Patent · US Active

Air separation apparatus, adsorber, and method

US12196486B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
6References
9Claims
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Key dates

Filing dateJul 21, 2021
Grant dateJan 14, 2025
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 25, 2042

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02C20/40
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method of purifying air via a pre-purification unit (PPU) of an air separation unit (ASU) system having a pre-PPU chiller that is upstream of the PPU to cool compressed air before the compressed air is fed to the PPU can include passing air through an adsorber of the PPU to pass the air through a bed of adsorbent material within a vessel of the adsorber. In response to the pre-PPU chiller being determined to have an issue resulting in the pre-PPU chiller being tripped or requiring the pre-PPU chiller to be taken off-line, continuing to operate the ASU system at a full capacity even though nitrous oxide (N2O) within the air output from the PPU exceeds a first pre-selected threshold and is below a second pre-selected threshold associated with carbon dioxide (CO2) breakthrough. An ASU and a PPU can be designed to implement an embodiment of the method.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.