Device and method for the contact of a gas phase with a liquid medium

Abstract

A device for the contact of a gas phase with a liquid medium, and a method for operating the device. The liquid medium here is directed into the device and some of it is raised by means of a conveying device. The liquid medium raised is distributed over a rotating brush by way of a distributing means. At least one gas inlet and a fan here generate a gas stream from a lower portion of the device to an upper portion of the device. The liquid medium distributed over the upper surface of the brush is directed back by way of the brush, counter to the gas stream, into the lower region.

Claims

1. A device for the contact of a gas phase with a liquid medium, comprising the following: a housing, having a lower region, a central region and an upper region; at least one gas inlet; a fan; at least one first inflow for the liquid medium; at least one outflow, which is arranged in the lower region; a conveying device, which is suitable for raising some of the liquid medium from the lower region; and a rotatable brush, which comprises bristles; wherein the at least one gas inlet and the fan are suitable for generating a gas stream from a lower portion of the device to an upper portion of the device; and a distributing means is provided in the upper region of the housing, said distributing means being suitable for distributing over the brush the liquid medium which is raised by the conveying device.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveying device is designed in the form of an Archimedean screw and the brush is fitted on the conveying device and can be rotated therewith.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central region of the housing is essentially rotationally symmetrical and the brush is fitted in a rotatable manner into the central region of the housing.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one second inflow for the liquid medium.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device also comprises at least one drive, which is suitable for driving the conveying device and/or rotating the brush.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device, in the central region, has at least one part which projects in the direction of the conveying device and is designed such that at least part of it comes into contact with the brush.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bristles consist of an elastic material.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bristles have a porous surface.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bristles are hollow.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the brush and the conveying device (6) are designed such that the bristles are supplied, at least in part, with the liquid medium from the conveying device.

11. A method for the contact of a gas phase with a liquid medium, having a device as claimed in claim 1 and comprising the following steps: directing the liquid medium into the device; raising some of the liquid medium collected in the lower region; and distributing the raised liquid medium over the brush, wherein the brush rotates; the at least one gas inlet and the fan generate a gas stream from a lower portion of the device to an upper portion of the device; and the liquid medium distributed over the brush is directed back by way of the brush, counter to the gas stream, into the lower region.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the brush rotates together with the conveying device.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central region of the housing is cylindrical and the brush is fitted in a rotational manner into the central region of the housing.

14. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the central region of the housing is essentially rotationally symmetrical and the brush is fitted in a rotatable manner into the central region of the housing.

15. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device comprises at least one second inflow for the liquid medium.

16. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the device comprises at least one second inflow for the liquid medium.

17. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the device comprises at least one second inflow for the liquid medium.

18. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device also comprises at least one drive, which is suitable for driving the conveying device and/or rotating the brush.

19. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the device also comprises at least one drive, which is suitable for driving the conveying device and/or rotating the brush.

20. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device also comprises at least one drive, which is suitable for driving the conveying device and/or rotating the brush.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) Further properties and advantages of the device and the method will be made clear by way of the following description of specific embodiments, with reference being made to the drawing. In the latter, the FIGURE shows a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(2) The device shown in the FIGURE comprises a housing 4 having a lower region 4a, a central region 4b and an upper region 4c. The central region 4b here is tilted in relation to the lower region 4a and the upper region 4c. The housing also has gas inlets 5 and is open at the upper end, and it is therefore possible to provide a fan 1 in order to generate a gas stream from the gas inlets 5 to the upper region 4c of the device. The gas used may be, for example, air, but also any other gas or gas mixture.

(3) In the advantageous embodiment shown, the device has a plurality of first inflows 9b, which are arranged above a brush 8. This means that the housing 4 is also wetted in the central region 4b with the liquid medium introduced, and serves as an evaporation surface for said medium. The device also has, in the lower region 4a, a second inflow 9a for the liquid medium, for example water or an absorbent, and an outflow 7.

(4) The brush 8 is fitted on a tube 6c of a conveying device 6, which is designed in the form of an Archimedean screw, and comprises bristles 8a. The bristles 8a here preferably consist of an elastic material and particularly preferably have porous surfaces. It is also possible here for the bristles 8a to be hollow.

(5) The Archimedean screw 6 runs parallel to the central region 4b of the device and comprises, in addition to the tube 6c, a worm 6a and a drive axle 6b, which can be driven by a motor 2 and is mounted in a rotatable manner by means of bearing 3. Both the worm 6a and the tube 6c can be rotated by the axle 6b. Since the brush 8 is fitted on the tube 6c of the Archimedean screw 6, said brush can also be rotated. It is not imperative, however, for the conveying device to be designed in the form of an Archimedean screw. It is also possible to use, for example, a conveying device which contains some other pumping device.

(6) A liquid medium is directed into the lower region 4a of the device via the inflow 9b and optionally via the further, second inflow 9a. In a second step, the liquid medium collected in the lower region 4a is raised by means of the Archimedean screw 6 and fed to a distributing means 10, which is arranged in the upper region 4c of the housing 4. The distributing means 10 here distributes the raised liquid medium over the upper surface of the brush 8, and therefore the liquid medium is directed back into the lower region 4a, on account of gravitational force, by way of the brush 8.

(7) The rotary movement of the Archimedean screw 6 at the same time also causes the brush 8 to rotate. In addition, the fan 1 and the gas inlets 5 generate a gas stream from the gas inlets 5 to the upper region 4c of the device.

(8) The surfaces of the individual bristles 8a of the brush 8 are wetted by the liquid medium distributed over the upper surface of the brush 8 and serve as an evaporation surface for the liquid medium. While the device is constructed in compact form, it is thus possible for the area of the evaporation surface to be increased by a multiple in relation to the surface area of the liquid medium collected in the lower region 4a of the device. This makes possible, for example, more thorough removal of volatile substances from the liquid medium. It is likewise thereby possible for the gas stream to be moistened effectively with the liquid medium and for the device to be used for moistening, for example, air.

(9) As the brush 8 rotates, the bristles 8a scrape over the surface of the central region 4b of the housing 4. The elasticity of the bristles 8a and the continuous movement of the bristles 8a result in only very small amounts of encrustation of the bristles, if any at all, as a result of solids precipitating from the liquid medium, as a result of which the amount of maintenance required for the device is reduced to a minimum in relation to, for example, a fixed-bed installation. The encrustation can be reduced, in addition, by providing in the central region 4b of the housing 4 at least one part 11 which projects in the direction of the axle 6b, since at least part of the projecting part 11 comes into contact with the bristles 8a of the brush 8 and encourages these, in addition, to oscillate. The oscillating movement of the bristles 8a gives rise, in addition, to a fine liquid-medium droplet mist, which forms an additional evaporation surface area for the liquid medium.

(10) Providing the at least one projecting part 11 thus makes possible even more thorough removal of the volatile substances from the liquid medium. The liquid medium freed of the volatile substances moves back into the lower region 4a of the device on account of gravitational force and can be directed away via the outflow 7.

(11) During use for moistening gas or gas mixtures, the saturation of the gas with the liquid medium can be further increased in this way. For the purpose of increasing the saturation level, it is also possible, in addition, to heat the gas introduced into the device. It is likewise possible to heat the liquid medium, in order to promote evaporation of the liquid medium.

(12) In a further-reaching advantageous embodiment of the device, the body of the brush 8 and the tube 6c may be made in one piece. The tube 6b serves as a body for the brush 8, and the bristles 8a are fitted directly on the tube 6c. It is particularly advantageous here if the bristles 8a are hollow and the tube 6c is designed such that the bristles 8a can be supplied directly with the liquid medium conveyed in the Archimedean screw 6. It is thus possible, on the one hand, in addition for liquid medium to be applied to the housing wall 4 in the central region 4b, as a result of which said central region becomes the evaporation surface for the liquid medium, and, on the other hand, in the case of the projecting part 11 being provided, for an additional fine droplet mist to be generated. This makes possible, for example, particularly thorough removal of volatile components from the volatile medium. It is thus also possible for the saturation of gas or gas mixtures with the liquid medium to be further increased.

(13) The gas blown out on the upper side of the device by the fan 1 may contain, for example, volatile components which have been separated from the liquid medium, and it is possible for these components to be collected and then, for example, regenerated, reused or disposed of.

(14) It is likewise possible for the gas or gas mixture blown out on the upper side of the device by the fan 1 to be mixed with the evaporated liquid medium and, in the case of air moistened with water, to be used for example for creating pleasant climatic conditions in a room.