Claims
- 1. A gas/liquid separator, comprising:
a vessel having a fluid inlet, a liquid outlet, a vapor outlet and a vessel cross-sectional geometry; an initial baffle and a subsequent baffle disposed within the vessel, between the fluid inlet and the vapor outlet, and having a baffle geometry substantially similar to the vessel cross-sectional geometry; wherein the initial and subsequent baffles comprise a plurality of openings providing fluid communication from a fluid inlet side to a baffle vapor outlet side of the initial baffle and the subsequent baffle; and a solid plate disposed between the initial baffle and the vapor outlet, wherein the vapor outlet is in gaseous communication with a side of the solid plate opposite the vapor outlet.
- 2. The gas/liquid separator of claim 1, wherein the initial baffle openings have a size larger than the subsequent baffle openings.
- 3. The gas/liquid separator of claim 2, wherein at least one of the initial baffle and the subsequent baffle further comprises a screen.
- 4. The gas/liquid separator of claim 2, wherein at least one of the initial baffle and the subsequent baffle further comprises a perforated plate.
- 5. The gas/liquid separator of claim 4, wherein the initial baffle has an initial porosity of about 25% to about 50% and the subsequent baffle has a subsequent porosity of about 50% to about 75%.
- 6. The gas/liquid separator of claim 1, wherein the initial solid plate is disposed between the subsequent baffle and the vapor outlet.
- 7. The gas/liquid separator of claim 1, further comprising a cooling apparatus at least disposed in thermal communication with a portion of the separator between the solid plate and the vapor outlet.
- 8. The gas/liquid separator of claim 1, wherein the cooling apparatus is disposed within the shell.
- 9. A gas generating system, comprising:
an electrochemical cell; and a gas/liquid phase separator in fluid communication with said electrochemical cell, wherein the gas/liquid separator comprises a vessel having a fluid inlet, a liquid outlet, a vapor outlet and a vessel cross-sectional geometry; an initial baffle and a subsequent baffle disposed within the vessel, between the fluid inlet and the vapor outlet, and having a baffle geometry substantially similar to the vessel cross-sectional geometry; wherein the initial and subsequent baffles comprise a plurality of openings providing fluid communication from a fluid inlet side to a baffle vapor outlet side of the initial baffle and the subsequent baffle; and a solid plate disposed between the initial baffle and the vapor outlet, wherein the vapor outlet is in gaseous communication with a side of the solid plate opposite the vapor outlet.
- 10. The gas generating system of claim 9, further comprising a gas storage vessel in fluid communication with the vapor outlet.
- 11. The gas generating system of claim 10, further comprising a drier fluidly disposed between the gas/liquid separator and the gas storage vessel.
- 12. The gas generating system of claim 11, further comprising a liquid storage vessel in fluid communication with the liquid outlet and with the electrochemical cell.
- 13. The gas generating system of claim 12, wherein the electrochemical cell is an electrolysis cell, and wherein the system further comprises a fuel cell in fluid communication with the gas storage vessel.
- 14. A method of separating a gas phase from a liquid phase, the method comprising:
introducing a stream to a gas/liquid separator; passing an initial portion of the stream through an initial baffle; passing a subsequent portion of the stream through a subsequent baffle, wherein vapor and liquid are separated from the stream; and removing the vapor from the separator; wherein the initial baffle and the subsequent baffle are disposed within a vessel, between a fluid inlet and a vapor outlet, and have a baffle geometry substantially similar to a vessel cross-sectional geometry; wherein the initial and subsequent baffles comprise a plurality of openings providing fluid communication from a fluid inlet side to a baffle vapor outlet side of the initial baffle and the subsequent baffle.
- 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising cooling the vapor prior to removing the vapor from the separator.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/370,059 filed Apr. 3, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60370059 |
Apr 2002 |
US |