Condenser for dehumidifying gas

• US 6,619,054 B1
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cargnelli, Joseph, Gopal, Ravi B., Ye, Jianming
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Melvin
• Application Number:
  US10/138,335
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 62/93, 625/15, 625/16, 623/17, 622/72, 165/111, 165/142
• US Class Current: 62/93
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/16 generated by the winding course of the gas stream , the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0021 Vortex
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/265 by refrigeration (condensation)
• CPC Class Codes: F28B 1/02 using water or other liquid as the cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0038 for drying or dehumidifying gases or vapours by refrigeration B01D53/265
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/026 the conduits of only one medium being helically coiled and formed by bent members, e.g. plates, the coils having a cylindrical configuration
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/106 consisting of two coaxial conduits or modules of two coaxial conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/12 by creating turbulence, e.g. by stirring, by increasing the force of circulation F28F13/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A condenser, for cooling a gas flow containing a vapor to promote condensation of the vapor, has a generally cylindrical chamber. Gas is admitted at one end of the chamber and is given a swirl component of velocity. The gas then travels axially along the length of the chamber, and passes radially through poles into the bore of a separator. The swirl velocity of the gas flow tends to through water droplets radially outwards, where they can drain down the inside of a casing defining the chamber. The separator can include a skirt portion separating the main chamber from a water collection compartment. Cooling to cause condensation is provided by an external jacket, preferably having a coolant flowing through it in a helical fashion.

Claims

1. A condenser, for cooling vapor contained in a gas flow, the condenser comprising:

a chamber having a generally circular cross-section about an axis thereof and adapted to be mounted with the axis substantially vertical;

a gas inlet opening into one end of the chamber, for supply of gas to one end of the chamber, and a gas outlet opening into the chamber, for discharge of gas from the chamber;

means for imparting a swirl component of velocity to the gas flow supplied to the chamber through the gas inlet and mounted adjacent said one end of the chamber, the arrangement being such that gas flows from one end of the chamber to the other end thereof; and

means for cooling the chamber to thereby remove heat therefrom to promote condensation of the vapor;

wherein the means from imparting a swirl component of velocity to the gas flow comprises at least one of an arc-shaped gas compartment adjacent the gas inlet and a deflector vane.

2. A condenser as claimed in claim 1, which includes both the arc-shaped compartment and the deflector vane.

3. A condenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for imparting a swirl component includes at least the arc-shaped gas compartment, and the condenser includes a casing and a head portion, together defining the chamber, wherein the gas inlet and the gas outlet and the arc-shaped chamber are provided in the head portion, the head portion being at said one end of the chamber.

4. A condenser as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the means for imparting a swirl component includes the deflector vane, wherein the deflector vane is generally circular and includes a plurality of vanes extending radially out therefrom, the deflector vane being mounted on the axis of the chamber with the vanes extending to location close to the inside of the casing, the vanes being inclined to impart a swirl component of the gas flow passing therethrough.

5. A condenser as claimed in claim 1 or 3, wherein the head portion is provided at an upper end over chamber and wherein a separator is provided for separating condensed liquid from the gas.

6. A condenser as claimed in claim 5, wherein the separator comprises a generally cylindrical portion extending along the axis of the chamber from the other end thereof towards the one end thereof and including a bore in communication with the gas outlet, whereby the chamber is substantially annular and is defined between the casing and the separator, the separator including openings permitting gas to flow from the chamber into the bore thereof, for discharge through the gas outlet.

7. A condenser as claimed in claim 6, wherein the separator additionally includes a skirt portion at an end thereof adjacent said other end of the chamber, separating a water collection compartment from the chamber.

8. A condenser as claimed in claim 7, which includes a substantially annular cooling jacket around the exterior of the chamber.

9. A condenser as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cooling jacket includes at least one helical rib defining at least one helical channel extending through the cooling jacket.

10. A condenser as claimed in claim 9, wherein the cooling jacket includes an inlet for coolant adjacent the other end of the chamber and an outlet for coolant adjacent said one end of the chamber.

11. A condenser as claimed in claim 10, which includes the deflector vane, wherein the deflector vane is mounted on the separator and the separator is secured to the head portion.

12. A condenser as claimed in claim 11, which includes a water outlet for the water collection compartment and means for detecting the water level in the water collecting compartment, for controlling water level therein.

13. A condenser, for cooling vapor contained in a gas flow, the condenser comprising:

a chamber having a generally circular cross-section about an axis thereof and adapted to be mounted with the axis substantially vertical;

a gas inlet opening into one, upper end of the chamber, for supply of gas to one end of the chamber, and a gas outlet opening into the chamber, for discharge of gas from the chamber;

means for imparting a swirl component of velocity to the gas flow supplied to the chamber through the gas inlet and mounted adjacent said one end of the chamber, the arrangement such that gas flows from one end of the chamber to the other end thereof; and

means for cooling the chamber to thereby remove heat therefrom to promote condensation of the vapor;

wherein the chamber provides for unobstructed downward movement of condensate towards the lower end thereof.

14. A condenser as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means from imparting a swirl component of velocity to the gas flow comprises at least one of an arc-shaped gas compartment adjacent the gas inlet and a deflector vane.

15. A condenser as claimed in claim 14, which includes both the arc-shaped compartment and the deflector vane, and wherein the condenser includes a casing and a head portion, together defining the chamber, wherein the gas inlet and the gas outlet and the arc-shaped chamber are provided in the head portion, the head portion being at said one end of the chamber.

16. A condenser as claimed in claim 13, wherein a separator is provided for separating condensed liquid from the gas.

17. A condenser as claimed in claim 16, wherein the chamber is defined by a casing, wherein the separator comprises a generally cylindrical portion extending along the axis of the chamber from the other end thereof towards the one end thereof and including a bore in communication with the gas outlet, wherein the chamber is substantially annular and unobstructed, and is defined between the casing and the separator, the separator including openings permitting gas to flow from the chamber into the bore thereof, for discharge through the gas outlet, whereby, in use the swirl component of velocity imparted to the gas promotes separation of water droplets towards the casing.

18. A condenser as claimed in claim 17, wherein the separator additionally includes a skirt portion at an end thereof adjacent said other end of the chamber, separating a water collection compartment from the chamber.

19. A condenser as claimed in claim 17, which includes a substantially annular cooling jacket around the exterior of the chamber.

20. A condenser as claimed in claim 19, wherein the cooling jacket includes at least one helical rib defining at least one helical channel extending through the cooling jacket.

21. A method of cooling a gas flow containing a vapor, to promote condensation of the vapor, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) supplying gas containing moisture to a chamber having a generally circular cross-section, applying a swirl component of a velocity to the gas flow and causing the gas to flow axially from one end of the chamber to the other with a helical path including the swirl component of flow;

(2) cooling the chamber to withdraw heat from the gas and promote condensation of the vapor;

(3) mounting the chamber substantially vertically, whereby condensed vapor runs vertically down the inside of the chamber;

(4) withdrawing gas, depleted in the vapor, along the axis of the chamber.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, which includes withdrawing gas through a gas outlet provided at the one end of the chamber.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, which further includes:

providing a separator including a bore, and in step (4) withdrawing gas along the bore from the other end of the chamber to the gas outlet.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23, which includes providing the separator with a plurality of through holes and passing gas through the through holes into the bore of the separator.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, which includes imparting the swirl component of velocity to the gas flow by at least one of:

passing supplying the gas through an arc-shaped compartment; and

passing the gas through a deflector vane.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, including cooling the chamber by passing a coolant around the outside of the chamber countercurrent to direction of gas flow in the axial direction.