Gas separation method and apparatus using partial pressure swing adsorption
First Claim
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1. A gas separation method, comprising:
- (a) a first feed/purge step comprising;
providing a feed gas inlet stream into a first adsorbent bed;
collecting a feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas at a first output;
providing a purge gas inlet stream into a second adsorbent bed; and
collecting a purge gas outlet stream at a second output;
(b) a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step, the first flush step comprising;
providing the purge gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed;
collecting the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first adsorbent bed, at the first output;
providing the feed gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed; and
collecting the feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second bed, at an output different from the first output;
(c) a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step, the second feed/purge step comprising;
providing the feed gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed;
collecting the feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas at the first output;
providing the purge gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed; and
collecting the purge gas outlet stream at an output different from the first output;
(d) a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step, the second flush step comprising;
providing the purge gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed;
collecting the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second adsorbent bed, at the first output;
providing the feed gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed; and
collecting a feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first bed, at an output different from the first output.
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Abstract
A four-step partial pressure swing adsorption method and apparatus is provided for gas separation, such as for recovering fuel from the fuel exhaust of a fuel cell stack.
111 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A gas separation method, comprising:
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(a) a first feed/purge step comprising;
providing a feed gas inlet stream into a first adsorbent bed;
collecting a feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas at a first output;
providing a purge gas inlet stream into a second adsorbent bed; and
collecting a purge gas outlet stream at a second output;
(b) a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step, the first flush step comprising;
providing the purge gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed;
collecting the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first adsorbent bed, at the first output;
providing the feed gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed; and
collecting the feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second bed, at an output different from the first output;
(c) a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step, the second feed/purge step comprising;
providing the feed gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed;
collecting the feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas at the first output;
providing the purge gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed; and
collecting the purge gas outlet stream at an output different from the first output;
(d) a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step, the second flush step comprising;
providing the purge gas inlet stream into the second adsorbent bed;
collecting the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second adsorbent bed, at the first output;
providing the feed gas inlet stream into the first adsorbent bed; and
collecting a feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first bed, at an output different from the first output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A gas separation apparatus, comprising:
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a first means for providing a feed gas inlet stream;
a second means for providing a purge gas inlet stream;
a third means for collecting at least one separated component of the feed gas;
a fourth means for;
(a) receiving the feed gas inlet stream from the first means and for providing at least one separated component of the feed gas to the third means in a first feed/purge step;
(b) receiving the purge gas inlet stream from the second means and for providing a purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the fourth means, to the third means in a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step;
(c) receiving a purge gas inlet stream from the second means and for providing a purge gas outlet stream to an output different from the third means in a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step; and
(d) receiving the feed gas inlet stream from the first means and for providing a feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the fourth means, to at an output different from the third means, in a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step; and
a fifth means for;
(a) receiving a purge gas inlet stream from the second means and for providing a purge gas outlet stream to at an output different from the third means in a first feed/purge step;
(b) receiving the feed gas inlet stream from the first means and for providing the feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the fifth means, to an output different from the third means in a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step;
(c) receiving the feed gas inlet stream from the first means and for providing the feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas to the third means in a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step; and
(d) receiving the purge gas inlet stream from the second means and for providing the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the fifth means to the third means in a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A gas separation apparatus, comprising:
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a first conduit which in operation provides a feed gas inlet stream;
a second conduit which in operation provides a purge gas inlet stream;
a third conduit which in operation collects at least one separated component of the feed gas;
a first adsorbent bed which in operation performs the following functions;
(a) receives the feed gas inlet stream from the first conduit and provides at least one separated component of the feed gas to the third conduit in a first feed/purge step;
(b) receives the purge gas inlet stream from the second conduit and provides a purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first bed to the third conduit in a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step;
(c) receives a purge gas inlet stream from the second conduit and provides a purge gas outlet stream to an output different from the third conduit in a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step; and
(d) receives the feed gas inlet stream from the first conduit and provides a feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the first bed, to at an output different from the third conduit in a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step; and
a second adsorbent bed which in operation performs the following functions;
(a) receives a purge gas inlet stream from the second conduit and provides a purge gas outlet stream to at an output different from the third conduit in a first feed/purge step;
(b) receives the feed gas inlet stream from the first conduit and provides the feed gas outlet stream, which comprises a portion of the purge gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second bed, to an output different from the third conduit in a first flush step, conducted after the first feed/purge step;
(c) receives the feed gas inlet stream from the first conduit and provides the feed gas outlet stream comprising at least one separated component of the feed gas to the third conduit in a second feed/purge step, conducted after the first flush step; and
(d) receives the purge gas inlet stream from the second conduit and provides the purge gas outlet stream, which comprises at least one component of the feed gas that was trapped in a void volume of the second bed to the third conduit in a second flush step, conducted after the second feed/purge step. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification