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US 2017/0036170 A1Published application
Separation processes and units via minimal surface area mass and heat transfer packing
AssigneeGeosepaa LLC
InventorRobert C. RYAN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Mass transfer packing with a minimal surface or a triply periodic minimal surface which enables significantly improved performance for separation and mixing applications particularly with respect to distillation, liquid-liquid contacting, and heat exchange applications.
Claims25
A method of distillation which comprises:
- passing a vapor into a first volume of a distillation column, the distillation column comprising a minimal surface area material which separates the first volume from a second volume of the distillation column;
- passing a liquid into the second volume of the distillation column;
- circulating the vapor and the liquid countercurrently within the distillation column to produce a distillate;
- and
- extracting the distillate from the distillation column.
2 more elements
A method for membrane distillation which comprises:
- heating a first liquid;
- passing the heated first liquid to a first liquid passageway, the first liquid passageway being separated from a second liquid passageway by a membrane wall, the membrane wall comprising a minimal surface area material;
- cooling a second liquid;
- passing the cooled second liquid to the second liquid passageway;
- circulating the first heated liquid and the second cooled liquid countercurrently such that vapor from the first heated liquid passes through the membrane wall and condenses in the second cooled liquid;
- and
- extracting the second cooled liquid from the second liquid passageway.
4 more elements
A membrane distillation system comprising:
- a distillation vessel defining a distillation volume having a first portion and a second portion;
- a membrane wall comprising a minimal surface area material, the membrane wall separating the first portion from the second portion;
- a pump for delivering a feed solution through the first portion to the membrane wall;
- a heating heat exchanger configured to heat the feed solution before it enters the first portion;
- a cooling heat exchanger configured to cool the feed solution after it enters first portion;
- and
- an outlet for removing a distillate from the distillation vessel.
4 more elements
A method for distillation which comprises:
- passing a vapor stream into a distillation column comprising a minimal surface packing material;
- passing a liquid stream into the distillation column;
- contacting the vapor stream with the liquid stream countercurrently to produce a distillate;
- and
- extracting the distillate from the distillation column.
2 more elements
A method of separating a product gas from a mixed gas stream in a sorption-desorption process which comprises:
- contacting the gas stream with a circulating stream of a liquid sorbent medium in a gas/liquid sorption zone comprising a first minimal surface area material to form a relatively rich solution of first product gas sorbed in the liquid sorbent medium;
- passing the first product gas sorbed in the liquid sorbent medium to a desorption/regeneration zone comprising a second minimal surface area material in which a second product gas is desorbed from the first product gas in the liquid sorbent medium;
- the desorption also forming a relatively lean, regenerated sorbent medium;
- and
- passing the regenerated lean sorbent medium to the gas/liquid sorption zone.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.