Patent ID: 8764886

Claim:
A process for separating liquid droplets out of a feed gas stream, comprising: them with a liquid loading of the feed gas stream to greater than 10 l of liquid/m 3 of feed gas in an apparatus, comprising a delay vessel, preliminary separating separation of some of the liquid droplets out of the feed gas stream under the action of gravity, in the delay vessel with an inlet line for the feed gas stream into the delay vessel and an outlet line for the a gas stream which has been depleted of liquid droplets and which flows out of the delay vessel, and providing a tangential supply of the gas stream which has been depleted of liquid droplets thereof into a centrifugal droplet separator, the outlet line being arranged in an upper region of the delay vessel above the liquid level of the separated liquid and being spaced apart from the inlet line to such an extent that delay time of the gas stream in the delay vessel is at a maximum, and with an outlet line for the liquid separated in the delay vessel at a base of the delay vessel, thereof, and wherein the centrifugal droplet separator used is an axially symmetric apparatus with a vertical longitudinal axis and a circular cross section, with a jacket and upper and lower hoods at upper and lower ends of the jacket, and wherein an outlet stub for the liquid separated in the centrifugal droplet separator is arranged in a region of the lower hood of the centrifugal droplet separator and has such dimensions that it is dimensioned to be immersed into liquid standing at the base of the delay vessel or into liquid standing in a cup in the interior of the delay vessel or into a liquid standing in a cup in the interior of the delay vessel, and with a central gas outlet stub at the upper end of the centrifugal droplet separator for the gas stream purified further in the centrifugal droplet separator, and wherein both the tangential supply of the gas stream depleted of liquid droplets from the delay vessel via the outlet line and removal of the liquid separated in the centrifugal droplet separator via line into the delay vessel are effected without the use of pumps and shutoff devices.