Recovering of xenon by adsorption process

US8535414B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC. · US

Inventors

• Andrew David Johnson · Doylestown, US
• Richard Vincent Pearce · Kempton, US
• Thomas Stephen Farris · Bethlehem, US
• Timothy Christopher Golden · Allentown, US
• Matthew John Bosco · Emmaus, US
• Eugene Joseph Karwacki, Jr. · Orefield, US
• David Charles Winchester · Walnutport, US
• Jeffrey Raymond Hufton · Fogelsville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 19, 2011
• Grant date: Sep 17, 2013
• Expiry date: Mar 6, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/151
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention discloses the improvements to a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) process used for Xe recovery. By only collecting the recovered gas mixture after the initial evacuation of N2 from the adsorbent vessel and void space, the recovered Xe is not diluted by N2 contained in the adsorbent vessel and void space. The concentration of the recovered Xe can by increased (high purity), simultaneously little Xenon is lost. During the initial evacuation of N2, the vessel has been evacuated to a pressure less than 1 atmospheric pressure, for example, from 100 to 1 torr.