Methods and apparatus for gas stream mass transfer with a liquid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018195034-A1
Application number	US-201815916635-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 9, 2018
Priority date	Apr 18, 2012
Publication date	Jul 12, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for performing a gas-liquid mass transfer includes a container bounding a compartment and having a top wall, a bottom wall, and an encircling sidewall extending therebetween. A tube has a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the tube being disposed within the compartment of the container. A nozzle is disposed within the compartment of the container and has at least one outlet, the nozzle being coupled with the tube so that a gas can be passed through the tube and out the at least one outlet of the nozzle. The nozzle is sufficiently buoyant so that when a fluid is disposed within the compartment of the container, the nozzle floats on the fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for performing a gas-liquid mass transfer comprising:
a container bounding a compartment and having an upper end wall, a lower end wall, and an encircling sidewall extending therebetween; a tube having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the tube being disposed within the compartment of the container; and a nozzle disposed within the compartment of the container and having at least one outlet, the nozzle being coupled with the tube so that a gas can be passed through the tube and out the at least one outlet of the nozzle, the nozzle being sufficiently buoyant so that when a fluid is disposed within the compartment of the container, the nozzle floats on the fluid.

2 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tube extends through the upper end wall of the container so that the second end of the tube is disposed outside of the compartment of the container.

3 . The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a tubular sleeve that bounds a passageway that extends between a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the sleeve being disposed within the compartment of the container, the second end of the sleeve being coupled with the container, at least a portion of the tube being disposed within the passageway of the sleeve.

4 . The system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the first end of the sleeve is coupled with the nozzle.

5 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second end of the tube is coupled with a gas supply.

6 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises:
a nozzle body having a first end, and opposing second end, and an encircling sidewall extending therebetween; and the at least one outlet comprising a plurality of outlets radially spaced apart on the encircling sidewall of the nozzle body.

7 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first end of the tube can be selectively raised and lowered within the compartment of the container from outside of the compartment of the container.

8 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a flexible bag comprised of one or more sheets of polymeric film.

9 . The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising means for mixing a fluid within the compartment of the container.

10 . The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a fluid disposed within the compartment of the container and having a top surface; the nozzle floating on the fluid so that the at least one outlet is disposed above the top surface; and a gas passing through the tube and out the at least one outlet of the nozzle.

11 . A system for performing a gas-liquid mass transfer comprising:
a container bounding a compartment and having an upper end wall, a lower end wall, and an encircling sidewall extending therebetween; a tube having a first end disposed within the compartment of the container and an opposing second end disposed outside of the compartment of the container; a nozzle disposed within the compartment of the container and having at least one outlet, the nozzle being coupled with the tube so that a gas can be passed through the tube and out the at least one outlet of the nozzle; and a collapsible sleeve that bounds a passageway extending between a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the sleeve being disposed within the compartment of the container, the second end of the sleeve being coupled with the container, and at least a portion of the tube being disposed within the passageway of the sleeve.

12 . The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the second end of the tube is coiled around a spool outside of the compartment of the container.

13 . The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first end of the sleeve is coupled with the nozzle.

14 . The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the tube extends through the upper end wall of the container.

15 . The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first end of the tube can be selectively raised and lowered within the compartment of the container from outside of the compartment of the container.

16 . The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the container comprises a flexible bag comprised of one or more sheets of polymeric film.

17 . A system for performing a gas-liquid mass transfer comprising:
a container bounding a compartment and having an upper end wall, a lower end wall, and an encircling sidewall extending therebetween; a tube bounding a plurality of lumens and having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the tube being disposed within the compartment of the container; and a plurality of nozzles disposed at spaced apart locations along a length of the tube within the compartment of the container, each of the plurality nozzles having a least one outlet that is fluid coupled with a separate one of the plurality of lumens.

18 . The system as recited in claim 17 , further comprising:
each of the plurality of lumens being fluid coupled with a gas source located outside of the compartment of the container so that gas can travel from the gas source, through each of the plurality of lumens, and out of the at least one outlet of each of the plurality of nozzles; and one or more valves that are configured to separately control the flow of gas through each of the plurality of lumens.

19 . The system as recited in claim 17 , wherein the tube passes through the upper end wall of the container so that the second end of the tube is disposed outside of the compartment of the container.

20 . The system as recited in claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of nozzles comprise:
a nozzle body having a first end, and opposing second end and an encircling sidewall extending therebetween; and the at least one outlet comprising a plurality of outlets radially spaced apart on the encircling sidewall of the nozzle body.

Assignees

• Life Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Brau Christopher D
• Jones Nephi D
• Madsen Benjamin R
• Goodwin Michael E

Classifications

• C12M41/34

  of gas · CPC title

• C12M27/02

  Stirrer or mobile mixing elements · CPC title

• C12M23/26

  flexible (flexible containers for laboratory use B01L3/505) · CPC title

• C12M29/06 Primary

  Nozzles; Sprayers; Spargers; Diffusers (per se B01F23/231, B01J19/26) · CPC title

• C12M23/00

  Constructional details, e.g. recesses, hinges (flow directing inserts in C12M27/18-C12M27/24; apparatus for chemical or physical processes in general B01J, chemical or physical laboratory apparatus in general B01L) · CPC title