Flue pipe systems and methods of purifying flue gases

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12097509-B2
Application number	US-202117545214-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2021
Priority date	Dec 8, 2021
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a flue pipe system comprising a flue pipe, a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a voltage supply. The flue pipe can define a fluid flow path through an interior volume of the flue pipe. The voltage supply can be connected to the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode. The voltage supply can form a first electrical circuit comprising the voltage supply, the first electrode, and the third electrode and a second electrical circuit comprising the voltage supply, the second electrode, and the third electrode. The first electrical circuit can form a streamer corona discharge between the first electrode and the third electrode in the interior volume such that the fluid flow path flows therethrough. The second electrical circuit can form a flow of ions between the second electrode and the third electrode along the interior surface of the flue pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flue pipe system comprising:
a flue pipe comprising a nonconductive material, the flue pipe defining a fluid flow path through an interior volume, the flue pipe further comprising an interior surface defining the interior volume and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface;
a first electrode comprising a first conductive material, the first electrode located in the interior volume;
a second electrode comprising a second conductive material, the second electrode disposed on at least a portion of the interior surface of the flue pipe;
a third electrode comprising a third conductive material, the third electrode disposed on at least a portion of the interior surface of the flue pipe and connected to a grounding point; and
a voltage supply connected to the first electrode and the second electrode; and
a particle filter disposed in the interior volume of the flue pipe, wherein the fluid flow path is configured to flow through the particle filter.

2. The flue pipe system of claim 1 , wherein a flue gas is configured to flow along the fluid flow path through the interior volume, the flue gas comprising one or more of an oxide, a dioxide, or a trioxide.

3. The flue pipe system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more of the oxide, the dioxide, or the trioxide comprises one or more of nitrogen oxides or sulfur oxides.

4. The flue pipe system of claim 1 , wherein the voltage supply is configured to form:
a first electrical circuit comprising the voltage supply, the first electrode, and the third electrode; and
a second electrical circuit comprising the voltage supply, the second electrode, and the third electrode.

5. The flue pipe system of claim 4 , wherein the first electrical circuit forms a streamer corona discharge between the first electrode and the third electrode in the interior volume, wherein the fluid flow path flows therethrough.

6. The flue pipe system of claim 5 , wherein the flue gas interacts with the streamer corona discharge to create an aerosol mist.

7. The flue pipe system of claim 4 , wherein the second electrical circuit forms a flow of ions between the second electrode and the third electrode along the interior surface of the flue pipe.

8. The flue pipe system of claim 1 , wherein the particle filter comprises a mineral wool.

9. The flue pipe system of claim 8 , wherein the particle filter is configured to entrap an aerosol mist, and the mineral wool is configured to neutralize an acidic fluid.

10. A method of purifying a flue gas, the method comprising:
flowing a flue gas through a flue pipe comprising a nonconductive material, the flue pipe defining a fluid flow path through an interior volume, the flue pipe having an interior surface defining the interior volume and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface;
reacting the flue gas with a first electrical circuit to form an aerosol mist, the first electrical circuit comprising a first electrode, a third electrode, and a voltage supply;
contacting the flue gas with a second electrical circuit to form a flow of ions along the interior surface of the pipe, the second electrical circuit comprising a second electrode, the third electrode, and the voltage supply; and
filtering the aerosol mist through a particle filter disposed in the interior volume of the flue pipe, the particle filter comprising a mineral wool.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode comprise a conductive material.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second electrode is disposed on at least a portion of the interior surface of the flue pipe and connected to a grounding point.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first electrode is contained within the interior volume and parallel to at least a portion of the fluid flow path.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the third electrode is disposed on at least a portion of the interior surface of the flue pipe.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the reacting comprises forming, by the first electrical circuit, a streamer corona discharge between the first electrode and the third electrode in the interior volume, wherein the fluid flow path flows therethrough.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the filtering comprises entrapping the aerosol mist in the particle filter and neutralizing the aerosol mist to eliminate an acidic fluid.

17. A method of purifying a flue gas, the method comprising:
flowing a flue gas comprising one or more of an oxide, a dioxide, or a trioxide through a flue pipe comprising a nonconductive material, the flue pipe defining a fluid flow path through an interior volume, the flue pipe having an interior surface defining the interior volume and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface;
reacting the flue gas with a streamer corona discharge to form an aerosol mist comprising an acidic fluid;
contacting the flue gas with a flow of ions along the interior surface of the pipe thereby increasing a flow rate of the flue gas; and
filtering the aerosol mist through a particle filter disposed in the interior volume of the flue pipe, the particle filter comprising a mineral wool configured to entrap the aerosol mist and neutralize the acidic fluid.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more of the oxide, the dioxide, or the trioxide comprises one or more of nitrogen oxides or sulfur oxides.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the streamer corona discharge is formed by:
a first electrode contained in the interior volume and being parallel to at least a portion of the fluid flow path;
a third electrode disposed on at least a portion of the interior surface of the flue pipe and connected to a grounding point; and
a voltage supply.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the flow of ions along the interior surface of the pipe is created by:
a second electrode disposed on at least a portion of the interior surface of the flue pipe;
the third electrode; and
the voltage supply.

Assignees

• Rheem Mfg Co

Inventors

• Mu Baojie
• Deokar Pratik S

Classifications

• B03C3/38

  Particle charging or ionising stations, e.g. using electric discharge, radioactive radiation or flames · CPC title

• F23J2215/10

  Nitrogen; Compounds thereof · CPC title

• B03C3/04

  dry type · CPC title

• F23J2215/20

  Sulfur; Compounds thereof · CPC title

• F24H9/0036 Primary

  Dispositions against condensation of combustion products · CPC title