Method for the separate recovery of a high molecular weight gas and a low molecular weight gas from a gaseous starting mixture
AssigneeYeda Research and Development Co. Ltd.
InventorAbraham Kogan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Separate recovery of high and low molecular weight gases from a gaseous starting mixture, e.g. a mixture resulting from thermal water splitting. A set of three chambers is used which are arranged in series and separated by membranes permeable preferentially to the low molecular gas. Gases permeate from the first to the second chamber and from there to the third chamber. A gaseous mixture enriched with the high molecular weight gas is withdrawn from the first chamber and a gaseous mixture enriched with the low molecular weight gas is withdrawn from the third chamber. Undesired gaseous components are rendered non-gaseous and the remaining low and high molecular weight gases are withdrawn separately.
Claims11
A method of direct thermal splitting of water and separate recovery of oxygen and hydrogen from the resulting hot gaseous decomposition mixture, comprising:
- (i) providing first, second and third chambers arranged in series and separated from each other by membranes that are preferentially permeable to hydrogen in a Knudsen flow regime:
- (ii) injecting a jet of feed water into said first chamber and inducing a direct splitting of water to occur therein whereby said hot gaseous decomposition mixture is obtained;
- (iii) passing part of said hot gaseous decomposition mixture from said first chamber to said second chamber by diffusion across one of said membranes preferentially permeable to hydrogen in a Knudsen flow regime separating the two chambers, whereby a first product gaseous mixture enriched in oxygen is obtained in said first chamber and a second product gaseous mixture is obtained in said second chamber;
- (iv) withdrawing said first product gaseous mixture from said first chamber;
- (v) passing part of said second product gaseous mixture from said second chamber into said third chamber by diffusion across one of said membranes preferentially permeable to hydrogen in a Knudsen flow regime separating the two chambers, withdrawing the remaining second product gaseous mixture and recycling it through entrainment by said jet of feed water to said first chamber;
- (vi) withdrawing a third gaseous product mixture enriched in hydrogen from said third chamber;
- (vii) allowing said first and third product gaseous mixture to cool to a temperature at which hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water, inducing such combination to occur and withdrawing water from the resulting oxygen/water and hydrogen/water mixtures;
- and
- (viii) separately recovering oxygen and hydrogen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.