초록 ▼

An apparatus for liquefying a gas has a nozzle having a convergent nozzle portion and a nozzle throat, and a divergent nozzle portion (in the case of supersonic flow), and a working section. Vanes or another mechanism for creating a swirl velocity are connected to the nozzle, to create a strong swir

An apparatus for liquefying a gas has a nozzle having a convergent nozzle portion and a nozzle throat, and a divergent nozzle portion (in the case of supersonic flow), and a working section. Vanes or another mechanism for creating a swirl velocity are connected to the nozzle, to create a strong swirl velocity in gas fed to the nozzle. In the nozzle, the gas adiabatically expands, gas velocity increases and gas temperature drops, to promote the condensation of gas with formation of droplets. The gas then passes through a working section having a wall, whereby further condensation of at least a portion of the gas flow occurs and droplets of condensed gas grow. Centrifugal effects generated by the swirl velocity drive the droplets towards the wall of the working section. Condensed liquid gas droplets are separated from remaining gas in the gaseous state at least adjacent the wall of the working section. The method can be applied to liquefication of a gas or to separation of one gas or several gases from a mixture of gases.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of liquefying a gas, the method comprising the steps of:(1) applying a swirl velocity to the gas; (2) passing the gas, with the swirl velocity, through a nozzle whereby the gas adiabatically expands, the gas velocity increases, the gas temperature drops, to promote the condensation of ga

1. A method of liquefying a gas, the method comprising the steps of:(1) applying a swirl velocity to the gas; (2) passing the gas, with the swirl velocity, through a nozzle whereby the gas adiabatically expands, the gas velocity increases, the gas temperature drops, to promote the condensation of gas with formation of droplets; (3) passing the gas, with the swirl velocity, further through a working section having a wall, whereby further condensation of at least a portion of the gas flow occurs and droplets of condensed gas grow; (4) permitting centrifugal effects generated by the swirl velocity to drive the droplets towards the wall of the working section; and (5) separating condensed liquid gas droplets from remaining gas in the gaseous state at least adjacent the wall of the working section.