Process and system for purifying gases

• US 7,097,689 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2002
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Praxair Technology Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Original Assignee: Praxair Technology Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Mahl, Jerry Michael, Billingham, John Fredric
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): SINES, BRIAN J
• Application Number:
  US10/174,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20030236591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 95/1, 95/3, 95/4, 95/5, 95/6, 95/7, 95/8, 95/9, 95/10, 95/11, 95/12, 95/13, 95/14, 95/15, 95/16, 95/17, 95/18, 95/19, 95/20, 95/21, 95/22, 95/23, 95/25, 73/10.1, 73/10.2, 73/232, 422/105, 422/108, 422/110, 422/111, 422/112, 422/113, 422/114, 422/115, 422/129, 422/83, 422/101, 422/103, 436/177, 436/178, 436/181
• US Class Current: 95/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/34 Purifying; Cleaning processes or apparatus for extracting or separating nucleic acids from biological samples C12N15/1003
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0022 using a number of analysing channels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/117497 with a continuously flowing sample or carrier stream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/20 Oxygen containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/207497 Molecular oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/255 including use of a solid sorbent, semipermeable membrane, or liquid extraction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25875 Gaseous sample or with change of physical state

Abstract

A process and system for purifying an impure gas to produce a purified gas in a gas purification system and protecting the system from damage by a) passing a portion of a first gas stream into a reactor vessel, which exits as a second purified gas stream; b) combining a portion of the second purified gas stream with another portion of the first gas stream to form a combined gas stream; and c) passing the combined gas stream into a sensing device to regulate the flow of the first and second gas streams into the reactor vessel.

Claims

1. A process for purifying an impure gas to produce a purified gas in a gas purification system and protecting the system from damage comprising:

a. passing a portion of a first gas stream into a reactor vessel, which exits as a second purified gas stream;

b. combining a portion of the second purified gas stream with another portion of the first gas stream to form a combined gas stream;

c. passing the combined gas stream into a sensing device to regulate the flow of the first gas stream into the reactor vessel, and wherein the sensing device passes data to a control device to regulate the flows of the first and second gas streams.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the combined gas stream passes through the sensing device and exits to vent.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the reactor vessel comprises a getter to remove contaminant gases.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the contaminant gases comprise oxygen.

5. The process of claim 3 wherein the reactor vessel comprises a catalyst.

6. The process of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of flow meter devices to monitor the flow of gases.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the flow meter devices comprise inline filters to protect critical flow orifices.

8. The process of claim 6 wherein the flow meter device regulates the flow of a gas into a plurality of reactor vessels.