Patent · US Expired

Enhanced pressure swing adsorption processing

US4599094A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
16References
50Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 7, 1985
Grant dateJul 8, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 7, 2005

Classification

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

Abstract

A feed gas is passed to a pressure swing adsorption system, each bed of which undergoes a processing cycle that includes (1) pressurization (2) copurge at upper adsorption pressure, (3) countercurrent depressurization, including, in some embodiments, evacuation to a lower subatmospheric desorption pressure. By recycling effluent gas released upon copurge and countercurrent depressurization for use in the pressurization or the copurge step, the more readily adsorbable component of the feed gas is advantageously recovered at high purity and at high recovery levels. Enriched less readily adsorbable component is also recoverable as coproduct effluent at relatively high recovery levels. The process can be advantageously employed for the separation and recovery of product nitrogen from air.

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