AIR SCRUBBER

• US 3,751,885 A
• Filed: 07/08/1971
• Issued: 08/14/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles D. Mcneely
• Original Assignee: Charles D. Mcneely
• Inventors: McNeely, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Talbert, Jr., Dennis E.
• Application Number:
  US05/160,736
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 55/228,96,242,267,268,269,DIG.36,418,272,286,301,350 134/10,11,40,31,12 126/299 98/115K 110/8R,8A
• US Class Current: 96/242
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 50/00 Combinations of methods or devices for separating particles from gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/34 Chemical or biological purification of waste gases
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 7/06 of waste gases or noxious gases, e.g. exhaust gases exhaust apparatus for engines with means for rendering the exhaust innocuous, e.g. by thermal or catalytic conversion, F01N3/08; combustion of uncombusted material from primary combustion within apparatus for combustion of solid or fluent fuel F23B, of non combusted material from primary combustion of solid fuels F23B5/00; of gases produced by primary combustion of solid fuels F23B90/04, F23C
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 7/065 using gaseous or liquid fuel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/36 Kitchen hoods

Abstract

An air scrubber for removing and selectively incinerating the condensable contaminants from the exhaust stream of a ventilating system. A generally localized surface area is provided within a collection chamber such that the exhaust stream can flow turbulently therearound and contaminants can condense thereupon. Cooling means may be provided to maintain a temperature differential between the surface area and the exhaust stream stream in order to facilitate condensation. Gate means are periodically closed to maintain the collection chamber discrete from the remainder of the ventilating system, and while the gate means are closed a communicating means directs a cleansing medium across the surface area to remove the accumulated contaminants. The mixture of the cleansing medium and the contaminants is collected and separated so that the cleansing medium may be recycled. The contaminants may then either be collected for removal or conducted into an incinerator where they are received for incineration in a first combustion area. The products of the aforesaid combustion preferably pass through a second combustion area which serves as an after-burner to eliminate substantially all unburned hydrocarbons or other pollutants from the flue gas leaving the incinerator.

Claims

1. An air scrubber comprising, a collection chamber, a surface means on which condensable contaminants in the discharge stream of a ventilating system can accumulate, gate means selectively to control the flow of the discharge stream through said collection chamber, a vaporizable solvent capable of dissolving contaminant materials from said surface means, discharge means to direct the vaporized solvent onto said surface means, a holding tank communicating with said collection chamber to receive and collect the solvent in which the contaminant materials are dissolved, a generating tank, first conduit means by which the contents in said holding tank may be discharged into said generating tank, flow control means operative with respect to said first conduit means selectively to discharge the contents of said holding tank into said generating tank, means to heat said generating tank in order to vaporize the solvent therein and separate it from the contaminant materials dissolved in the solvent, said contaminant materials remaining in said generating tank, second conduit means by which the vaporized solvent passes from said generating tank to said discharge means, an incinerator, third conduit means by which the contaminant materials in said generating tank may be discharged into said incinerator and flow control means operative with respect to said third conduit means selectively to discharge the contaminant materials in said generating tank into said incinerator.

2. An air scrubber, as set forth in claim 1, in which a reservoir is provided to replenish the supply of solvent in said generating tank, a fourth conduit means connecting said reservoir with a generating tank and metering means operative with respect to said fourth conduit means periodically to introduce a replenishing supply of solvent into said generating tank.

3. An air scrubber, as set forth in claim 1, in which said surface means further comprises a filter located in juxtaposition to a plurality of impingement members.

4. An air scrubber, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising first and second combustion areas in said incinerator means, wick means within said first combustion area to receive the contaminant materials, first burner means to ignite the flammable materials on said wick means and thereby emit products of combustion which pass into and through said secondary combustion area and second burner means to ignite any combustible materials included in the products of combustion emitted from said first combustion area.