Control process and apparatus for membrane separation systems
First Claim
1. In a permeable membrane gas separation process which comprises:
- (a) passing a gaseous feed stream comprising a component to a permeable membrane gas separation system at a substantially constant flow rate and elevated feed pressure, said feed pressure being equal to or higher than the pressure required to operate the permeable membrane gas separation system and said feed stream being subject to fluctuations in composition; and
(b) recovering from said permeable membrane gas separation system, an effluent stream comprising a permeate stream or a non-permeate stream;
the improvement which comprises controlling the concentration of said component in said effluent stream by;
1) sensing a change in a characteristic of said effluent stream that is indicative of a change in the concentration of said component in said feed stream of from about 1 to 30%; and
2) without substantially altering the feed pressure or flow rate, performing a pressure adjustment on said permeate stream or said non-permeate stream in response to said sensed characteristic to alter the concentration of said component in said effluent stream as necessary to obtain a predetermined concentration of said component in said effluent stream.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process and an apparatus are disclosed for controlling the concentration of a component in an effluent stream from a permeable membrane gas separation system. A gaseous feed stream is passed to the membrane system at a substantially constant flow and elevated pressure. Control is achieved by sensing a characteristic of an effluent stream that is indicative of the concentration of the component, i.e., permeate or non-permeate stream, and performing a pressure adjustment on the permeate stream or non-permeate stream, to vary the concentration of the component in the effluent stream as necessary to obtain a predetermined concentration of the component in the effluent stream. A product stream having a relatively constant pressure and purity can be obtained by sensing a characteristic of a desired effluent stream, e.g., permeate, and performing a pressure adjustment on the other effluent stream, e.g., non-permeate.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. In a permeable membrane gas separation process which comprises:
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(a) passing a gaseous feed stream comprising a component to a permeable membrane gas separation system at a substantially constant flow rate and elevated feed pressure, said feed pressure being equal to or higher than the pressure required to operate the permeable membrane gas separation system and said feed stream being subject to fluctuations in composition; and (b) recovering from said permeable membrane gas separation system, an effluent stream comprising a permeate stream or a non-permeate stream;
the improvement which comprises controlling the concentration of said component in said effluent stream by;1) sensing a change in a characteristic of said effluent stream that is indicative of a change in the concentration of said component in said feed stream of from about 1 to 30%; and 2) without substantially altering the feed pressure or flow rate, performing a pressure adjustment on said permeate stream or said non-permeate stream in response to said sensed characteristic to alter the concentration of said component in said effluent stream as necessary to obtain a predetermined concentration of said component in said effluent stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A process for controlling the concentration of a component in a permeate effluent stream from a permeable membrane gas separation system, which comprises:
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(a) passing a gaseous feed stream comprising said component and at least one other component to the permeable membrane gas separation system at a substantially constant flow rate and feed pressure of at least about 100 psia, said feed pressure being equal to or greater than the pressure required to operate the permeable membrane gas separation system and said feed stream being subject to fluctuations in composition; (b) recovering a non-permeate effluent stream enriched in the at least one other component relative to said feed stream; (c) recovering a permeate effluent stream enriched in said component relative to said feed stream; (d) sensing a change in the concentration of said component in said permeate effluent stream that is indicative of a change in the concentration of said component in said feed stream of from about 1 to 30%; and (e) without substantially altering the feed pressure or flow rate, performing a pressure adjustment on said nonpermeate eflfuent stream in response to said sensed concentration to alter the concentration of said component in said permeate effluent stream as necessary to obtain a predetermined concentration of said component in said permeate stream without substantially altering the pressure of said permeate stream. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A process for controlling the concentration of a component in a non-permeate effluent stream from a permeable membrane gas separation system, which comprises:
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(a) passing a gaseous feed stream comprising said component and at least one other component to the permeable membrane gas separation system at a substantially constant flow rate and feed pressure of at least about 100 psia, said feed pressure being equal to or greater than the pressure required to operate the permeable membrane gas separation system and said feed stream being subject to fluctuations in composition; (b) recovering a non-permeate effluent stream enriched in said component relative to said feed stream; (c) recovering a permeate effluent stream enriched in the at least one other component relative to said feed stream; (d) sensing a change in the concentration of said component in said non-permeate effluent stream that is indicative of a change in the concentration of said component in said feed stream of from about 1 to 30%; and (e) without substantially altering the feed pressure or flow rate, performing a pressure adjustment on said permeate effuent stream in response to said sensed concentration to alter the concentration of said component in said non-permeate effluent stream as necessary to obtain a predetermined concentration of said component in said non-permeate stream without substantially altering the pressure of said non-permeate stream. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification