Demister assembly for removing liquids from gases

Claim 1

A gas turbine gas demister and recycle system capable of removing substantially all of the oil entrained as droplets in such gases, before the gases are vented to the atmosphere, comprising, in combination, a gas turbine engine including, in series flow connection, a gas compressor, a gas combustor and a gas turbine; and a lubricant storage supply for the engine in fluid flow connection therewith by gas and lubricant supply lines leading to the engine, and a return line leading from the engine, and a gas vent line in fluid flow connection with the lubricant storage supply for venting gas conveyed thereto by the return line; and a demister assembly in series in the gas vent line for coalescing and stripping gas-entrained liquid lubricant droplets from gas in this line, returning coalesced liquid lubricant to the lubricant storage supply, the demister assembly comprising, in combination, in series fluid flow, a primary coalescer composite folded in a corrugated configuration and comprising a nonwoven fibrous mat confined between rigid porous facing sheets to a density within the range from about 0.05 to about 0.5 g/cc, the fibers being sufficiently long so that they form a coherent nonwoven mat, and having a diameter within the range from about 0.25 to about 30 microns, and a secondary coalescer comprising a porous open-cell polyurethane foam sheet having a porosity within the range from about 50 to about 150 pores per square inch, and having an average density within the range from about 1 to about 3 lbs/cu ft.