US 12,472,458 B2 · Air separation processes using zeolite ITQ-55

Abstract

This disclosure relates to the adsorption and separation of fluid components, such as oxygen, in a feed stream, such as air, using zeolite ITQ-55 as the adsorbent. A process is disclosed for adsorbing oxygen from a feed stream containing oxygen, nitrogen and argon. The process comprises passing the feed stream through a bed of an adsorbent comprising zeolite ITQ-55 to adsorb oxygen from the feed stream, carrying out an equalization step to improve recovery, thereby producing a nitrogen product stream depleted in oxygen as well as a waste stream can be collected to have enriched oxygen. The feed stream is exposed to the zeolite ITQ-55 at effective conditions for performing a rapid cycle of kinetic separation, in which oxygen exhibits greater kinetic selectivity than nitrogen and argon.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A process of adsorbing oxygen from a feed stream comprising oxygen, nitrogen, and water, comprising passing the feed stream through one or more beds of adsorbent comprising a first adsorbent selective for water so as to adsorb water from the feed stream and a second adsorbent selective for oxygen so as to adsorb oxygen from the feed stream, thereby producing a rejection product stream enriched in nitrogen and depleted in oxygen and water, wherein the first adsorbent comprises a dehydration adsorbent and the second adsorbent comprise ITQ-55;

wherein the zeolite ITQ-55 has a mean crystal particle size within the range of from about 0.1 microns to about 40 microns;
wherein the feed stream is exposed to the first adsorbent at effective conditions to remove water from the feed stream;
and wherein the feed stream is exposed to the second adsorbent at effective conditions for performing a kinetic separation, in which the kinetic separation exhibits greater kinetic selectivity for oxygen than for nitrogen.

A process of adsorbing oxygen from a feed stream containing oxygen and nitrogen, comprising passing the feed stream through a bed of an adsorbent comprising zeolite ITQ-55 to adsorb oxygen from the feed stream, thereby producing a product stream depleted in oxygen;

wherein the zeolite ITQ-55 has a mean crystal particle size within the range of from about 0.1 microns to about 40 microns;
wherein the feed stream is exposed to the zeolite ITQ-55 at effective conditions for performing a kinetic separation, in which the kinetic separation exhibits greater kinetic selectivity for oxygen than for nitrogen,
wherein the process is a swing adsorption process comprising an adsorption step performed at elevated pressure and/or reduced temperature in which the feed stream is passed through a bed of adsorbent comprising the zeolite ITQ-55 to adsorb oxygen from the feed stream, and a desorption step performed at reduced pressure and/or elevated temperature in which oxygen from the previous adsorption step is desorbed from the bed to regenerate the bed for the next adsorption step, and
wherein the swing adsorption process is pressure swing adsorption (PSA) which is configured into a cryogenic air separation unit (ASU), wherein the configuration is a PSA+ASU hybrid configuration in which the PSA pre-concentrates oxygen by rejection of at least a part of nitrogen, or an ASU+PSA hybrid configuration in which the PSA is installed in an O2-rich stream after a high pressure (HP) section of the ASU purifies a part of O2.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Air separation processes using zeolite ITQ-55

Life of this patent

Air separation processes using zeolite ITQ-55

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14