US1990608A - Apparatus for refining vapors - Google Patents

Description

Feb. .12, 1935.

O. D. LUCAS ET AL,

APPARATUS FOR REFINING VAPORS Filed Nov. 22, 1953 Patented Feb. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR REFINING VAPORS Owen David Lucas and Ernest Joseph Lush; Dartford, England Application November 22, 1933, Serial No. 699,294 In Great Britain November 22,1932

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for use in r efining vapors. It is customary in this art to pass the vapors through a mass of adsorbent material in a powder or granular 5 state, e. g, granulated fullers earth, in order to extract undesired m A problem in this 0 atter present in the vapors. onnection is to initiate and readily removed, to

be replaced for example by a charge of fresh material.

The apparatus according to the invention comprises a casing in which is mounted a, nest of tubes adapted to be internally heated and which are provided with gills of interstitial formation whereby substantially all parts of the effective space within the casing are penetrated by the gills and yet when the space is filled with adsorbent material in a powdered or granulated state,

as for example granulated fullers earth, such material will be readily displaceable through the gills along thespaces between Thus in accordance the actual tubes. with the invention a nest of vertical tubes may be mounted in the casing, the tubes being provided with gills formed of looped wire, the spacing and arrangement being such that substantially all parts of the space to be occupied by the-adsorbent material in the casing are penetrated by the gills.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, of which Figure 1 is a sectional eleva Figure 2 is a plan tion of the apparatus and thereof with the topcover removed, Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of a gilled tube, and Figure 4 is an elevation of the same Referring to the drawing, casing with a top cover 2 1 is the cylindrical and a false bottom 3 formed by a spider covered with gauze of sufliciently fine mesh to retain which is to occupy the casing.

bottom of the casin the adsorbent material 4 is a sump at the provided with a drain cock 5.

Mounted within the casing is a nest of vertical tubes 6 each provided with gills 7 (to be more particularly described hereinafter), the spacing and arrangement of the gilledtubes being such that there is no place of substantial volume which is not penetrated by thegills. The tubes are connected at the top and bottom to systems of ring headers secure d concentrically by spacing members 8, the top system being supported by a ring 9.

A heating mediumof a nature which may depend upon the temperature to be maintained is circulated through the nest of tubes, being ad- 5 mitted at the bottom through an inlet 10 and being taken out at the top through an outlet 11.

If electrical heating is employed, the headers will be replaced by electrical leads and connections. 10

The vapor to be refined is brought in at the top through the inlet pipe 12 whence it passes through, a pipe 13 down the centre of the casing. The vapor emerges from the bottom of the pipe 13 in the sump portion of the casing and it will then rise through the gauze of the false bottom 3 and up through the body of the adsorbent material which occupies the casing. The vapor outlet at the top of the casing is shown at 14.

The nature of the gills which is not clearly apparent in Figures 1 and 2 is shown in more detail in the other figures of the drawing. The gills are formed of looped wire which follows a helical form round the tubes, the radially projecting loops of the wire being bound at their roots to 5 the tube surface by means of a metal strip 15. Thusthegills provide interstitial spaces and although they serve the purpose of conducting the heat of the tubes to an extended distance ,it to all parts of the'mass of adsorbent material,

they enable the adsorbent material to fall through the interstices and to be discharged from the casing upon removal of the false bottom and sump portion of the casing.

For heat insulation purposes lagging material 16 is provided round the casing.

By the use of the above described apparatus a uniform distribution of heat is readily initiated and maintained, this being obtained by an internal heating arrangement which though having a very extended surface will nevertheless not cause the adsorbent material to clog up so that it cannot be conveniently removed. I 45 It will be understood that the invention is applicable not only to the case where a stationary body of adsorbent material is used but also to the case where a moving column is used and that in the latter case the apparatus will be provided with appropriate continuous feeding and discharging means for the adsorbent material.

What we claim is:--

1. Apparatus for use in refining vapors comprising a casing for holding pulverulent or granof interstitial formation ular adsorbent material through which the vapors to be refined will be passed, there being mounted within said casing a nest of tubes adapted to be internally heated which are provided with gills penetrating into substantially all parts 01' the efiective space within the casing.

2. Apparatus for use in refining vapors comprising a casing for holding pulverulent or granular adsorbent material through which the vapors to be refined will be passed, there being mounted within said casing a nest of vertical tubes adapted to be internally heated which are provided with gills formed 01' looped wire penetrating into substantially all parts oi. the eflfective space within the casing.

OWEN DAVID LUCAS. ERNEST JOSEPH LUSH.

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