System and method for separating high molecular weight gases from a combustion source
First Claim
1. A system for separating high molecular weight gases in an exhaust stack from an exhaust gas of a combustion source comprising:
- a blower attached coupled to an intake of the exhaust stack and configured to receive the exhaust gas from the combustion source and create a tangential flow of the exhaust gas within the exhaust stack, wherein the blower imparts sufficient centrifugal force on the exhaust gas to concentrate the high molecular weight gases along the inner surface of the exhaust stack;
an interior vent within the exhaust stack that collects the configured to collect high molecular weight gases concentrated along the inner an interior surface of the exhaust stack, the interior vent comprising (i) a vent wall having a top portion attached coupled to the interior surface of the exhaust stack along the an entire inner perimeter of the exhaust stack and a lower bottom portion that extends downward into the exhaust stack to form a gap between the vent wall and the interior surface of the exhaust stack, and (ii) at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack between the top and bottom portions of the vent wall; and
a transfer pipe connected coupled to the at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack, configured to remove the high molecular weight gases from the interior vent.
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Abstract
High molecular weight (HMW) gases are separated from an exhaust gas of a combustion source using a blower and an interior vent within the exhaust stack. The interior vent includes a vent wall having a top portion attached to the interior surface of the exhaust stack along the entire inner perimeter of the exhaust stack and a lower portion that extends downward into the exhaust stack to form an annular space or gap between the vent wall and the interior surface of the exhaust stack, and at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack between the top and bottom portions of the vent wall. The blower creates a tangential flow of the exhaust gas with sufficient centrifugal force to concentrate substantially all of the HMW gases along the inner surface of the exhaust stack. A transfer pipe removes the HMW gases from the interior vent.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A system for separating high molecular weight gases in an exhaust stack from an exhaust gas of a combustion source comprising:
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a blower attached coupled to an intake of the exhaust stack and configured to receive the exhaust gas from the combustion source and create a tangential flow of the exhaust gas within the exhaust stack, wherein the blower imparts sufficient centrifugal force on the exhaust gas to concentrate the high molecular weight gases along the inner surface of the exhaust stack; an interior vent within the exhaust stack that collects the configured to collect high molecular weight gases concentrated along the inner an interior surface of the exhaust stack, the interior vent comprising (i) a vent wall having a top portion attached coupled to the interior surface of the exhaust stack along the an entire inner perimeter of the exhaust stack and a lower bottom portion that extends downward into the exhaust stack to form a gap between the vent wall and the interior surface of the exhaust stack, and (ii) at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack between the top and bottom portions of the vent wall; and a transfer pipe connected coupled to the at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack, configured to remove the high molecular weight gases from the interior vent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for separating high molecular weight gases from an exhaust gas of a combustion source comprising:
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an exhaust stack; a blower attached to an intake of the exhaust stack to receive the exhaust gas from the combustion source and create a tangential flow of the exhaust gas within the exhaust stack, wherein the blower imparts sufficient centrifugal force on the exhaust gas to concentrate the high molecular weight gases along the inner an interior surface of the exhaust stack; an interior vent within the exhaust stack that collects the high molecular weight gases concentrated along the inner interior surface of the exhaust stack, the interior vent comprising (i) a vent wall having a top portion attached to the interior surface of the exhaust stack along the an entire inner perimeter of the exhaust stack and a lower bottom portion that extends downward into the exhaust stack to form a gap between the vent wall and the interior surface of the exhaust stack, and (ii) at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack between the top and bottom portions of the vent wall; and a transfer pipe connected to the at least one opening in the interior surface of the exhaust stack to remove the high molecular weight gases from the interior vent; and wherein (a) the high molecular weight gases have a molecular weight greater than 35, (b) at least 85% of the high molecular weight gases are concentrated along the inner interior surface of the exhaust stack, (c) the gap comprises an area of approximately 10% of a cross-sectional area of the exhaust stack, (d) the at least one opening is positioned at a height above the a bottom of the exhaust stack approximately equal to three diameters of the exhaust stack, and (e) the blower causes the exhaust gases to spin around the exhaust stack at least five times within a height approximately equal to one diameter of the exhaust stack. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for separating high molecular weight gases in an exhaust stack from an exhaust gas of a combustion source comprising:
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a blower coupled to an intake of the exhaust stack and configured to receive exhaust gas from the combustion source and create a tangential flow of the exhaust gas within the exhaust stack; an interior vent within the exhaust stack configured to collect high molecular weight gases concentrated, by the tangential flow of the exhaust gas, along an inner surface of the exhaust stack; an opening in the inner surface of the exhaust stack; and a transfer pipe coupled to the opening in the inner surface of the exhaust stack and configured to remove the high molecular weight gases from the interior vent, wherein the interior vent includes a vent wall having a top portion coupled to the inner surface of the exhaust stack and a lower portion that extends downward into the exhaust stack to form a gap between the vent wall and the inner surface of the exhaust stack.
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30. A system for removing high molecular weight gases from an exhaust stream, comprising:
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an exhaust stack; means for concentrating high molecular weight gases toward an inner surface of the exhaust stack, wherein the means for concentrating high molecular weight gases toward an inner surface of the exhaust stack comprises means for spinning the exhaust gas and imparting centrifugal force, and wherein the means for spinning the exhaust gas and imparting centrifugal force comprises a blower coupled to an exhaust stack inlet, the inlet being configured to introduce exhaust gas into the exhaust stack tangentially, with respect to movement of gases within the stack, and further wherein the means for spinning the exhaust gas and imparting centrifugal force comprises an exhaust stack outlet coupled to the blower and configured to withdraw gas from the stack, tangentially, with respect to movement of gases within the stack, the blower being configured to reintroduce the withdrawn gas into the stack at the exhaust stack inlet; and means for removing high molecular weight gases concentrated along the inner surface of the exhaust stack.
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31. An exhaust system, comprising:
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an exhaust stack, including; an exhaust inlet positioned and configured such that gases introduced into the exhaust stack via the exhaust inlet tend to spin within the exhaust stack, an exhaust port positioned on a side of the exhaust stack opposite the exhaust inlet and configured to receive gases introduced via the exhaust inlet and spinning within the exhaust stack, and an opening extending through an interior surface of the exhaust stack, positioned above the exhaust inlet and below a top of the exhaust stack; a blower, including a blower inlet coupled to the exhaust port and a blower outlet coupled to the exhaust inlet, the blower being configured to draw gases from the exhaust stack via the exhaust port and to blow the drawn gases into the exhaust stack via the exhaust inlet; and an interior vent coupled to the opening, positioned and configured to collect gases from along the interior surface of the exhaust stack, wherein the blower is positioned external to the exhaust stack. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A system for removing high molecular weight gases from an exhaust stream, comprising:
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an exhaust stack; means for concentrating high molecular weight gases toward an inner surface of the exhaust stack, wherein the means for concentrating high molecular weight gases toward an inner surface of the exhaust stack comprises means for spinning the exhaust gas and imparting centrifugal force, and wherein the means for spinning the exhaust gas and imparting centrifugal force comprises a blower coupled to an exhaust stack inlet, the inlet being configured to introduce exhaust gas into the exhaust stack tangentially, with respect to movement of gases within the stack; and means for removing high molecular weight gases concentrated along the inner surface of the exhaust stack, wherein the exhaust stack inlet and the exhaust stack outlet are positioned in a bottom portion of the exhaust stack, substantially opposite each other.
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45. A system for separating high molecular weight gases in an exhaust stack from an exhaust gas of a combustion source comprising:
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a blower coupled to an intake of the exhaust stack and configured to receive exhaust gas from the combustion source and create a tangential flow of the exhaust gas within the exhaust stack; an interior vent within the exhaust stack configured to collect high molecular weight gases concentrated, by the tangential flow of the exhaust gas, along an inner surface of the exhaust stack; an opening in the inner surface of the exhaust stack; and a transfer pipe coupled to the opening in the inner surface of the exhaust stack and configured to remove the high molecular weight gases from the interior vent, wherein the interior vent extends along an entire inner perimeter of the exhaust stack.
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Specification