PSA with adsorbents sensitive to contaminants
US7037358B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 11, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 2, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 11, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC01B2210/0062
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Disclosed embodiments address contaminant management challenges that arise during production of desirably contaminant free product fluid in the operation of PSA equipment, and further address the more serious challenges that arise under intermittent operation of PSA equipment. One disclosed embodiment of a PSA apparatus, intended primarily for normal operating cycle speeds of at least 3 cycles per minute, includes a breather fluidly coupled to a feed end of an adsorber with a contaminant-sensitive adsorbent. The breather can be coupled to the feed end through a shutoff valve closed during production and open during shutdown. Other disclosed embodiments of the PSA apparatus used particular sealing strategies for additional sealing of the apparatus, or at least components thereof, from contaminant ingress. For example, one embodiment comprises a buffer seal for receiving a buffer gas having a contaminant vapor content substantially the same as or less than a product gas produced by a pressure swing adsorption process over the adsorbers. The buffer chamber may have flushing circulation provided by delivered product flow. As a second example of sealing strategy, a parking seal can be u…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.