JP2818076B2 - Method and apparatus for contacting solid particles with gas under microgravity environment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of contacting a solid particle with a gas for performing a chemical operation such as adsorption or a chemical reaction by contacting the solid particle with a gas in a microgravity environment such as in a spacecraft. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Adsorption,
As a system for performing operations such as a reaction, a fixed bed (packed bed), a moving bed, a fluidized bed, a spouted bed and the like are generally used, and are widely applied industrially.

[0003] By the way, with the progress of space development, it is considered that the necessity of performing operations such as adsorption and reaction by bringing solid particles into contact with a gas in a spacecraft or the like also increases. However, the space inside the spacecraft is in a microgravity environment, and the behavior of solid particles is very different from that on the ground (in a 1G environment).
For this reason, as a method of contacting solid particles with a gas in a microgravity environment such as in a spacecraft, there are almost no methods of moving or flowing particles in order to avoid the complexity of equipment design and to reduce the size and weight. Most of them were not adopted, and most of them adopted the fixed bed (filled bed) method.

[0004] The following two factors determine the rate of adsorption and reaction caused by contact between solid particles and gas.

(1) Diffusion rate (2) Reaction rate Among these, the diffusion rate varies greatly depending on the existence state of solid particles. Usually, when a solid is in a moving / fluid state (moving bed, fluidized bed, spouted bed, etc.). The gas has a diffusion coefficient several times to several tens of times that of a fixed layer in which a solid is in a stationary state.

For this reason, a contact device between a solid particle and a gas in a spacecraft or the like employing a fixed bed method has a drawback that the time required for operations such as reaction and adsorption becomes extremely long.

In a microgravity environment, the solid particles can move and flow by flowing the gas into the solid particles. However, the solid particles can move and flow only by the gas flow. Since they move and flow in parallel, no random movement occurs, and the diffusion speed of the gas is not very high. Further, in a microgravity environment, cohesive force becomes apparent irrespective of coarse particles or fine particles, and it is difficult to perform all operations such as transport, reaction, gas contact and the like in the contact state. For this reason, it is necessary to form a dispersed state of the particles prior to all operations.

The method of contacting solid particles with a gas is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 3-124772, which discloses a method for producing ozone-modified carbon black having a particle size of 1,000 μm.
Hereinafter, a method is disclosed in which carbon black, preferably 100 μm or less, is brought into contact with an ozone-containing gas in an oscillating fluidized bed of 5 to 60 Hz, but it goes without saying that this method is carried out in a 1G environment. No consideration is given to application to contact between solid particles and a gas in a microgravity environment.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of contacting a solid particle with a gas when performing operations such as adsorption and reaction by bringing the solid particle into contact with a gas in a microgravity environment such as in a spacecraft. In view of the above drawbacks, it is possible to form a dispersed state of solid particles in a microgravity environment and significantly improve the operation speed of adsorption / reaction between solid particles and gas, and to reduce the size and weight of the device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device for contacting a solid particle with a gas which is possible.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has a particle size of 10 μm to 5 mm and a density of 0.9 g / c under a microgravity environment of 0.02 G or less.
In method of contacting the solid particles and gas for chemical operations to be performed by contacting a gas to solid particles is m ³ or more, containing the solid particles into the vessel, while circulating the gas within the vessel The frequency of the solid particles is 10 Hz to 500 Hz.
Wherein mechanical vibration having an amplitude of 0.1 μm to 10 mm is applied. In addition, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention has a particle size of 10 μm to 5 mm and a density of 0.9 g / c under a microgravity environment of 0.02 G or less.
In the contact device of the solid particles and gas for chemical operations to be performed by contacting a gas to solid particles is m ³ or more, and a container provided to be circulated sealable and the gas to the solid particles, the Arranged in a container, the solid particles have a frequency of 10 Hz to 500 Hz and an amplitude of 0.1 μm to 10 mm.
Vibrating means for imparting mechanical vibration of the solid particles in the container, the mechanical vibration of the frequency and amplitude in the above range is applied to the solid particles to disperse the solid particles. It is proposed to form and to make the solid particles and gas contact with each other by flowing the gas in the container.

[0011]

In a microgravity environment, the solid particles can be moved by applying a slight force to the solid particles, and the solid particles having the above-mentioned particle size and density range from 10 Hz to 500 Hz.
By applying the mechanical vibration, the chance of collision between the solid particles and between the solid and the container wall increases, the movement of the solid particles in the disordered direction becomes active, and the gas diffusion speed is remarkably increased. As a result, the operation speed of the adsorption / reaction is significantly increased.

Particles having a particle size of less than 10 μm are not suitable because they have a large adhesive force between the particles and tend to aggregate. On the other hand, if the particle size is 5 mm or more, the surface area of the solid particles per volume becomes small, which is not practical. In addition, the density is 0.9 g / cm ³
In the following, the energy of the movement is reduced, and the activation of the movement of the solid particles is suppressed. From the above, it is considered that the present invention is effectively applied to solid particles having a particle size of 10 μm to 5 mm and a density of 0.9 g / cm ³ or more.

When the frequency is 10 Hz or less, the effect of the vibration is small.

On the other hand, when the vibration is high at 500 Hz or less, the ability of the solid particles to follow the movement of the vibration is deteriorated. Therefore, the frequency applied to the solid particles is in the range of 10 Hz to 500 Hz.

According to the experimental results, the amplitude is 0.1 μm for the above conditions of the particle size, density and frequency of the solid particles.
It is appropriate to set the range of m to 10 mm.

[0016]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a contact device between a solid particle and a gas used in the present invention.

FIGS. 1 (a), 1 (b) and 1 (c) are views showing an example of an apparatus for carrying out the present invention. The contact device of each embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a cylindrical sealable container 1 and an exciter 2 provided therein. At the top of the container 1, a sealable opening 3 for filling or extracting solid particles into or from the container is provided. Further, a gas inlet 4 is provided at the bottom of the side wall, and an exhaust port 5 is provided at the top of the side wall on the opposite side to the axis of the container.

The vibrator 2 provided in the container 1 can employ various known methods in accordance with the characteristics and frequency of the solid particles. Also, as shown in FIG. 1A, one vibrator 2 is provided on the bottom surface, two vibrators 2 are provided on the bottom surface and the top surface, depending on the characteristics of the solid particles and the purpose of contact. 4 on the bottom,
It can be provided on the top surface and on both sides and can be of various numbers and arrangements.

As shown in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, not only the exciter 2 but also a vibration transmitting unit 6 capable of transmitting the vibration of the exciter to solid particles at a position away from the exciter. It is also effective to provide the connection.

The frequency and amplitude of the vibrator 2 are set to 10 Hz, respectively, according to conditions such as the particle size and density of the solid particles and the purpose of operation.
５００500 Hz and 0.1 μm to 10 mm. If the contact device is used for various purposes, the frequency and amplitude of the exciter should be adjustable within the above ranges.

The gas inlet 4 and the gas outlet 5 are tangentially attached to the cylindrical outer wall surface of the container 1 as shown in FIG. 3A, depending on the purpose of contact between the solid particles and the gas. 3
As shown in (b), it can be mounted in the radial direction with respect to the cylindrical surface of the container 1.

When the solid particles are brought into contact with the gas using the above-described apparatus, the lid of the opening 3 of the container is opened, the solid particles 7 are filled in the container 1, and the lid of the opening 3 is closed. Exciter 2
If the frequency and the amplitude of can be adjusted, the optimum frequency and amplitude are set according to the conditions of the particles, the purpose of the contact, and the like. Next, the exciter 2 is operated to send the gas into the container 1 from the gas or the like inlet 4 and discharge the gas from the exhaust port 5, so that the gas is vibrated and moves in the disordered direction in the container. Then, an operation such as a chemical reaction or adsorption is performed, and a gas changed by the reaction or from which a specific substance has been removed by adsorption is taken out from the exhaust port 5.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to significantly improve the operation speed of adsorption and reaction between solid particles and gas under microgravity with a small and lightweight device.
Further, in the contact device, since the vibration applying means has the vibration transmitting section, it is possible to effectively apply vibration to the solid particles at a position away from the main body. Further, by attaching the gas inlet and outlet to the outer wall surface of the cylindrical container in the tangential direction or the radial direction, it is possible to obtain an optimal device configuration according to the purpose of contact between the solid particles and the gas.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 (a), 1 (b) and 1 (c) are cross-sectional views showing configurations of various embodiments of a contact device suitable for carrying out the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an embodiment of a charger of a contact device suitable for carrying out the present invention.

FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are explanatory diagrams illustrating different examples of the gas supply and discharge directions of the contact device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container 2 Exciter 3 Solid particle inlet / outlet 4 Gas inlet 5 Gas outlet 6 Vibration transmission part 7 Solid particles

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shigeo Chiba Sapporo City, Hokkaido Industrial Development Laboratory 17-2-1 Tsukikan-Higashijo, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo (72) Inventor Yasushi Oyama 17-Chome, Tsukikantohijo, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo-shi 2-1 Hokkaido Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (72) Inventor Kazuo Tsutsumi 1-1, Kawasaki-cho, Akashi-shi Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Inside the Akashi Factory (72) Inventor Yasushi Sakakida 1-1, Kawasaki-cho, Akashi-shi Kawasaki Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.Akashi Plant (72) Inventor Hiroaki Fujimori 1 Kawasaki-cho, Kakamigahara-shi Kawasaki Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-62-125821 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B01J 8/16 B01D 53/10 B64G 9/00

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. Under a microgravity environment of 0.02 G or less, a particle size is 10 μm to 5 mm and a density is 0.9 g / c.
In a method for contacting a gas with solid particles having a particle size of not less than ³ m3, a solid particle is sealed in a container, and the solid particle has a frequency of 10
Hz to 500 Hz, while applying a mechanical vibration having an amplitude of 0.1 μm to 10 mm to form a dispersed state of the solid particles, the solid particles and the gas characterized by flowing the above gas in a container Contact method. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chemical operation is a chemical reaction. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chemical operation is adsorption. 4. In a microgravity environment of 0.02 G or less, a particle size is 10 μm to 5 mm and a density is 0.9 g / c.
an apparatus for contacting a gas with solid particles having a particle size of m ³ or more for a chemical operation performed by bringing the gas into contact with the solid particles. Arranged in a container, the solid particles have a frequency of 10 Hz to
A vibration applying means for applying a mechanical vibration having an amplitude of 0.1 μm to 10 mm at 500 Hz, enclosing the solid particles in the container, and mechanically vibrating the solid particles at a frequency and amplitude in the above ranges. To form a dispersed state of the solid particles, and to allow the gas to come into contact with the solid particles by flowing the gas in a container. 5. The vibration applying means has a vibration transmitting portion provided to be connected to the vibration applying means main body and capable of transmitting the vibration of the main body to a solid particle located at a position distant from the main body. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: 6. The container is a cylindrical container, a gas inlet is provided at the bottom of the side wall of the container, and a gas outlet is provided at the top of the container side wall opposite to the gas inlet with respect to the axis of the cylindrical container. 5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the device is configured to: 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the gas inlet and the gas outlet are mounted tangentially to a cylindrical outer wall surface of the container. 8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the gas inlet and the gas outlet are mounted radially with respect to a cylindrical outer wall surface of the container.