Abstract: An absorber is provided which uses a liquid solvent formed into a myriad of bubbles and micro-droplets. The solvent froth is a solvent for a selected component in an incoming gas stream. A plurality of spaced apart mesh assemblies is placed in one or more absorber tubes or in a reaction vessel. Using screens having cross-sections that are substantially rectangular wave in design together with proper operating parameters, the phenomenon of solvent pulsing is induced and maintained, maximizing efficiency of the absorber.

Abstract: An absorber is provided which uses a liquid solvent formed into a myriad of bubbles and micro-droplets. The solvent froth is a solvent for a selected component in an incoming gas stream. A plurality of spaced apart mesh assemblies is placed in one or more absorber tubes or in a reaction vessel. Using screens having cross-sections that are substantially rectangular wave in design together with proper operating parameters, the phenomenon of solvent pulsing is induced and maintained, maximizing efficiency of the absorber.

Abstract: An absorber is provided which utilizes a solvent froth to absorb a selected component, such as CO2 for example, from a flowing gas stream, such as flue gas from a fossil fuel power plant, for example. In one embodiment, a flooded tube gas absorber utilizes a bulkhead plate extending across a reaction chamber. The plate carries a plurality of vertical absorption tubes, each carrying a plurality of spaced apart screens. The incoming gas stream flows downwardly and at equal velocities through the tubes. Solvent is injected downwardly into the tubes. The screen array forms a froth and rapidly and repeatedly bursts the froth bubbles, forming a rapidly changing absorption surface. A second embodiment uses full diameter screens without a bulkhead plate. An option is to use ridge shaped screens to achieve solvent pulsing, increasing efficiency. Both vertical and horizontal reaction chambers are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for improving the efficiency of an aqueous froth filter. An array of saturated mesh assemblies interacts with an incoming contaminated air stream. As the air stream flows through the saturated mesh assemblies, an aqueous froth is generated immediately downstream of each mesh assembly. As the bubbles of the froth move downstream towards the next saturated mesh assembly, the velocity of the air stream causes at least some of the bubbles to burst. The bursting bubbles rupture into hundreds or thousands of micro-droplets. The micro-droplets are used together with the aqueous froth to coalesce with or otherwise bind with contaminants in the air stream. An optional feature is that massive particles greater than three microns in diameter are removed by inertial impaction, whereby those heavy particles collide with the walls of serpentine shaped vanes of a mist eliminator. The method and apparatus are capable of filtering chemical and biological warfare agents out of an air stream.

Abstract: The invention teaches a practical method of recovering CO2 from a mixture of gases, and sequestering the captured CO2 from the atmosphere for geologic time as calcium carbonate and provides a CO2 scrubber for carbon capture and sequestration. CO2 from the production of calcium oxide is geologically sequestered. A calcium hydroxide solution is produced from the environmentally responsibly-produced calcium oxide. The CO2 scrubber incorporates an aqueous froth to maximize liquid-to-gas surface area and time-of-contact between gaseous CO2 and the calcium hydroxide solution.

Abstract: A method for urging contact between contaminants in an air stream and the wet surfaces of an aqueous-froth, and additional means of limiting the froth to a predetermined volume are provided. A wide spectrum of solution micro-droplet sizes (0.001 to 1000 micron) is introduced into a contaminated air stream. Micro-droplets suspended in the air stream remove contaminants by contact, collide and coalesce in the dynamics of the air stream and are removed by inertia. Smaller micro-droplets remain suspended in the air stream. The smallest micro-droplets evaporate, increasing the solution vapor pressure of the air stream. The humidified or saturated, contaminated air stream continuously expands the surface area of the solution reservoir exponentially into an aqueous froth of tiny bubbles. Airflow velocity drops in the micro-atmosphere inside each bubble of the froth.

Abstract: A bifurcated hose junction is provided for a pole mounted abrading device with vacuum assisted particulate removal. The junction is actuated by the movement of the sanding pad assembly. When a. short side of the rectangular sanding pad assembly is moved toward the tubular handle, the bifurcated hose junction is displaced laterally in relation to the linear axis of the handle. When a long side of the sanding pad assembly is moved toward the tubular handle, the bifurcated hose junction rotates in place, thereby allowing the sanding pad a comprehensive range of motion, in relation to the handle. The range of motion enables the operator to close the angle between sanding pad and the handle, and maintain planar contact between the sanding screen and the work surface, when working in constricted areas.

Abstract: A method for urging contact between contaminants in an air stream and the wet surfaces of an aqueous-froth, and additional means of limiting the froth to a predetermined volume are provided. A wide spectrum of solution micro-droplet sizes (0.001 to 1000 micron) is introduced into a contaminated air stream. Micro-droplets suspended in the air stream remove contaminants by contact, collide and coalesce in the dynamics of the air stream and are removed by inertia. Smaller micro-droplets remain suspended in the air stream. The smallest micro-droplets evaporate, increasing the solution vapor pressure of the air stream. The humidified or saturated, contaminated air stream continuously expands the surface area of the solution reservoir exponentially into an aqueous froth of tiny bubbles. Airflow velocity drops in the micro-atmosphere inside each bubble of the froth.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for filtering an air stream with an aqueous froth are provided. The process includes: passing a contaminated air stream through a diffusing sieve, into an aqueous solution in an expansion chamber; generating, maintaining, and containing an aqueous froth between the liquid-bath reservoir and a saturated fiber element; and continually saturating a coarse-fiber element with liquid from the aqueous solution. The froth is generated and maintained, and the fiber element is saturated, by controlling the dynamic interface between the contaminated air stream and the liquid-bath reservoir. The apparatus for filtering an air stream includes: an air filter device that incorporates a liquid-bath filter initial stage; an aqueous-froth filter second stage; a constantly saturated, coarse-fiber filter as a combined third stage and froth-limiter; and a moist, fine-fiber filter as the final stage.

Abstract: A bifurcated hose junction is provided for a pole mounted abrading device with vacuum assisted particulate removal. The junction is actuated by the movement of the sanding pad assembly. When a short side of the rectangular sanding pad assembly is moved toward the tubular handle, the bifurcated hose junction is displaced laterally in relation to the linear axis of the handle. When a long side of the sanding pad assembly is moved toward the tubular handle, the bifurcated hose junction rotates in place, thereby allowing the sanding pad a comprehensive range of motion, in relation to the handle. The range of motion enables the operator to close the angle between sanding pad and the handle, and maintain planar contact between the sanding screen and the work surface, when working in constricted areas.

Abstract: A bifurcated hose junction is provided for a pole mounted abrading device with vacuum assisted particulate removal. The junction is actuated by the movement of the sanding pad assembly. When a short side of the rectangular sanding pad assembly is moved toward the tubular handle, the bifurcated hose junction is displaced laterally in relation to the linear axis of the handle. When a long side of the sanding pad assembly is moved toward the tubular handle, the bifurcated hose junction rotates in place, thereby allowing the sanding pad a comprehensive range of motion, in relation to the handle. The range of motion enables the operator to close the angle between sanding pad and the handle, and maintain planar contact between the sanding screen and the work surface, when working in constricted areas.