US 10,730,004 B2Granted

Recovery of oxygen used in ozone production

AssigneeMesser Industries USA, Inc.

InventorsFrank R. Fitch, Francisco Huertas

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Abstract

A method of continuous ozone production using a system of four absorbent beds to separate an ozone and oxygen gas mixture generated in an ozone generator. The beds are operated according to an offset sequence of cycles. Oxygen passing through the beds is at least partially recycled for use in further ozone generation. The concentration of oxygen in the ozone product can be reduced using the system to make it suitable for use in fine chemical applications.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method for the continuous production of ozone having an oxygen concentration less than that of air and recovery of oxygen in a purge cycle adsorption process having four adsorbent beds, in which a first, second, third and fourth beds cycle sequentially through the following steps in an overlapping cycle:

a) Feeding an oxygen and ozone mixture from an ozone generator to a first bed, wherein ozone is adsorbed in the first bed and non-adsorbed oxygen passes through the first bed and is recycled back to the ozone generator;
b) Feeding a first nitrogen-rich purge gas in a counter current direction to step a) thereby desorbing an oxygen enriched ozone stream from the first bed to a customer process;
c) Feeding a second nitrogen-rich purge gas in the counter current direction to step a) thereby desorbing the oxygen-depleted ozone from the first bed to the customer process;
d) Feeding an oxygen and ozone mixture from the ozone generator to the first bed in the same direction as in step a) whereby ozone is adsorbed in the first bed and non-adsorbed oxygen rinse gas displaces a nitrogen-rich purge gas from the first bed through a vent, preparing the first bed to repeat step a);
e) Feeding an oxygen and ozone mixture from an ozone generator to a second bed, wherein ozone is adsorbed in the second bed and non-adsorbed oxygen passes through the second bed and is recycled back to the ozone generator;
f) Feeding a first nitrogen-rich purge gas in a counter current direction to step e) thereby desorbing an oxygen enriched ozone stream from the second bed to a customer process;
g) Feeding a second nitrogen-rich purge gas in the counter current direction to step e) thereby desorbing the oxygen-depleted ozone from the second bed to the customer process;
h) Feeding an oxygen and ozone mixture from the ozone generator to the second bed in the same direction as in step e) whereby ozone is adsorbed in the second bed and non-adsorbed oxygen rinse gas displaces a nitrogen-rich purge gas from the second bed and feeds the displaced nitrogen-rich purge gas through a vent, preparing the second bed to repeat step e);
wherein steps e) to h) are offset in time from steps a) to d) such that the beginning of steps a) and c) overlap with the end of steps e) and g) and the end of steps a) and c) overlap with the beginning of steps e) and g).

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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

a) Feeding an oxygen and ozone mixture from an ozone generator to a first bed, wherein ozone is adsorbed in the first bed and non-adsorbed oxygen passes through the first bed and is recycled back to the ozone generator;
b) Feeding a first nitrogen-rich purge gas in a counter current direction to step a) thereby desorbing an oxygen enriched ozone stream from the first bed to a customer process;
c) Feeding a second nitrogen-rich purge gas in the counter current direction to step a) thereby desorbing the oxygen-depleted ozone from the first bed to the customer process;
d) Feeding an oxygen and ozone mixture from the ozone generator to the first bed in the same direction as in step a) whereby ozone is adsorbed in the first bed and non-adsorbed oxygen rinse gas displaces a nitrogen-rich purge gas from the first bed through a vent, preparing the first bed to repeat step a);
e) Feeding an oxygen and ozone mixture from an ozone generator to a second bed, wherein ozone is adsorbed in the second bed and non-adsorbed oxygen passes through the second bed and is recycled back to the ozone generator;
f) Feeding a first nitrogen-rich purge gas in a counter current direction to step e) thereby desorbing an oxygen enriched ozone stream from the second bed to a customer process;
g) Feeding a second nitrogen-rich purge gas in the counter current direction to step e) thereby desorbing the oxygen-depleted ozone from the second bed to the customer process;
h) Feeding an oxygen and ozone mixture from the ozone generator to the second bed in the same direction as in step e) whereby ozone is adsorbed in the second bed and non-adsorbed oxygen rinse gas displaces a nitrogen-rich purge gas from the second bed and feeds the displaced nitrogen-rich purge gas through a vent, preparing the second bed to repeat step e);
wherein steps e) to h) are offset in time from steps a) to d) such that the beginning of steps a) and c) overlap with the end of steps e) and g) and the end of steps a) and c) overlap with the beginning of steps e) and g).

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