Membrane filter at reactor vent for solid trapping?

[buzzlightyear]

I have couple of reactors that require charging of very fine lime as raw material. Happen so that the lime particles are escaping via overhead vapour vent and are plugging my overhead line and exchangers.

I am looking for some kind of membrane filter that can be inserted easily into overhead vent line flanges to allow vapour to escape, but trap the lime. It would be best if there are N2 lines into the membrane filter that I can periodically purge to clear the membrane of any residual lime particles without taking out the membrane.

Any such product around? Thks in advance

 

[dalcazar]

I don't know about a membrane filter, it seems like you'd need something too fine to trap them without an unacceptable pressure loss thru the filter itself.

If you have the space to fit something in there, I would probably go with a packed column type filter that works on adsorption or chemical bonding instead.

 

[cub3bead]

Sounds like you are looking for a baghouse. If you use PTFE bags you can get your particualte emissions as low as 0.009 gr/DSCF.

You did't fully describe your process but could some of the problem be due to water vapor precipitating in the vent piping and turning the lime dust into a hard solid?

have you considered buying a 35 - 45% solids lime slurry instead of the dry powder?

 

[StoneCold]

buzzlightyear
I met these people at the chemshow. They have small mixers that can entrain solids and create slurries. Maybe your problems would be fixed if you could slurry the lime powder before you introduced it to the reactor.

http://www.arde-barinco.com/osb/showitem.cfm?Category=119

Regards
StoneCold

 

[epoisses]

How about a cyclone, buzzlightyear?

 

[dalcazar]

I thought about a cyclone too, but do you think it can catch particles that small?