Thermomembrane method and device
First Claim
1. Process to separate a fluid mixture consisting of at least two components which is comprised of the following steps:
- contacting of the fluid mixture at a first, lower temperature in a first operating zone with a carbon membrane which is located adjacent to a surface of a porous transport matrix or applied to a surface of the matrix in which case at least one fluid component is adsorbed and at least one adsorbed component of the fluid mixture preferably permeates through the membrane;
heating of a surface spatially distant from the membrane and/or a part of the porous transport matrix to a second, higher temperature which facilitates the thermal desorption of adsorbed components into a second operating zone, separate removal of the fluid mixture depleted of the at least one permeated component from the first operating zone and of the fluid mixture enriched by the at least one permeated component from the second operating zone.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method for separating a fluid mixture consisting of at least two components. The inventive method comprises the following steps: contacting the fluid mixture at a first, lower temperature in a first operating zone with a carbon membrane which is arranged adjacent to a surface of a porous transport matrix or which is applied on a surface of the matrix, whereby at least one fluid component is adsorbed and at least one component of the fluid mixture preferably permeates the membrane; heating a surface spatially distant from the membrane and/or a part of the porous transport matrix to a second, higher temperature which facilitates the thermal desorption of adsorbed components in a second operating zone; separately removing the fluid mixture depleted by the at least one permeated component from the first operating zone and the fluid mixture enriched with the at least one permeated component from the second operating zone. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the inventive method.
19 Citations
34 Claims
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1. Process to separate a fluid mixture consisting of at least two components which is comprised of the following steps:
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contacting of the fluid mixture at a first, lower temperature in a first operating zone with a carbon membrane which is located adjacent to a surface of a porous transport matrix or applied to a surface of the matrix in which case at least one fluid component is adsorbed and at least one adsorbed component of the fluid mixture preferably permeates through the membrane;
heating of a surface spatially distant from the membrane and/or a part of the porous transport matrix to a second, higher temperature which facilitates the thermal desorption of adsorbed components into a second operating zone, separate removal of the fluid mixture depleted of the at least one permeated component from the first operating zone and of the fluid mixture enriched by the at least one permeated component from the second operating zone.
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2. Process in accordance with claim 1 characterized by the carbon membrane facilitating the permeation of the at least one adsorbed component and the transport matrix the transport of the permeated component substantially by means of the same molecular movement mechanism.
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3. Process in accordance with claim 1 characterized by the permeation and transport of the at least one of the permeated components substantially by means of surface flow of the adsorbed species and/or a semi liquid flow of pore-condensed species and/or an alternating adsorption-desorption flow via the gas phase.
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4. Process in accordance with claim 1 characterized by the heating being carried out by means of an electrical heating conductor and/or electrical light.
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5. Process in accordance with claim 1 characterized by the heating of a part of the transport matrix and/or parts of the membrane system by direct electrical heating.
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6. Process in accordance with claim 1 characterized by continuous or discontinuous heating.
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7. Process in accordance with claim 1 characterized by the fluid mixture enriched with the at least one of the preferably permeated components being removed continuously or discontinuously from the second operating zone, through the application of a pressure gradient.
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8. Process in accordance with claim 1 characterized by the process steps being carried out several times one after the other on several membrane/transport matrix structural assemblies connected in series behind one another.
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9. Process in accordance with claim 1 characterized by a temperature increase of the permeate on the low pressure side in comparison to the temperature of the retentate of at least 1°
- C.
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10. Process in accordance with claim 1 characterized by a mean distance between the site where the adsorbing species is permeating through the active membrane layer and the other site where it irreversibly desorbs being between 1 mm and 5000 mm.
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11. Process in accordance with claim 1 characterized by the transport matrix being an active membrane itself.
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12. Process in accordance with claim 1 characterized by the temperature increase of the permeate being in average at least twice the temperature increase of the retentate during the heating procedure.
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13. Process to separate a fluid mixture consisting of at least two components which is comprised of the following steps:
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contacting of the fluid mixture at a first, lower temperature in a first operating zone with an active membrane layer of a carbon membrane system comprising pyrolytic carbon as the most frequent component by weight, and wherein the carbon membrane system additionally comprises a porous transport matrix being in contact with the active membrane layer, in which case at least one fluid component is adsorbed and at least one adsorbed component of the fluid mixture preferably permeates through the active membrane layer into the transport matrix;
heating of an area spatially distant from the permeation site of the membrane, and/or a part of the porous transport matrix and/or a part of the membrane-system to a second, higher temperature which facilitates the thermal desorption of adsorbed components into a second operating zone, separate removal of the fluid mixture depleted of the at least one permeated component from the first operating zone and of the fluid mixture enriched by the at least one permeated component from the second operating zone.
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14. Process in accordance with claim 13 characterized by the carbon membrane facilitating the permeation of the at least one adsorbed component and the transport matrix the transport of the permeated component substantially by means of the same molecular movement mechanism.
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15. Process in accordance with claim 13 characterized by the permeation and transport of the at least one of the permeated components substantially by means of surface flow of the adsorbed species and/or a semi liquid flow of pore-condensed species and/or an alternating adsorption-desorption flow via the gas phase.
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16. Process in accordance with claim 13 characterized by the heating being carried out by means of an electrical heating conductor and/or electrical light.
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17. Process in accordance with claim 13 characterized by the heat of a part of the transport matrix and/or puts of the membrane system by direct electrical heating.
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18. Process in accordance with claim 13 characterized by continuous or discontinuous heating.
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19. Process in accordance with claim 13 characterized by the fluid mixture enriched with the at least one of the preferably permeated components being removed continuously or discontinuously from the second operating zone, through the application of a pressure gradient.
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20. Process in accordance with claim 13 characterized by the process steps being carried out several times one after the other on several membrane/transport matrix structural assemblies connected in series behind one another.
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21. Process in accordance with claim 13 characterized by a temperature increase of the permeate on the low pressure side in comparison to the temperature of the retentate of at least 1°
- C.
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22. Process in accordance with claim 13 characterized by a mean distance between the site where the adsorbing species is permeating through the active membrane layer and the other site where it irreversibly desorbs being between 1 mm and 5000 mm.
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23. Process in accordance with claim 13 characterized by the transport matrix being an active membrane itself.
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24. Process in accordance with claim 13 characterized by the temperature increase of the permeate being in average at least twice the temperate increase of the retentate during the heating procedure.
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25. Device to separate a fluid mixture consisting of at least two components, comprising a carbon membrane system, which comprises an active membrane layer located adjacent to a surface of a porous transport matrix or applied to a surface of a porous transport matrix and further devices to substantially selectively heat the transport matrix on the low pressure side of the membrane system and/or parts of the membrane layer while operating the device.
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26. Device in accordance with claim 25 characterized by the membrane system being designed in the form of rods, hollow fibers, wound hollow fibers, plates, or densely packed pleats, which have stamped-in channels to guide the feed-/retentate-flow and as well as the permeate flow.
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27. Device in accordance with claim 25 characterized by the carbon membrane system has a BET surface of at least 1 m2/g .
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28. Device in accordance with claim 25 characterized by the facilities to substantially selectively heat the transport matrix of the membrane system being comprised of radiant heating pipes, a tubular lamp, any other kind of lamps, an electrical heating conductor, indirectly heated rods and plates, an induction heating device, which can be installed in part of the transport matrix, or of direct electrical heating of an electrically conductive part of the transport matrix.
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29. Device in accordance with claim 25 characterized by the temperature of the permeate being higher by at least 1°
- C. than the temperature of the retentate, while heating the transport matrix.
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30. Device to separate a fluid mixture characterized by several devices in accordance with claim 25 being operated in series.
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31. Device in accordance with claim 25 characterized by moisture containing air being brought into contact with the membrane surface in the first operating zone and oxygen enriched as well as moisture enriched air being extracted in the second operating zone.
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32. Device in accordance with claim 25 characterized by the second operating zone being in the form of channels in a plate or pleat-shaped transport matrix which has lamellar surfaces, both sides of which are arranged in parallel vertical to the plane of the plates or pleats, to which the carbon membrane is applied.
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33. Device in accordance with claim 32 characterized by the number of pleats per cm being between 1 and 2000.
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34. Device in accordance with claim 25 characterized by an average temperature increase of the permeate in comparison to the temperature increase of the retentate during the heating phase by at least a factor of 2.
Specification