Gas-To-Liquid Heat Exchanger and Gas Particulate Scrubber

Abstract

A gas-to-liquid heat exchanger is presented, where a gas is introduced directly to liquid. The liquid is exposed to the gas as a liquid film upon a series of rotating heat exchange surfaces partially submerged in a liquid reservoir. The liquid vaporizes and then re-condenses on subsequent heat exchange surfaces, such that heat is exchanged between the gas and the liquid. Particulates within the gas coalesce into the vaporized liquid and collect into the liquid reservoir as the vapor re-condenses.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger, comprising;
 a reservoir chamber configured to contain a liquid reservoir and a gas channel in contact with said liquid reservoir, said reservoir chamber further comprising a gas ingress end and a gas egress end, a liquid ingress port and a liquid egress port; and   a rotating shaft comprising a first heat exchange surface in rigid rotational accompaniment with said rotating shaft, said rotating shaft disposed within said reservoir chamber such that said first heat exchange surface is configured to be partially submerged in said liquid reservoir and partially within said gas channel, said rotating shaft oriented to at least partially span said reservoir chamber gas channel.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a driver configured to rotate said rotating shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas impeller in communication with said reservoir chamber gas channel. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a liquid impeller in communication with said liquid reservoir. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a driver connected to said rotating shaft such that said driver rotates said rotating shaft; and   a gas impeller in communication with said reservoir chamber gas channel,   wherein said driver connected to said rotating shaft is further configured to drive said gas impeller.   
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein said first heat exchange surface further comprises an aperture. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein said first heat exchange surface further comprises an impeller. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a second heat exchange surface in rigid rotational accompaniment with said rotating shaft, said second heat exchange surface disposed substantially parallel to said first heat exchange surface. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , further comprising a stationary baffle disposed substantially between said first heat exchange surface and said second heat exchange surface 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a substantially flat first disc. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising an indirect heat exchange coil disposed within said reservoir chamber, wherein said reservoir chamber further comprises a heat exchange coil inlet and a heat exchange coil outlet. 
     
     
         12 . A device, comprising;
 a housing;   a reservoir chamber disposed within said housing configured to contain a liquid reservoir and a gas channel in contact with said liquid reservoir, said reservoir chamber further comprising a gas ingress end and a gas egress end;   a rotating shaft comprising a heat exchange surface disposed to rotate around said rotating shaft in rigid accompaniment with said rotating shaft, said rotating shaft disposed within said reservoir chamber, said rotating shaft oriented to span at least a portion of said reservoir chamber gas channel; and   a driver connected to said rotating shaft, said driver configured to rotate said rotating shaft.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising a reservoir chamber gas channel impeller configured to impel gas into said gas channel gas ingress end and expel gas from said gas channel gas egress end. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising a baffle disposed within said reservoir chamber gas channel. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein said driver rotating shaft additionally configured to drive said gas channel egress impeller. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising an electrode configured to form an electric field within said gas channel. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising an indirect heat exchange coil disposed within said reservoir chamber, wherein said reservoir chamber further comprises a heat exchange coil inlet and a heat exchange coil outlet. 
     
     
         18 . A method for exchanging heat between a gas and a liquid, comprising the steps of:
 providing a reservoir chamber comprising a housing, a liquid reservoir and a gas channel in communication with said liquid reservoir and further in communication with said housing, said gas channel having a ingress end and an egress end;   providing a rotating shaft at least partially spanning said reservoir chamber;   providing a first heat exchange surface disposed upon said rotating shaft, said first heat exchange surface configured to rotate in rigid conformity with said rotating shaft;   partially submerging said first heat exchange surface in said liquid reservoir;   rotating said rotating shaft, thereby partially coating said first heat exchange surface with a liquid film; and   introducing a gas through said gas channel ingress end to said first heat exchange surface;   expelling said gas from said gas channel egress end.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of flinging said liquid from said first heat exchange surface onto said housing. 
     
     
         20 . A method for removing particulates from a gas, comprising the steps of:
 drawing a gas comprising particulates through a reservoir chamber partially filled with a liquid;   within said reservoir chamber, rotating a first heat exchange surface partially submerged in said liquid;   partially coating said first heat exchange surface in said liquid;   introducing said gas to said first heat exchange surface in said reservoir chamber; and   collecting particulates from said gas in said liquid.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 vaporizing said liquid partially coating said first heat exchange surface, thereby producing a vapor; and   coalescing said particulates into said vapor.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 within said reservoir chamber, rotating a second heat exchange surface, wherein said second heat exchange surface is partially submerged in said liquid;   drawing said vapor through said reservoir chamber toward from said first heat exchange surface toward said second heat exchange surface in a first direction;   introducing said vapor to said second heat exchange surface; and   condensing said vapor upon said second heat exchange surface.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of imparting an electrostatic charging of a first polarity to said particulates within the gas. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the step of electrostatically charging said first heat exchange surface with a second polarity.