Combined sonic agglomerator/cross flow gas filtration system and method

摘要

A gas filtration apparatus and process combining sonic agglomeration with porous cross flow filtration. The apparatus and process is particularly suited to gas streams comprising particulates of under 10 microns in diameter, such as the effluent gas stream of coal gasifiers, which are at a high temperature and high pressure. The smaller particles are agglomerated by sonic agglomeration and a portion of the gas stream is then passed through a porous cross flow filter resulting in a particulate-free gas stream while not requiring the high pressure drop normally associated with filtration of small particulates. The gas stream through the sonic agglomeration portion may be seeded to enhance particulate agglomeration and/or to induce chemical reaction of undesired gaseous components for their removal as solids.