System and method for cryogenic condensing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for condensing vapor in a gas. A cryogen, such as liquid nitrogen, may be provided into first and second coil sets in a condenser housing to cool the condensable vapor in the housing to condense the vapor into a liquid or solid form. The flow of cryogen in the first and second coil sets may be independently controlled, coils in the first and/or second coil sets may have a substantially equal length, and/or coils in the first and/or second coil sets may have uppermost portions that are located at a substantially equal height.

1 . A cryogenic condenser, comprising:
 a housing defining an interior space, the housing having a gas inlet for introducing gas with a condensable vapor and a gas outlet for exhausting gas;   first and second coil sets, each coil set including at least one coil located in the interior space, each of the coils having an inlet and an outlet and arranged to conduct a cryogen from the inlet to the outlet, the coils being arranged to cool the condensable vapor in the interior space to condense the vapor into a liquid or solid form; and   a cryogen supply including at least one valve and arranged to independently control flow of cryogen in at least two of the coils.   
     
     
         2 . The condenser of  claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a cylindrical space having a top and a bottom, and first coil set is located above the second coil set. 
     
     
         3 . The condenser of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a cylindrical shape having a top and a bottom, and the gas inlet is arranged at a side of the cylindrical shape and the gas outlet is arranged at the top of the cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         4 . The condenser of  claim 3 , comprising an inlet baffle arranged at the gas inlet to direct gas toward the bottom of the cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         5 . The condenser of  claim 4 , further comprising at least one baffle at the top or bottom of the cylindrical shape to direct gas flow in the interior space in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         6 . The condenser of  claim 4 , wherein the inlet baffle is positioned between the gas inlet and the coils. 
     
     
         7 . The condenser of  claim 4 , further comprising a bottom baffle at the bottom of the cylindrical shape that inhibits gas flow in a horizontal direction, and at least one top baffle at the top of the cylindrical shape that inhibits gas flow in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         8 . The condenser of  claim 1 , wherein the coils in the first and second coil sets have a substantially equal length. 
     
     
         9 . The condenser of  claim 1 , wherein each of the coil sets includes at least two coils that have a substantially equal length. 
     
     
         10 . The condenser of  claim 9 , wherein the coils in each coil set have a common inlet conduit and a common outlet conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The condenser of  claim 9 , wherein the coils in each coil set are nested. 
     
     
         12 . A cryogenic condenser, comprising:
 a housing defining an interior space, the housing having a gas inlet for introducing gas with a condensable vapor and a gas outlet for exhausting gas;   first and second coils, each coil being located in the interior space, having an inlet and an outlet and arranged to conduct a cryogen from the inlet to the outlet, and having a substantially equal length from the inlet to the outlet, the coils being arranged to cool the condensable vapor in the interior space to condense the vapor into a liquid or solid form; and   a cryogen supply arranged to provide cryogen to the inlet of each of the coils.   
     
     
         13 . The condenser of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second coils are part of a first coil set that further includes at least a third coil, the third coil having a length from an inlet to an outlet that is substantially equal to the length of the first and second coils. 
     
     
         14 . The condenser of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second coils are part of a first coil set, the condenser further comprising a second coil set that includes third and fourth coils that have a substantially equal length. 
     
     
         15 . A method for removing a condensable vapor from a gas stream, comprising:
 providing a gas with a condensable vapor into a condenser housing;   providing a liquid cryogen into first and second coil sets in the condenser housing to cool the condensable vapor in the interior space to condense the vapor into a liquid or solid form in the condenser housing; and   independently controlling a flow of liquid cryogen in the first and second coil sets.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of independently controlling comprises operating at least one valve for a first cryogen supply for the first coil set independently of operation of at least one valve for a second cryogen supply for the second coil set. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second coil sets each include:
 first and second coils, each having an inlet and an outlet and arranged to conduct a cryogen from the inlet to the outlet, the first and second coils being nested with the second coil being at least partially surrounded by the first coil, and the first and second coils each having an uppermost portion that are located at a substantially equal height.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second coil sets each include at least a third coil that is nested with the first and second coils, the third coil having an uppermost portion that is located at a substantially equal height at the uppermost portions of the first and second coils. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein first coil set is positioned above second coil set.