DIRECT IN SITU MONITORING OF ADSORBENT AND CATALYST BEDS

• US 20140370607A1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IntraMicron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IntraMicron, Inc.
• Inventors: Yang, Hongyun, Tatarchuk, Bruce J., Dimick, Paul S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,175,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/37
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8585 using porous sheets, e.g. for separating aerosols
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/85 Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/10 using catalysis

Abstract

Methods and devices for directly measuring the degree of saturation or degree of deactivation of an adsorbent and/or catalytic bed are described herein. The devices contain an inlet, an outlet, a catalytic and/or adsorbent bed, and optionally a support bed for supporting the catalytic and/or adsorbent bed. The devices further contain one or more structures attached to the reactor that allow for insertion of one or more sensors into the reactor. The sensor is used to spectroscopically interrogate the adsorbent and/or catalyst in situ, providing real-time information regarding adsorbant saturation and/or catalyst deactivation. The devices and methods described herein can be used to determine the saturation degree of adsorbent materials or catalyst beds that are involved in gas-liquid and liquid-liquid heterogeneous systems, such as those used in scrubbing and extraction.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for determining the degree of saturation or deactivation of an adsorbent bed or a catalyst bed which is in contact with one or more species to be adsorbed, the method comprising measuring changes in the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the bed at one or more locations within the bed and determining the degree of saturation or deactivation of the bed.