WO1998047604B1

WO1998047604B1 - Heat recovery and pollution abatement device

Info

Publication number: WO1998047604B1
Application number: PCT/CA1998/000363
Authority: WO
Filing date: 1998-04-22
Publication date: 1999-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 1999-10-23

Abstract

A heat recovery and pollution abatement process with stackless operation for removing the products of combustion from hot boiler flue gas (45) comprising the steps of passing said hot boiler flue gas through a cloud of steam or mist (46), cooling the hot moist flue gas and recovering the heat therefrom (47), passing the partly cooled hot moist flue gas through a second cloud of mist comprised of cold water to total saturation (48), collecting the resulting stream of acid water, forcing the treated flue gas, mixing the treated flue gas with outside air, directing the forced treated air to atmosphere, shutting off the process in the absence of boiler flue gas.

Claims

- -AMENDED CLAIMS[received by the International Bureau on 7 December 1998 (07.12.98); original claims 1-13 replaced by amended claims 1-20 (5 pages)]

1. A heat recovery and pollution abatement process with stackless operation for removing the products of combustion from hot boiler flue gas comprising flowing the hot boiler flue gas in a first direction, directing a cloud of steam or mist in the opposite direction causing a pressure differential between the two flows, increasing the relative humidity of the flue gas above 80% relative humidity but below saturation, cooling the hot moist flue gas and recovering heat therefrom, flowing the partly cooled flue gas in the first direction, directing a second cloud of mist using water only in the opposite direction, totally saturating the flue gas, condensing the fluids and collecting the resulting stream of acid water, forcing the treated flue gas, mixing the treated flue gas with outside air, directing the forced treated air to atmosphere, shutting off the process in the absence of boiler flue gas.

2. The heat recovery and pollution abatement process with stackless operation for removing the products of combustion from hot boiler flue gas of claim 1 in which the cloud of steam or mist is comprised of droplets 5 to

10 microns in diameter.

3. The heat recovery and pollution abatement process with stackless operation for removing the products of combustion from hot boiler flue gas of claim 2 in which the relative humidity of the flue gas is increased to 90 to

95% relative humidity but below saturation.

4. The heat recovery and pollution abatement process with stackless operation for removing the products of combustion from hot boiler flue gas of claim 1 in which the hot boiler flue gas is mixed with ozone prior to -27-

passing said hot boiler flue gas and ozone through the cloud of steam or mist.

5. A pollution abatement process for removing contaminants from process air or gas, collecting the resultant stream of water containing contaminants, forcing the treated air or gas to atmosphere or recycling the treated air or gas as process air or gas, comprising flowing the treated air or gas in a first direction, directing a cloud of steam or mist in the opposite direction causing a pressure differential between the two flows, increasing the relative humidity of the process air or gas above 80% relative humidity but below saturation, cooiing the hot moist process air or gas and recovering heat therefrom, flowing the partly cooled process air or gas in the first direction, directing a second cloud of mist using water only in the opposite direction, totally saturating the process air or gas, collecting the resultant stream of water containing contaminants, forcing the treated air or gas to atmosphere or recycling the treated air or gas as process air or gas.

6. A pollution abatement process for removing contaminants from process air or gas of claim 5 in which the contaminants from process air or gas are mixed with ozone prior to passing said process air or gas and ozone through the cloud of steam or mist.

7. A process for cleaning indoor polluted ambient air, mixing said cleaned indoor ambient air with outside air for recirculation inside a building, comprising flowing the indoor polluted ambient air in a first direction, directing a cloud of steam or mist in the opposite direction causing a pressure differential between the two flows, increasing the relative humidity of the indoor polluted ambient air above 80% relative humidity but below saturation, -28-

cooling the hot moist indoor polluted ambient air and recovering heat therefrom, flowing the partly cooled indoor polluted ambient air in the first direction, directing a second cloud of mist using water only in the opposite direction, totally saturating the indoor polluted ambient air, collecting the resultant stream of water containing pollutants, forcing a portion of the treated air to atmosphere and recirculating a portion of the treated air within the building.

8. The process for cleaning indoor polluted ambient air of claim 7 in which the cloud of steam or mist is comprised of droplets 5 to 10 microns in diameter.

9. The process for cleaning indoor polluted ambient air of claim 8 in which the relative humidity of the indoor polluted ambient air is increased to 90 to 95% relative humidity but below saturation.

10. The process for cleaning indoor polluted ambient air of claim 9 including the step of recovering heat from the moist indoor ambient air during the step or steps of cooling the moist indoor ambient air.

11. The process for cleaning indoor polluted ambient air of claim 7 in which the indoor polluted ambient air is mixed with ozone prior to passing said indoor polluted ambient air and ozone through the cloud of steam or mist.

12. A process for cleaning outside air for contaminants prior to introduction of the treated outside air into a building comprising flowing the outside air in a first direction, directing a cloud of steam or mist in the opposite direction causing a pressure differential between the two flows, increasing the relative humidity of the outside air above 80% relative humidity but below saturation, cooling the moist outside air and recovering heat therefrom, - -

flowing the partly cooled outside air in the first direction, directing a second cloud of mist using water only in the opposite direction, totally saturating the outside air, collecting the resultant stream of water containing contaminants, forcing the treated atmospheric air into the building.

13. A heat recovery and pollution abatement unit with stackless operation for removing the products of combustion from hot boiler flue gases comprising a first misting chamber, a first cooling coil, a second misting chamber, a second cooling or condensing coil, a fan chamber, a diffuser, and a treated flue gas outlet with dampers, the first and second misting chambers including high pressure fine mist misting devices directed countercurrent to the direction of hot boiler gases.

14. The heat recovery and pollution abatement unit with stackless operation for removing the products of combustion from hot boiler flue gases of claim 13 in which the first and second cooling devices are also used as heat recovery units.

15. The heat recovery and pollution abatement unit with stackless operation for removing the products of combustion from hot boiler flue gases of claim 12 having an ozone mixing chamber in advance of the heat recovery and pollution abatement unit.

16. A pollution abatement unit for removing contaminants from process air or gas comprising a first misting chamber, a first cooling coil, a second misting chamber, a second cooling or condensing coil, a fan chamber, and a treated air or gas outlet for venting to atmosphere or recycling the forced process air or gas, the first and second misting chambers including high pressure fine mist misting devices directed countercurrent to the direction of hot boiler gases.

17. The pollution abatement unit for removing contaminants from process air or gas of claim 16 having an ozone mixing chamber in advance of the heat recovery and pollution abatement unit. -30-

18. An air cleaning unit for cleaning indoor polluted ambient air from a building comprising a first misting chamber, a first cooling coil, a second misting chamber, a second cooling or condensing coil, a fan chamber, and a heated air outlet connected to the building supply air system, the first and second misting chambers including high pressure fine mist misting devices directed countercurrent to the direction of hot boiler gases.

19. The air cleaning unit for cleaning indoor polluted ambient air from a building of claim 18 in which the first and second cooling coils also recover heat.

20. A unit for cleaning outside ambient air for contaminants prior to introduction of the treated outside ambient air into a building comprising a first misting chamber, a first cooling coil, a second misting chamber, a second cooling or condensing coil, a fan chamber, and a cleaned air outlet for connection to the building supply air system, the first and second misting chambers including high pressure fine mist misting devices directed countercurrent to the direction of hot boiler gases.