Liquid separator for separating liquid from gas and heat exchanger equipped with such a liquid separator.

Description

2 After the final compression stage, cooling takes place to ensure that the delivered compressed gas has the desired temperature. 5 It is further known that during the cooling of compressed gas, liquid present in the gas can condense in the form of vapor. This liquid in the compressed gas can cause problems in the next compression stage or in the consumer network. It is therefore important to remove this moisture or condensate from the compressed gas before it goes to the next compression stage or to the consumer network. Various solutions are already known for cooling compressed gas and removing moisture from the cooled gas.20 A first solution consists of a heat exchanger with a cooler for cooling compressed gas, in which a liquid separator of, for example, the cyclone type is provided externally to the heat exchanger.25 Such cyclone-type liquid separators result in relatively large charge differences occurring, with resulting pressure losses.30 BE2024 / 5872 3 There are also liquid separators that use gravity to separate condensate from the airflow. Although fewer pressure losses are generated here, they are not efficient at high air flow rates. Consequently, they must be constructed to be relatively large. Heat exchangers equipped with a cooling section and an integrated liquid separator are also already known, as described in BE1.015.880. The liquid separator comprises a row of corrugated vertical walls, which is placed next to the cooling section of the heat exchanger. Such a heat exchanger has the advantage that it can not only be manufactured compactly and relatively cheaply, but can also easily be fitted or integrated into a compressor unit. The extra charge loss that would normally occur between the connection of the heat exchanger and the condensate separator when the heat exchanger and the condensate separator are connected to each other as two separate components is also eliminated.Such a heat exchanger is applied in a horizontal position, whereby the heat exchanger extends in a horizontal plane and heat exchanger BE2024 / 5872 4 is placed, for example, at the top of the compressor unit, near the roof. The height of the heat exchanger, i.e. the dimensions in the vertical sense, is limited in this position. Consequently, the corrugated vertical walls, which are placed next to the cooling section, are also limited in height. This means that the condensate separated by the corrugated vertical walls only has to travel a limited distance, at most equal to the height of these walls, before it can end up in a liquid collection container provided for this purpose. However, it is not possible in all compressor installations to integrate the heat exchanger at the top and in a horizontal position into the compressor installation.Sometimes, due to lack of space or other limitations or boundary conditions, the heat exchanger must be placed in a vertical position, whereby the heat exchanger is tilted 90°, so that the heat exchanger extends in a vertical plane. A disadvantage of such a heat exchanger with an integrated fluid separator is that it cannot be placed in a vertical position. For the cooling section of the heat exchanger, it does not in principle make much difference if it extends in a vertical plane instead of a horizontal plane. BE2024 / 5872 5 However, tilting the heat exchanger 90° has the consequence that the vertical walls must also be tilted or rotated 90°. 5 As a result, the fluid separated by the walls can no longer be separated by gravity because the walls now extend horizontally.10 The walls could be placed back in a vertical position to remedy this, whereby the walls extend along the full height of the heat exchanger, which height is now much higher than in the traditional horizontal position due to the 90° tilt.15 This also means that the condensate separated by the walls, and in particular the condensate separated at the top of these walls, has to travel a much longer distance before it ends up in the drain20 and can be discharged. As a result, at least some of the formed liquid droplets will be carried along by the cooled compressed gas, which flows through the walls at a relatively high speed,25 and end up back in the compressed gas. This has the consequence that in this vertical position the same efficiency in separating the liquid can never be achieved as in the horizontal position of such a heat exchanger.The present invention aims to provide a solution to at least one of the aforementioned disadvantages by providing a liquid separator that can be placed in a vertical position without significant loss of efficiency in liquid separation. The present invention has as its object a liquid separator for separating a liquid from a gas, characterized in that the liquid separator is constructed from several packages of mainly plate-shaped liquid separation elements, extending mainly parallel to one another and oriented vertically during the operation of the liquid separator, which packages are stacked vertically on top of each other during the operation of the liquid separator, whereby a liquid collector is placed under each package with a reservoir to collect the liquid separated by the liquid separation elements from the respective package and discharge it into a discharge chamber provided for that purpose.An advantage is that by providing stacked packages of liquid separation elements, with a liquid collector under each package, the condensate separated by the liquid separation elements has to travel a limited distance before entering the reservoir. As soon as the liquid enters the reservoir, it can no longer be carried back by the gas flow. Since the condensate has to travel only a limited distance before entering the reservoir, this means that as soon as the condensate is formed, it will enter the reservoir very quickly, making the chance that the condensate is carried along by the gas flow virtually nil. The efficiency of a vertical heat exchanger with such a liquid separator is equivalent to that of known horizontal heat exchangers with a liquid separator.15 In a practical design, the discharge chamber is formed as a drain pipe extending over at least part of the height of the liquid separator, on one side of the liquid separator that extends parallel to the direction of gas flow through the liquid separator. By not only providing the discharge chamber at the bottom of the liquid separator, but by allowing it to extend over the height of the liquid separator and this in combination with the liquid collectors, the separated condensate can be discharged at various points. The discharge chamber will be located on one side of the liquid separator that extends between the inlets and the outlet of the liquid separator. This means: the discharge chamber is not located on one side of the liquid separator where the inlet or the outlet is located.5 According to a preferred feature of the invention, the liquid collector is constructed as a vessel serving as the reservoir, with a top wall bottom, in which holes or passages are provided in the top wall to allow the liquid separated by the liquid separation elements to be discharged into the reservoir. The holes or passages in the top wall will ensure that the condensate, which is separated by the overlying package and subsequently flows downwards via the liquid separation elements up to the aforementioned top wall, can enter the vessel or reservoir. As soon as the condensate has entered it, it is shielded from the gas flow by the vessel. This means that it can no longer be carried along by the gas flow, or, in other words, as soon as the condensate has entered the vessel, the condensate is effectively already separated. Preferably, in use of the liquid separator, the bottom of the vessel extends at an angle to the horizontal plane and slopes down towards the discharge chamber.30 BE2024 / 5872 9 The slope of the bottom shall ensure that all separated condensate is guided quickly and smoothly to the discharge chamber under the influence of gravity. In this regard, the liquid separator vessel may have a number of upright sides, whereby the vessel is provided with a passage in the first side of the upright sides near the bottom of the reservoir, which said first side is directed towards the said discharge chamber.10 The invention also relates to a heat exchanger with a liquid separator according to the invention, where the heat exchanger is further provided with a cooling section and a separation section, where in the cooling section a cooler is incorporated to cool the gas with an inlet15 for the gas to be cooled and an outlet for the cooled gas, and where in the separation section the aforementioned liquid separator is incorporated to be able to separate liquid from the cooled gas with an inlet and an outlet for the cooled gas, where between the cooling section and the separation section a cooler outlet element is provided which connects the outlet of the cooler with the inlet of the liquid separator.With the aim of better demonstrating the characteristics of the invention, some preferred designs of a liquid separator and a heat exchanger with such a liquid separator according to the invention are described below as examples without any restrictive character, with reference to the accompanying drawings,30 in which: BE2024 / 5872 10 Figure 1 schematically and in perspective depicts a heat exchanger with liquid separator according to the invention; Figure 2 depicts the heat exchanger with liquid separator5 from Figure 1, but with partial cutting away of a side; Figure 3 schematically and in perspective depicts the interior of the liquid separator from Figures 1 and 2;10 Figure 4 a schematically and in perspective depicts a liquid collector from Figure 3; Figure 4 a depicts an alternative design of the liquid collector from Figure 4a; Figure 5 a schematically and visibly depicts according to arrow 15 F5 in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows leg detail from Figure 5a.Figure 1 schematically shows a heat exchanger 1 with liquid separator 2 according to the invention. 20 Figure 2 shows the same heat exchanger 1, in which in this case a part of the housing 3a, 3b, 3cis is omitted. 25 According to the invention, the heat exchanger 1 with liquid separator 2 comprises a cooling section 4 and a separation section 5. A cooler 6 is included in the cooling section 4 to cool the gas 30. BE2024 / 5872 11 The cooler 6 has an inlet 7 for cooling gas, which is typically connected or can be connected to the outlet of a compressor or compressor element for receiving the warm or hot gas from this compressor or compressor element. 5 The cooler 6 is also provided with an outlet 8 for cooled gas that is cooled after passing through the cooler 6. The cooler6 is in this case an air-cooled cooler, which means that air is used as a cooling medium to cool the gas. The liquid separator2 is included in the separation section5 to be able to separate liquid from the cooled gas. The liquid separator2 comprises an inlet9 and an outlet10 for the cooled gas.20 As can be seen in figures 1 and 2, a cooler outlet element 11 is provided between the cooling section 4 and the separation section 5, or thus between the cooler 6 and the liquid separator 2, which connects the outlet 8 of the cooler 6 with the inlet 9 of the 25 liquid separator 2. The cooler outlet element 11 will thus guide the gas from the outlet 8 of the cooler 6 to the inlet 9 of the liquid separator 2. 30 BE2024 / 5872 12 In the example shown, but not necessarily for the invention, the outlet 8 of the cooler 6 is at an angle to the inlet 9 of the liquid separator 2. Or, more specifically, the direction of the gas flow leaving the cooler 6 via the outlet 8 is different from the direction 5 that the gas flow must have in order to be able to flow into the latter via the inlet 9 of the liquid separator 2. As can be seen in figures 1 and 2, the cooling section 4 and the separating section 5 in the example shown in 10 each have their own housing 3a and 3c respectively, just like the cooler outlet element 11, namely housing 3b.It is not excluded for the invention that the heat exchanger1 with liquid separator2 is provided with a single housing3a,3b,3c in which both the cooling section4, the separation section5, and the cooler outlet element11 are provided. 20 According to the invention, the liquid separator2 extends in a vertical plane during use. This means that the largest dimensions extend in a vertical plane.25 'During use' means: when the liquid separator2 or the heat exchanger1 is installed for use and therefore not during, for example, the production or transport of the liquid separator2 or 30 the heat exchanger1. BE2024 / 5872 13 When reference is made to 'vertical' in what follows, this refers to the vertical sense or the dimension that extends vertically during the use of the liquid separator2 or heat exchanger1.5 As can be seen in Figure 1, the cooler6 is shaped as a beam with a height H, length L and width B, where the height H and the length L are the largest dimensions.The height H extends in the vertical plane, while the width B and length L extend in the horizontal plane. In this way, the heat exchanger 1 stands upright, as it were. This is in contrast to the well-known heat exchangers with integrated liquid separators, which extend in a horizontal plane and therefore lie flat, as it were. The largest side wall 13 of the cooler 6 therefore also extends vertically; it stands upright. This is also the plane through which the cooling gas will flow, i.e., the cooling gas flows perpendicular to this largest side wall 13, while the gas to be cooled will flow through the cooler 6 parallel to this side wall 13 – in the figure from the right, where inlet 7 is located, to the left, where outlet 8 is located. Due to the construction or structure of the heat exchanger1, this results in the liquid separator2 also extending in a vertical plane.BE2024 / 5872 14 According to the invention, the liquid separator2 is composed of several packages14 of mainly plate-shaped liquid separation elements15 extending mainly parallel to one another and, during the use of the heat exchanger15, vertically oriented liquid separation elements15. In Figure 2, and in particular in Figure 3, these packages14 are clearly visible. 10 In the figures shown there are five packages14, but there could also be more or fewer than five packages14. According to the invention, and as shown in Figures 2 and 15 3, these packages14 are stacked vertically on top of one another when the liquid separator2 is in use, i.e. when the liquid separator2 extends in a vertical plane. 20 The liquid separation elements15 are designed as corrugated sheets fitted with transversely protruding hook-shaped ribs 16 which form vertical gutters17 that extend over the full or nearly the full height of the liquid separation elements15.25 The gutters17 are located on both sides of the corrugated plates, placed alternately on one side and the other, as visible in Figure 3. 30 BE2024 / 5872 15 The vertical gutters17 have a predominantly semicircular cross-section, but this is not necessary for the invention, where the open side is directed towards the direction of the incoming gas flow. 5 In the example shown, each liquid separation element has four identical ribs16 with associated channels17 and each package14 has nine liquid separation elements15, but this is not necessary for the invention.10 The number of channels17 and the number of liquid separation elements15 will depend on the dimensioning of the liquid separator2 and / or heat exchanger1 and its properties.15 In figure 5 it is clearly visible that the outermost liquid separation elements15 of each package14, i.e.those located on the edges of the package14 and situated against the walls18 of the liquid separator2, are only partial liquid separation elements 15', whereby the aforementioned gutters17 or ribs16 directed towards the walls18 are removed or missing from these liquid separation elements15'. Or, in other words, the ribs16 on the outermost25 liquid separation elements15' that are situated on one side directed away from the other liquid separation elements15 are missing or have been removed. At these outermost liquid separation elements15', the gutters17 are therefore30 BE2024 / 5872 16 situated only on one side of the liquid separation element15'. This is provided to avoid dead zones in the packages14 between the aforementioned walls18 of the 5 liquid separator2 and the liquid separation elements 15' which are thus accessible to cooled gas.Furthermore, according to the invention, a liquid collector19 is placed under each package14 with a reservoir20 to collect the condensate, or liquid, separated by the liquid separation elements15 from the relevant package14 and discharge it into a discharge chamber21 provided for that purpose. 15 In this case, the latter is formed as a discharge pipe21 which extends over at least part of the height of the liquid separator2, and can be seen in figures 1 and 3. 20 In the example shown, the discharge pipe21 extends over the full height of the liquid separator2. In the example in the figures, the discharge chamber21 is located against a wall25 18 of the liquid separator2 which extends parallel to the direction of flow of the gas through the liquid separator2. Or, in other words, the wall18 that extends between the inlet930 and the outlet10 of the liquid separator2. BE2024 / 5872 17 In other words: the discharge chamber21 is not located on the side of the liquid separator2 where the inlet9 or the outlet10 is located.This wall18 of the liquid separator2 is in this case5 formed by a partition wall22 between the stacked packages14 of liquid separation elements15 and the discharge chamber21 and provides a seal between the two. In Figure 3, this partition wall22 is clearly visible. 10 The partition wall22 will ensure that the separated condensate is shielded from the flow of cooled gas passing through the liquid separator2, so that condensate or condensate droplets cannot be reabsorbed into the gas flow15. The liquid collectors19 are constructed as a vessel24 that serves as the reservoir20. They are shown in more detail in Figures 4 to 5b.20 In this case, the liquid collectors19 have the shape of a kind of tray, possessing a limited height. The vessel24 comprises a top wall25, a bottom26 and four25 upright sides27a,27b,27c,27d. Holes28 or passages are provided in the top wall25 to allow the liquid or condensate separated by the liquid separation elements15 to be discharged30 into the reservoir20 and collected there.BE2024 / 5872 18 The liquid separation elements15 are placed, as it were, on the top wall25, so that the condensate collected by the liquid separation elements15, and in particular by the gutters17, runs downwards by gravity to the top wall25, and subsequently ends up in the reservoir20 under the top wall25 via these holes28. To discharge the liquid to the drain chamber21, the vessel24 of the liquid collector19 is provided with a passage29 in a first upright side27d near the bottom26 of the vessel24, which said first side27d is directed towards the said drain chamber21. 15 The said first side27d will in this case form part of or coincide with the said partition wall22. Alternatively, it is also possible that the very first side 27d20 is situated adjacent to or against the aforementioned partition wall 22 and that the partition wall 22 is provided with a corresponding passage.In the configuration shown in Figure 4a, the bottom of the vessel extends at an angle to the horizontal plane and slopes towards the discharge chamber. This means: the bottom slopes towards the aforementioned passage. This will help the condensate discharged from the reservoir BE2024 / 5872 19 to flow by gravity in the direction of the aforementioned passage and then further to the discharge chamber. Figure 4 shows an alternative configuration for the bottom, in which this bottom slopes both towards the first side and towards the opposite side. A passage will also be provided on the opposite side. 10 In such a form of design, a drain chamber shall be provided on this opposite side 27b, or a channel or pipe shall be provided running from the passage 29 on the opposite side 27b to the aforementioned drain chamber 21 on the first side 27d. 15 The operation of the liquid separator 2 is very simple and as follows.Gas, for example compressed air originating from a compressor, compressor element, or compressor device, enters the heat exchanger with liquid separator via the inlet of the cooler in the cooling section. This compressed gas, which must be cooled, flows through the cooler in the cooling section in the direction of the arrows in Pin Figure 1. The arrows in Pin Figure 1 show the path that the compressed gas travels in the heat exchanger. BE2024 / 5872 The compressed gas flows through the cooler from right to left in the example in Figure 1. At the same time, the heat exchanger, specifically the cooler, is flowed through with a cooling gas. The purpose of this cooling gas is to extract heat from the compressed gas. The cooling gas flows through cooler 6 in a direction perpendicular to the compressed gas, as shown by 10 arrows R. During the flow through cooler 6, the compressed gas will be cooled by transferring its heat to the cooling gas in a known manner. 15 When the compressed gas reaches the outlet 8 of cooler 6, it will have the desired temperature.After passing through the cooler6, the cooled20 compressed gas enters the cooler outlet element11. As it flows through the packs14, the gutters 17 will catch condensate droplets from the gas flow. 25 These will flow downwards via the gutters17 and collect on the upper walls25 of the liquid collectors 19. The cooled compressed gas will then leave the liquid separator2 via the outlet10. BE2024 / 5872 21 The condensate that lands on the upper wall25 of the liquid collectors will enter through the holes28 in this upper wall25 of the vessel24 and be guided via the sloping bottom26 to the passage29 and 5 via the condensate into the discharge chamber21. For example, a drain pipe30 is connected to this discharge chamber21 to allow the condensate to be discharged further. 10 When the cooled compressed gas leaves the liquid separator2 via the outlet10, it will be free of condensate or moisture and can be led to a subsequent compressor stage or consumer network of compressed gas.15 The current invention is by no means limited to the example described and in.