Adsorptive ethanol drying apparatus using microwaves and operating method thereof
US6634119B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 29, 2001 |
| Grant date | Oct 21, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 29, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB01D2259/40094
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Disclosed is an adsorptive ethanol drying apparatus in which microwaves are applied during the regeneration of an absorbent conducted in a continuous adsorption process for drying ethanol, so that the absorbent regeneration can be rapidly achieved at a temperature lower than that used in a conventional heating type regeneration method and within a reduced processing time, thereby being capable of allowing an efficient use of energy while improving the productivity per adsorbent mass. A method for operating the adsorptive ethanol drying apparatus is also disclosed. At an adsorption step, a vaporized ethanol azeotropic mixture is forced to pass through adsorption towers to adsorb water contained in the vaporized ethanol azeotropic mixture to an adsorbent charged in each of the adsorption towers while condensing ethanol in a storage tank. Simultaneously with the adsorption step conducted in one of the adsorption towers, microwaves generated from a microwave generating device are guided to the other adsorption tower via waveguides in accordance with a switching operation of a switching waveguide, thereby activating water adsorbed to the adsorbent in the adsorption step to allow the wat…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.