PRESSURE SWING ADSORPTION SYSTEM FOR GAS SEPARATION
First Claim
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1. A pressure swing adsorption process for the separation of a multi-component feed gas mixture by selectively adsorbing at least one more readily adsorbable component in a bed of adsorbent material, comprising:
- (a) pressurizing the bed;
(b) passing the feed gas mixture through the bed of adsorbent material from an inlet surface of the bed to an outlet surface of the bed, wherein the at least one more readily adsorbable component is preferentially adsorbed by the adsorbent material, and withdrawing a depleted gas depleted in the at least one more readily adsorbable component exiting from the outlet surface of the bed;
(c) depressurizing the bed by withdrawing an enriched gas enriched in the at least one more readily adsorbable component from the bed;
(d) repeating (a)-(c) in a cyclic manner;
wherein the bed has a bed depth, L, and a bed volume, Vbed;
wherein the bed has an aspect ratio according to equation (1) Aspect ratio=L3/Vbed
(1) wherein the aspect ratio for the bed is less than 10; and
, wherein the mean pressure gradient in the bed in (b) exceeds 0.035 psi/inch.
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Abstract
Rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption processes, systems and apparatus for the separation of a multi-component feed gas mixture by selectively adsorbing at least one more readily adsorbable component in a bed of adsorbent material are provided.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A pressure swing adsorption process for the separation of a multi-component feed gas mixture by selectively adsorbing at least one more readily adsorbable component in a bed of adsorbent material, comprising:
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(a) pressurizing the bed;
(b) passing the feed gas mixture through the bed of adsorbent material from an inlet surface of the bed to an outlet surface of the bed, wherein the at least one more readily adsorbable component is preferentially adsorbed by the adsorbent material, and withdrawing a depleted gas depleted in the at least one more readily adsorbable component exiting from the outlet surface of the bed;
(c) depressurizing the bed by withdrawing an enriched gas enriched in the at least one more readily adsorbable component from the bed;
(d) repeating (a)-(c) in a cyclic manner;
wherein the bed has a bed depth, L, and a bed volume, Vbed;
wherein the bed has an aspect ratio according to equation (1)Aspect ratio=L3/Vbed
(1)wherein the aspect ratio for the bed is less than 10; and
, wherein the mean pressure gradient in the bed in (b) exceeds 0.035 psi/inch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A pressure swing adsorption process for the separation of a multi-component feed gas mixture by selectively adsorbing at least one more readily adsorbable component in a bed of adsorbent material having an inlet surface and an outlet surface, comprising:
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(a) pressurizing the bed;
(b) passing the feed gas mixture through the bed of adsorbent material, wherein the at least one more readily adsorbable component is preferentially adsorbed by the adsorbent material, and withdrawing a depleted gas depleted in the at least one more readily adsorbed component exiting from the bed;
(c) halting the withdrawal of the depleted gas from the bed and halting the feed of the feed gas to the bed;
(d) depressurizing the bed by withdrawing an enriched gas enriched in the at least one more readily adsorbable component from the bed;
(e) feeding a portion of the depleted gas into the bed to facilitate the extraction of the at least one more readily adsorbable component from the adsorbent material; and
,(f) repeating operations (a)-(e) in a cyclic manner;
wherein the at least one more readily adsorbable component is preferentially adsorbed by the adsorbent material at the feed pressure, wherein the bed has a bed depth, L, and a bed volume, Vbed;
wherein the bed has an aspect ratio according to equation (1)Aspect ratio=L3/Vbed
(1)wherein the aspect ratio for the bed is less than 10; and
, wherein the mean pressure gradient in the bed in (b) exceeds 0.035 psi/inch. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A pressure swing adsorption system for the separation of a multi-component feed gas mixture by selectively adsorbing at least one more readily adsorbable component on an adsorbent material, comprising:
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(a) a bed of the adsorbent material, wherein the adsorbent material more strongly adsorbs the at least one more readily adsorbable component and wherein the bed has at least one inlet surface and at least one outlet surface;
(b) at least one prime mover supplying the multi-component feed gas mixture to the pressure swing adsorption system; and
.(c) an array of valves in fluid communication with the at least one inlet surface;
wherein the valves cycle from an open to a closed position in 1 second or less. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A pressure swing adsorption system for the separation of a multi-component feed gas mixture by selectively adsorbing at least one more readily adsorbable component on an adsorbent material, comprising:
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(a) a bed of the adsorbent material, wherein the adsorbent material more strongly adsorbs the at least one more readily adsorbable component and wherein the bed has at least one inlet surface and at least one outlet surface; and
(b) at least one array of prime movers in fluid communication with the at the at least one inlet surface;
wherein flow through the prime movers can be started or stopped in less than 2 seconds. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for the pressure swing adsorption separation of a multi-component feed gas mixture by selectively adsorbing at least one more readily adsorbable component on an adsorbent material, comprising:
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(a) a bed of adsorbent material with at least one inlet surface and at least one outlet surface;
wherein the adsorbent material more strongly adsorbs the at least one more readily adsorbable component; and
(b) an array of valves in fluid communication with the at least one inlet surface;
wherein the valves cycle from an open to a closed position in 1 second or less. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus for the pressure swing adsorption separation of a multi-component feed gas mixture by selectively adsorbing at least one more readily adsorbable component on an adsorbent material, comprising:
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(a) a bed of adsorbent material with at least one inlet surface and at least one outlet surface;
wherein the adsorbent material more strongly adsorbs the at least one more readily adsorbable component; and
(b) at least one array of prime movers in fluid communication with the at least one inlet surface;
wherein flow through the array of prime movers can be started or stopped in 2 seconds or less. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification