MEMBRANE-BASED COMPRESSED AIR BREATHING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A breathing air purification device, comprising:
- a membrane separation component, comprising;
a membrane having a permeate portion and a non-permeate portion;
a membrane housing which encases the membrane;
a membrane feed inlet conduit connected to the membrane; and
a non-permeate gas outlet conduit fluidly connected to the non-permeate portion of the membrane;
a catalyst filter component, comprising;
a cartridge containing a bed of catalyst;
two end pieces maintaining the cartridge within a catalyst bed housing and having outlet holes;
a catalyst inlet conduit connected to the bed of catalyst; and
a product gas outlet conduit connected to the outlet holes; and
a sweep inlet tube providing a gas connection from the catalyst filter component to the permeate portion of the membrane.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A breathing air purification device and method having a carbon-monoxide free sweep stream. Water vapor is removed from a compressed air stream using a membrane dryer, comprising, a membrane having a permeate portion and a non-permeate portion, a membrane housing which encases the membrane, a membrane feed inlet conduit connected to the membrane and a non-permeate gas outlet conduit fluidly connected to the non-permeate portion of the membrane. The sweep stream used to cleanse the outer permeate portion of the membrane dryer is taken from a catalyst filter. The catalyst filter includes a cartridge containing a bed of catalyst, two end pieces maintaining the cartridge within a catalyst bed housing and having outlet holes, a catalyst inlet conduit connected to the bed of catalyst and a product gas outlet conduit connected to the outlet holes. A sweep inlet tube provides a gas connection from the catalyst filter component to the permeate portion of the membrane.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A breathing air purification device, comprising:
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a membrane separation component, comprising; a membrane having a permeate portion and a non-permeate portion; a membrane housing which encases the membrane; a membrane feed inlet conduit connected to the membrane; and a non-permeate gas outlet conduit fluidly connected to the non-permeate portion of the membrane; a catalyst filter component, comprising; a cartridge containing a bed of catalyst; two end pieces maintaining the cartridge within a catalyst bed housing and having outlet holes; a catalyst inlet conduit connected to the bed of catalyst; and a product gas outlet conduit connected to the outlet holes; and a sweep inlet tube providing a gas connection from the catalyst filter component to the permeate portion of the membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A breathing air purification device having a carbon-monoxide free sweep stream, comprising:
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membrane separation means, comprising; a separation means for separating a permeate portion from a non-permeate portion; encasement means for encasing said separation means; feed inlet means for carrying a feed gas into the device; and a non-permeate product gas outlet means for carrying non-permeate product gas out of the membrane separation means; catalyst filter means, comprising; cartridge means for encasing a bed of catalyst; end pieces means for maintaining the cartridge within a catalyst bed housing and having outlet means for carrying a catalyst-treated outlet gas out of the catalyst filter means; and catalyst inlet means for introducing the non-permeate product gas into the bed of catalyst; and a sweep inlet means for providing a gas connection from the catalyst filter component to the permeate portion of the membrane. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of using a breathing air purification device, comprising:
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removing water vapor from a compressed air stream using a membrane separation component, comprising; carrying the compressed air stream into the device; separating a permeate portion from a non-permeate portion of the compressed air stream; and carrying a non-permeate gas out of the membrane separation component; removing carbon monoxide from the non-permeate gas using a catalyst filter component, comprising; maintaining a cartridge within a catalyst bed housing end pieces having outlet holes for carrying a catalyst-treated gas out of the catalyst filter component; and introducing the non-permeate gas into a bed of catalyst housed within the cartridge; and transferring the catalyst-treated gas from the catalyst filter component to the permeate portion of the membrane via a sweep inlet conduit. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification