Method and apparatus for drying a gas
AssigneeAteliers Francois
InventorsAnthony KITCHENER, Jack PRIOR, Grégoire BOON-FALLEUR, Didier ROLIN JACQUEMYNS
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Abstract
Method for drying a gas by feeding the gas into a series of at least two chambers containing each a regenerable adsorbent for drying said gas and meanwhile to feed a part of the dried gas into a series of at least two other chambers while those other chambers are vented, in order to regenerate the adsorbent contained into these two other chambers. Meanwhile, a blower feeds air from an air intake into at least one of the at least two other chambers in order to improve the regeneration of their adsorbent. An apparatus that is adapted to implement the method, is also disclosed.
Claims15
Method for drying a gas, comprising the following steps:
- a) drying the gas during a first period of time by feeding it from a gas input into a first chamber comprising a first regenerable adsorbent and into a second chamber comprising a second regenerable adsorbent, the first chamber and the second chamber being connected in series, the second chamber delivering a dried gas at a gas output for a user;
- b) regenerating a third regenerable adsorbent contained in a third chamber and a fourth regenerable adsorbent contained in a fourth chamber while step a) is being performed, the third chamber and the fourth chamber being connected in series, by feeding said third chamber through a bidirectional transfer valve with at least a part of the dried gas output by the second chamber and by venting third chamber and the fourth chamber through a first venting valve connected downstream of the fourth chamber;
- c) switching ON a blower to blow air taken from an air intake, through a first blower valve, into an input upstream of the fourth chamber, while step b) is being performed, optionally by further opening a second venting valve connected downstream of the fourth chamber;
- d) switching OFF the blower and closing the first blower valve, and meanwhile continuing to perform steps a) and b) during a first cooling period of time included into the first period of time;
- e) closing the first venting valve, closing the first blower valve, and closing the second venting valve if it is present, during a first pressurizing period of time included into the first period of time and meanwhile continuing to perform step a).
Apparatus for drying a gas, said apparatus comprising:
- a first circuit comprising, fluidly connected in series, a gas input to input the gas to be dried, a first main input valve, a first chamber containing a first regenerable adsorbent, a first gas conduit, a second chamber containing a second regenerable adsorbent, a first main output valve, and a gas output to deliver the dried gas to a user;
- a second circuit comprising, fluidly connected in series, the gas input to input the gas to be dried, a second main input valve, a fourth chamber containing a fourth regenerable adsorbent, a second gas conduit, a third chamber containing a third regenerable adsorbent, a second main output valve, and the gas output to deliver the dried gas to the user;
- a bidirectional transfer valve connected on its one side between the second main output valve and the third chamber, and on its opposite side between the first main output valve and the second chamber;
- a first venting valve connected on its one side between the second main input valve and the fourth chamber;
- a third venting valve connected on its one side between the first main input valve and the first chamber;
- a third circuit comprising an air intake and a blower that are fluidly connected in series, a first blower valve connected between an output of the blower and the second gas conduit, a second blower valve connected between the output of the blower and the first gas conduit;
- a control unit configured to operate the first main input valve, the second main input valve, the first main output valve, the second main output valve, the first venting valve, the third venting valve, the first blower valve, the second blower valve, and the blower.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.