Apparatus for maintaining the separation efficiency of immobilized liquid membranes in gas separation
First Claim
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1. In an apparatus for removing a gaseous component from a gaseous mixture, comprising:
- a first immobilized liquid membrane containing in the liquid thereof at least one species which is reversibly chemically reactive with said gaseous component;
impervious to said liquid, said barrier being disposed with a first surface thereof in opposing relationship with a first surface of said immobilized liquid membrane;
means for contacting said gaseous mixture with a second surface of said immobilized liquid membrane; and
means for conducting a flow of sweep liquid along the opposite surface of said gas-permeable barrier to absorb gases emerging from said barrier;
the improvement for substantially maintaining the separation efficiency of said membrane, comprising said first barrier having at least one discrete passage extending from said first to said opposite surface thereof, said passage being of a size effective for receiving said sweep liquid therein at pressures below the pressure at which the substantially liquid-impervious character of said barrier is overcome in the region of the barrier other than said passage such that said sweep liquid communicates with said membrane through the passage, whereby an amount of said reactive species contained in said sweep liquid is transferred therefrom through said passage into the liquid immobilized in said membrane.
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Abstract
An improved method and apparatus employing at least one immobilized liquid membrane separated from a liquid sweep by a gas-permeable barrier for removing a gaseous component from a gaseous mixture. The improvements include use of one or more liquid-filled passages extending through the gas-permeable barrier to effect diffusive transfer of active carrier species from the liquid sweep into the membrane, thereby maintaining the separation efficiency of each membrane. In a preferred embodiment, the improvements are applied to removal of hydrogen sulfide from mixtures thereof with carbon dioxide as found in gasified coal.
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13 Claims
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1. In an apparatus for removing a gaseous component from a gaseous mixture, comprising:
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a first immobilized liquid membrane containing in the liquid thereof at least one species which is reversibly chemically reactive with said gaseous component;
impervious to said liquid, said barrier being disposed with a first surface thereof in opposing relationship with a first surface of said immobilized liquid membrane;means for contacting said gaseous mixture with a second surface of said immobilized liquid membrane; and means for conducting a flow of sweep liquid along the opposite surface of said gas-permeable barrier to absorb gases emerging from said barrier; the improvement for substantially maintaining the separation efficiency of said membrane, comprising said first barrier having at least one discrete passage extending from said first to said opposite surface thereof, said passage being of a size effective for receiving said sweep liquid therein at pressures below the pressure at which the substantially liquid-impervious character of said barrier is overcome in the region of the barrier other than said passage such that said sweep liquid communicates with said membrane through the passage, whereby an amount of said reactive species contained in said sweep liquid is transferred therefrom through said passage into the liquid immobilized in said membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification