Fiber bed separator and method for separation of aerosols from gases

Abstract

A fiber bed separator and method are provided for separating aerosols of 3 microns and less from gases. Two fiber beds in intimate contact with one another are used. The first fiber bed, in the direction of gas flow is of fibers of at least about 5 microns mean diameter packed to a bed voidage of from about 85 to 98%, the fiber diameter and bed voidage being selected such that at design bed velocity and aerosol loading the first bed is not flooded and the residual saturation of said first fiber bed against gas drag on the liquid collected is less than the residual saturation of said bed against gravity drainage of the liquid. The second fiber bed is packed to a bed voidage of from about 85 to 99% with fibers of equal or greater mean diameter than those in the first fiber bed such that the residual saturation of said second fiber bed against gas drag is greater than the residual saturation of the bed against gravity drainage. In various preferred embodiments are high efficiency separators using fibers of from about 5 to 20 microns mean diameter in the first fiber bed and from about 25 to 35 microns in the second fiber bed; and high velocity separators using fibers of from about 25 to 75 microns mean diameter in the first fiber bed and from about 30 to 300 microns in the second fiber bed.