Anesthetic gas reclamation system and method
First Claim
1. A method for removing and separating a plurality of gaseous components from a gas mixture comprising the steps of, cooling said gas mixture by passing said gas mixture over a cooling surface (36) characterized by a surface temperature gradient such that said gas mixture passes thereover in a direction from a warmer temperature to a colder temperature, depositing by desublimation a gaseous first component of said gas mixture as a solid onto a first portion (60, 62) of said cooling surface, said first component characterized by a first melting point, said first portion (60, 62) characterized by a first temperature which is colder than said first melting point, then depositing by desublimation a gaseous second component of said gas mixture as a solid on a second portion (63, 64) of said cooling surface, said second component characterized by a second melting point, said second portion (63, 64) characterized by a second temperature which is colder than said second melting point and colder than said first temperature, then heating said cooling surface (36), thawing said deposited solid second component from said second portion (63, 64) of said cooling surface (36), then collecting said second component into a second container (24B), then thawing said deposited solid first component from said first portion (60, 62) of said cooling surface (36), and then collecting said first component into a first container (24A).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for the fractionation and removal of nitrous oxide and other volatile halocarbon gas components from waste anesthetic gases using liquid oxygen are disclosed. Liquid oxygen is warmed for use in a healthcare facility by cooling and condensing waste anesthetic gases. A cold trap/fractionator is provided wherein selective components of the waste anesthetic gas are collected as a frost on the coils of the cold trap/fractionator by desublimation/deposition and/or condensation/solidification. In a periodic batch process, the collected frost is first thawed and the melted liquids or gases are then collected at various increasing temperatures, thereby separating the nitrous oxide and other halocarbon gas components by their varying melting points. The thawed anesthetic components are collected in separate tanks based on their melting points. Warmed by the waste anesthetic gases in the cold trap/fractionator, the oxygen is supplied to the healthcare facility for its normal uses.
102 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for removing and separating a plurality of gaseous components from a gas mixture comprising the steps of,
cooling said gas mixture by passing said gas mixture over a cooling surface (36) characterized by a surface temperature gradient such that said gas mixture passes thereover in a direction from a warmer temperature to a colder temperature, depositing by desublimation a gaseous first component of said gas mixture as a solid onto a first portion (60, 62) of said cooling surface, said first component characterized by a first melting point, said first portion (60, 62) characterized by a first temperature which is colder than said first melting point, then depositing by desublimation a gaseous second component of said gas mixture as a solid on a second portion (63, 64) of said cooling surface, said second component characterized by a second melting point, said second portion (63, 64) characterized by a second temperature which is colder than said second melting point and colder than said first temperature, then heating said cooling surface (36), thawing said deposited solid second component from said second portion (63, 64) of said cooling surface (36), then collecting said second component into a second container (24B), then thawing said deposited solid first component from said first portion (60, 62) of said cooling surface (36), and then collecting said first component into a first container (24A).
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6. A method for removing and separating a plurality of gaseous components from a waste anesthetic gas mixture comprising nitrogen, oxygen, and a plurality of halocarbon components, the method comprising the steps of,
cooling said waste anesthetic gas mixture by passing said gas mixture over a cooling surface (36) characterized by a surface temperature gradient such that said gas mixture passes thereover in a direction from a warmer temperature to a colder temperature, depositing by desublimation a gaseous first halocarbon component of said waste anesthetic gas mixture as a solid onto a first portion (60, 62) of said cooling surface (36), said gaseous first halocarbon component characterized by a first halocarbon melting point, said first portion (60, 62) characterized by a first temperature which is colder than said first halocarbon melting point, depositing by desublimation a gaseous second halocarbon component of said waste anesthetic gas mixture as a solid onto a second portion (63, 64) of said cooling surface (36), said gaseous second halocarbon component characterized by a second halocarbon melting point, said second portion (63, 64) characterized by a second temperature which is colder than said second halocarbon melting point and colder than said first temperature, then heating said cooling surface (36), melting said deposited second halocarbon component from said second portion (63, 64) of said cooling surface (36) into a liquid phase, then collecting said liquid second halocarbon component into a container (24A, 24B), then melting said deposited first halocarbon component from said first portion (60, 62) of said cooling surface (36) into a liquid phase, and then collecting said liquid first halocarbon component into a container (24A, 24B).
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13. A method for removing and separating a plurality of gaseous components from a waste anesthetic gas mixture comprising nitrogen, oxygen, and a plurality of halocarbon components, the method comprising the steps of,
cooling said waste anesthetic gas mixture by passing said gas mixture over a cooling surface (36) characterized by a surface temperature gradient such that said gas mixture passes thereover in a direction from a warmer temperature to a colder temperature, solidifying a gaseous first halocarbon component of said waste anesthetic gas mixture onto a first portion (60, 62) of said cooling surface (36), said gaseous first halocarbon component characterized by a first halocarbon melting point, said first portion (60, 62) characterized by a first temperature which is colder than said first halocarbon melting point, solidifying a gaseous second halocarbon component of said waste anesthetic gas mixture onto a second portion (63, 64) of said cooling surface (36), said gaseous second halocarbon component characterized by a second halocarbon melting point, said second portion (63, 64) characterized by a second temperature which is colder than said second halocarbon melting point and colder than said first temperature, then heating said cooling surface (36), melting said solidified second halocarbon component from said second portion (63, 64) of said cooling surface (36) into a liquid phase, then collecting said liquid second halocarbon component into a container (24A, 24B), then melting said solidified first halocarbon component from said first portion (60, 62) of said cooling surface (36) into a liquid phase, and then collecting said liquid first halocarbon component into a container (24A, 24B).
Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeAnesthetic Gas Reclamation LLC
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Original AssigneeAnesthetic Gas Reclamation LLC
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InventorsBerry, James M., Morris, Steve
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Granted Patent
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Time in Patent OfficeDays
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Field of Search
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US Class Current128/204.160
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CPC Class CodesA61M 16/009 Removing used or expired ga...A61M 2202/0007 introduced into the bodyA61M 2202/0208 OxygenA61M 2202/03 Gases in liquid phase, e.g....Y02C 20/10 of nitrous oxide (N2O)
