Pressure swing adsorption system with indexed rotatable multi-port valves

• US 7,854,793 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2007
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Original Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Rarig, David Lester, Whitley, Roger Dean, LaBuda, Matthew James
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopkins; Robert A
• Application Number:
  US11/751,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20080000353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: 95/96, 951/48, 961/15, 961/16, 961/24, 961/30, 961/43
• US Class Current: 96/116
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/108 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40005 using rotary valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40015 with two sub-steps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40032 with three sub-steps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40052 Recycled product or process gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40069 Eight
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40079 Co-current
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40081 Counter-current
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/404 using four beds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/02 by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography solid sorbent compositions B01J20/00, preparation of inorganic compounds or elements C01
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0446 Means for feeding or distributing gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/047 Pressure swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0716 with fluid passages through the valve member F16K11/0704, F16K11/0708, F16K11/0712 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/085 with cylindrical plug
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/087 with spherical plug
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86863 Rotary valve unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86871 Plug

Abstract

Pressure swing adsorption system comprising two or more vessels, each having a feed end, a product end, and adsorbent material adapted to adsorb one or more components from a multi-component feed gas mixture; piping adapted to (1) introduce the feed gas mixture into the feed ends, withdraw a product gas from the product ends, and withdraw a waste gas from the feed ends of the vessels, and (2) place the product ends of any pair of vessels in flow communication; a feed pipe adapted to supply the feed gas mixture to the system; a product pipe adapted to withdraw the product gas from the system; and a waste gas pipe adapted to withdraw the waste gas from the system. An indexed rotatable multi-port valve is adapted to place the product end of each vessel in sequential flow communication with the product end of each of the other vessels.

Claims

1. A pressure swing adsorption system comprising

(a) two or more vessels, each vessel having a feed end, a product end, and adsorbent material adapted to adsorb one or more components from a multi-component feed gas mixture;

(b) piping adapted to introduce the feed gas mixture into the feed ends of the vessels, piping adapted to withdraw a product gas from the product ends of the vessels, piping adapted to place the product ends of any pair of vessels in flow communication, and piping adapted to withdraw a waste gas from the feed ends of the vessels;

(c) a feed pipe adapted to supply the feed gas mixture to the system, a product pipe adapted to withdraw the product gas from the system, and a waste gas pipe adapted to withdraw the waste gas from the system; and

(d) an indexed rotatable multi-port valve adapted to place the product end of each vessel in sequential flow communication with the product end of each of the other vessels.

2. The system of claim 1 comprising an indexed rotatable multi-port feed valve adapted to place the feed pipe in sequential flow communication with the feed end of each vessel.

3. The system of claim 2 comprising an indexed rotatable multi-port waste gas valve adapted to place the waste gas valve in sequential flow communication with the feed end of each vessel.

4. The system of claim 1 comprising an indexing valve drive motor adapted to drive the indexed rotatable multi-port product valve and a timer adapted to control the indexing valve drive motor.

5. The system of claim 3 comprising an indexing valve drive motor adapted to drive any of the indexed rotatable multi-port feed gas valve and the indexed rotatable multi-port product waste gas valve, and a timer adapted to control the indexing valve drive motor.

6. The system of claim 1 comprising a feed gas blower adapted to provide pressurized feed gas to the feed gas pipe.

7. The system of claim 6 comprising a waste gas evacuation blower adapted to withdraw waste gas from the waste gas pipe.

8. The system of claim 1 having four vessels.

9. The system of claim 1 comprising two or more check valves, each check valve being disposed between the product end of a respective vessel and the product pipe, wherein each check valve is adapted to allow product gas flow from the product end of the respective vessel into the product pipe and to prevent product gas flow from the product pipe into the product end of the respective vessel.

10. A pressure swing adsorption system comprising

(a) first, second, third, and fourth vessels, each vessel having a feed end, a product end, and adsorbent material adapted to adsorb a selected component from a feed gas mixture;

(b) piping adapted to introduce the feed gas mixture into the feed ends of the vessels, piping adapted to withdraw a product gas from the product ends of the vessels, piping adapted to place the product ends of any pair of vessels in flow communication, and piping adapted to withdraw a waste gas from the feed ends of the vessels;

(c) a feed pipe adapted to supply the feed gas mixture to the system, a product pipe adapted to withdraw the product gas from the system, and a waste gas pipe adapted to withdraw the waste gas from the system; and

(d) an indexed rotatable multi-port product valve having eight indexed positions wherein

(1) in a first indexed position the valve is adapted to place the product ends of the second and fourth vessels in flow communication;

(2) in a second indexed position the valve is adapted to place the product ends of the third and fourth vessels in flow communication and to place the product ends of the first and second vessels in flow communication;

(3) in a third indexed position the valve is adapted to place the product ends of the first and third vessels in flow communication;

(4) in a fourth indexed position the valve is adapted to place the product ends of the first and fourth vessels in flow communication and to place the product ends of the second and third vessels in flow communication;

(5) in a fifth indexed position the valve is adapted to place the product ends of the second and fourth vessels in flow communication;

(6) in a sixth indexed position the valve is adapted to place the product ends of the first and second vessels in flow communication and to place the product ends of the third and fourth vessels in flow communication;

(7) in a seventh indexed position the valve is adapted to place the product ends of the first and third vessels in flow communication; and

(8) in an eighth indexed position the valve is adapted to place the product ends of the first and fourth vessels in flow communication and to place the product ends of the second and third vessels in flow communication.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the valve is adapted to (1) prevent flow communication between the product ends of the first and third vessels when the valve is in the first and fifth indexed positions and (2) prevent flow communication between the product ends of the second and fourth vessels when the valve is in the third and seventh indexed positions.

12. The system of claim 10 comprising an indexed rotatable multi-port feed gas valve having four indexed positions wherein

(1) in a first indexed position, the feed gas valve is adapted to place the feed pipe in flow communication with the feed end of the first vessel while the indexed rotatable multi-port product valve is in its first and second indexed positions;

(2) in a second indexed position following (1) above, the feed gas valve is adapted to place the feed pipe in flow communication with the feed end of the second vessel while the indexed rotatable multi-port product valve is in its third and fourth indexed positions;

(3) in a third indexed position following (2) above, the feed gas valve is adapted to place the feed pipe in flow communication with the feed end of the third vessel while the indexed rotatable multi-port product valve is in its fifth and sixth indexed positions; and

(4) in a fourth indexed position following (3) above, the feed gas valve is adapted to place the feed pipe in flow communication with the feed end of the fourth vessel while the indexed rotatable multi-port product valve is in its seventh and eighth indexed positions.

13. The system of claim 12 comprising an indexed rotatable multi-port waste gas valve having four indexed positions wherein

(1) in a first indexed position, the waste gas valve is adapted to place the waste gas pipe in flow communication with the feed end of the third vessel while the indexed rotatable multi-port product valve is in its first and second indexed positions;

(2) in a second indexed position following (1) above, the waste gas valve is adapted to place the waste gas pipe in flow communication with the feed end of the fourth vessel while the indexed rotatable multi-port product valve is in its third and fourth indexed positions;

(3) in a third indexed position following (2) above, the waste gas valve is adapted to place the waste gas pipe in flow communication with the feed end of the first vessel while the indexed rotatable multi-port product valve is in its fifth and sixth indexed positions; and

(4) in a fourth indexed position following (3) above, the waste gas valve is adapted to place the waste gas pipe in flow communication with the feed end of the second vessel while the indexed rotatable multi-port product valve is in its seventh and eighth indexed positions.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the adsorbent material comprises an adsorbent selected from the group consisting of CaA, NaX, CaX, LiX, and LiLSX.