METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILTERING AN AIR STREAM USING AN AQUEOUS-FROTH TOGETHER WITH NUCLEATION

A method for urging contact between contaminants in an air stream and the wet surfaces of an aqueous froth are provided. A solution of micro-droplet (806) is introduced into a contamined air stream. Micro-droplets (806) suspended in the air stream remove contaminants and are removed by inertia. The saturated contaminated air stream expands the surface area of the solution reservoir (808) exponentially into an aqueous froth (815) of tiny bubbles. Contaminants and solution micro-droplets suspended in the air, settle out by acceleration of gravity into the wet surfaces of each bubble. The froth is dewatered by condensation onto cold refrigerant coils (820). The liquid solution and contaminants drain from the refrigerant coils (820) into the solution reservoir (808). Solution micro-droplets remaining in the air steam are separated by a centrifugal blower/droplets (140) separator and drain back into the solution reservoir (808). The air steam is passed through condensing refrigerant coils (160) to reheat the air steam.