic damping reactions of the present invention are similar to those 
generated in the neck of a standard cylindrical Venturi with effects of 
differential pressure keeping the liquids in suspension in the gases. The 
reactions generated during mixing are provided by the phenomena of 
turbulence of the "trail" type on or behind the wing of an aircraft. 
The present device provides continuous repeating patterns generating these 
"Venturi" and "trail" effects which can be repeated as many times as 
necessary to achieve optimal output in gas purifying or in liquid 
enrichment. Since the repeating patterns are continuous, clogging due to 
deposits, sedimentation or trapping are practically eliminated. 
Several panels of these patterns can be arranged in one and the same 
supporting enclosure to achieve separate and different purifying or 
enrichment reactions. 
The supporting enclosure 14 includes an external envelope to contain the 
panels. Two opposite lateral surfaces of the supporting enclosure, which 
are perpendicular to the panels, have ridges 15 to position the panels 1 
through 7 without necessitating any welding or fasteners thereby providing 
a constant spacing of the neck portions and cells. This arrangement 
permits simple replacement of a single panel when necessary. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the device consists of six counter-folded vertical 
panels 1 through 6, which provide three median channels of gas/liquid 7, 8 
and 9, wherein the liquid flows downwards in the direction of arrows F 
while the gas flows in the direction of the arrows F1. The channels 7, 8 
and 9 are separated, for example, at each side, from each other by heat 
exchanger channels 10, 11, 12, 13 through which air or a heated liquid 
flow in the direction of arrows F2. 
The external envelope made of metal or any other material is shown at 14, 
said envelope carrying longitudinal box-pleats 15 designed to embed the 
counter-folded panels 1, 2, 3 etc. and delimit and keep constant the 
spaces between the patterns of the parallel panels. 
A reactor according to the present invention includes an assembly of 
vertical parallel panels 1 to 6 with each panel folded, shaped or molded 
according to shapes which repeat along the axis O-Y of each panel as shown 
in FIG. 3. Each shape is repeated along the length of a panel with each 
shape forming a pattern by the translation of the shape along an axis O-X, 
as shown in FIG. 3, perpendicular to the axis of the panel. 
Each pattern has a depth "a" called the thickness of the panel as shown in 
FIG. 3 and described in more detail hereafter. 
The number of times the pattern is repeated determines the number of the 
cells 16 and necks 17 which in turn establishes the internal primary 
recycling of the washing or enrichment liquids, as well as the total 
output gas/liquid contact to be obtained. 
The patterns of each panel correspond to the adjacent panel with the 
patterns being vertically offset by a distance "h", as shown in FIG. 2. 
The distance "e" between adjacent panels, as shown in FIG. 2, depends on 
the shape of the pattern and the type of liquid to be introduced into the 
gases such as single liquids, fluidized beds, charge liquid, etc. and is 
selected to optimize the aerodynamic effects of the adjacent patterns of 
the various panels. The distance "e" is such that 0&lt;"e"&lt;5 a, where "a" is 
the thickness of the panels and "e" is normally less than 20 mm. 
The offset "h" as shown in FIG. 2 between adjacent panels depends on the 
type of damping, recycling, liquid and the ratio of the flow of the 
liquids from one pattern to another. The offset "h" is selected so that 
the aerodynamic effects add to each other in order to provide maximum 
damping. The length "h" of the offset ranges between zero and the length 
of a pattern; however, it will normally be less than 30 mm. 
"e" depends also of the proportion sought between the quantity of liquid 
and the quantity of gas to be processed is function of the rate of the 
internal recycling of the same liquid within the pattern. Internal 
recycling depends on the concentration of the gaseous bodies and aerosols 
to be recovered in the gases. All this in such a manner that the speed "v" 
of the gases within the necks 17 normally ranges between 0.5 and 100 
meters per second. 
Referring to FIGS. 4a through 4d, which show various embodiment of the 
panels, it can be seen that each pattern has three curved elements 
including a lower curve "A", an upper curve "B" and the equivalence of a 
point of inflection "c". At the point of inflection, the tangent "ta" of 
the lower curve forms an angle "d" with axis O-Y of the panel with angle 
"d" ranging from 0.degree. to 90.degree. and the tangent "tb" of the upper 
curve forms an angle "e" with the axis O-Y of the panel with angle "e" 
ranging from +90.degree. to -90.degree.. 
The gases and the liquids come into contact at each point of inflection 
with the aerodynamic effects occurring at these points in the flowing 
direction of the gases. 
The volume between two consecutive points of inflection of a panel and the 
two consecutive points of inflection of the adjacent panel constitutes the 
processing cell 16 wherein the liquids are partially or totally recycled. 
It should be noted that the curves of each panel, above and beneath each 
point of inflection, can vary with FIGS. 4a through 4e being 
representative examples. These curves may be curves of any description 
including straight lines or portions of circles, cycloids, cardioids, 
hyperbolas, parabolas, ellipses or the like. Furthermore, the lower curve 
and the upper curve at the point of inflection may be different or 
identical. 
Depending on the nature of the materials to be processed, the result sought 
and the forms of processing, the shape of the points of inflection may 
vary. Thus, it can be seen in FIGS. 5a through 5e that the point of 
inflection of the panels may be sharp (FIG. 5a), round (FIG. 5b), a curved 
area (FIG. 5c), a plane area (FIG. 5d), or a complex shape (FIG. 5e). 
Furthermore, it will be noted that, on the panels determining the 
channels, points of inflection can be removed at equal intervals from the 
patterns. 
The panels constituting the reactor can be inclined until the axis O-Y is 
horizontal without necessitating an off-setting of the patterns of the 
panels. The panels such as those described above can be replaced by a 
succession of portions of panels or of separated patterns positioned along 
the axis O-Y. 
A reactor according to the present invention can function without any heat 
exchange. The free areas between the channels may then serve for 
purification of the gases or the enrichment of the liquids, as provided by 
the invention. 
Also, according to the present invention, stabilizing elements 20 and 22 
for reverting the jets of gas, as shown in FIG. 10, can be provided 
between the panel and within the cells. The stabilizing elements 20 and 22 
may be formed as hollow or solid rods positioned across the flow 
passageways between the panels as shown in FIG. 10 to stabilize the 
phenomenon occurring within the cells. 
The geometrical patterns defined above and corresponding to FIG. 5 can be 
fitted together as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 7 and 8 and rotated about the axis 
of symmetry OX, of the assembly to produce a circular assembly with 
circular panels. 
The assembly can be made from short assemblies of panels with the length 
and height of the main assembly being a multiple of the length and height 
of the short assemblies. 
The assembly can be fitted from panels alternately crossed in compact 
blocks one upon another. 
It is to be understood that numerous modifications of the disclosed 
embodiments of the subject invention will undoubtedly occur to those of 
skill in the art and the spirit and scope of the invention is limited 
solely in light of the appended claims.