Patent · US Expired

Process for recovering organic vapors from air

US4553983A · kind A · utility

81Cited by
15References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 31, 1984
Grant dateNov 19, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 31, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB01D53/22
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A process for recovering and concentrating organic vapor from a feed stream of air having an organic vapor content of no more than 20,000 ppm by volume. A thin semipermeable membrane is provided which has a feed side and a permeate side, a selectivity for organic vapor over air of at least 50, as measured by the ratio of organic vapor permeability to nitrogen permeability, and a permeability of organic vapor of at least 3.times.10.sup.-7 cm.sup.3 (STP) cm/cm.sup.2 sec.cm Hg. The feed stream is passed across the feed side of the thin semipermeable membrane while providing a pressure on the permeate side which is lower than the feed side by creating a partial vacuum on the permeate side so that organic vapor passes preferentially through the membrane to form an organic vapor depleted air stream on the feed side and an organic vapor enriched stream on the permeate side. The organic vapor which has passed through the membrane is compressed and condensed to recover the vapor as a liquid.

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