Apparatus and method for separating liquid oxygen from liquified air
AssigneeTexas Tech University System
InventorRobert V. Duncan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method of separation of LOX and other commercially valuable components, such as LAr from liquefied air, which consists primarily of LN2. Strong magnetic field gradient and gravity are used to separate LOX from liquefied air, based upon the different magnetic properties of LOX and LN2. The apparatus and method employ a magnetic field gradient to levitate the LN2 and LAr diamagnetic components of liquid air while accelerating the paramagnetic LOX component toward the bottom to achieve oxygen separation. In other embodiments, a leak valve system can be used.
Claims35
An apparatus for separating liquid oxygen from liquid air comprising
- (a) a liquid air storage container;
- (b) a separation system that is selected from a group consisting of (i) a magnetic field system, (ii) leak valve system, and (iii) a combination thereof, wherein
- (i) the separation system is operatively connected to the liquid air storage container, and
- (ii) the separation system is operable to separate liquid oxygen from liquid air from the storage container;
- and
- (c) a second container, wherein the second container is
- (i) operatively connected to the separation system, and
- (ii) operative to collect liquid oxygen separated from the liquid air by the separation system.
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A method of separating liquid oxygen from liquid air comprising the steps of:
- (a) storing liquid air in a liquid air storage container, wherein the liquid storage container comprises
- (i) a bottom section that has a portion of the liquid air that is rich in liquid oxygen due to gravity, and
- (ii) a top portion that has air vapor;
- (b) flowing liquid air from the bottom section to a separation system, wherein the separation system is selected from a group consisting of (i) a magnetic field system, (ii) leak valve system, and (iii) a combination thereof;
- (c) utilizing the separation system to separate liquid oxygen from the liquid air that is rich in liquid oxygen;
- and
- (d) collecting the liquid oxygen in a second storage container.
26-27. (canceled)
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37-49. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.