Back to results
US 6,508,862 B1Granted
Apparatus and methods for separation/purification utilizing rapidly cycled thermal swing sorption
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsAnna Lee Y. Tonkovich, Bruce F. Monzyk, Yong Wang, David P. VanderWiel, Steven T. Perry, Sean P. Fitzgerald, Wayne W. Simmons, Jeffrey S. McDaniel, Albert E. Weller, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides apparatus and methods for separating fluid components. In preferred embodiments, the apparatus and methods utilize microchannel devices with small distances for heat and mass transfer to achieve rapid cycle times and surprisingly large volumes of fluid components separated in short times using relatively compact hardware.
Claims104
A method of separating a fluid component from a mixture comprising:
- a first step comprising sorbing a fluid component, this first step comprising passing a fluid mixture into a flow channel at a first temperature;
- wherein the flow channel comprises a porous sorbent within the channel and wherein substantially all the fluid mixture flowing through the flow channel flows through the porous sorbent,
- wherein the sorbent is cooled by fluid flowing through a heat exchanger;
- and
- wherein flow through the channel is constrained such that in at least one cross-sectional area of the channel that comprises the sorbent, the height of the flow channel is 1 cm or less;
- a second step comprising increasing the temperature of the sorbent, this second step comprising adding energy from an energy source;
- and
- desorbing a fluid component at a second temperature and obtaining a fluid component that was sorbed in the first step, wherein the second temperature is higher than the first temperature;
- and
- wherein the first and second steps, combined,
- for a non-condensed fluid mixture take 10 seconds or less and wherein at least 20% of the gaseous component sorbed in the first step is desorbed from the sorbent;
- or
- for a liquid mixture take 1000 seconds or less and wherein at least 20% of the fluid component sorbed in the first step is desorbed from the sorbent.
10 more elements
A method for separating a fluid component from a fluid mixture, comprising:
- passing a fluid mixture into a first sorption region at a first temperature and first pressure, wherein the first sorption region comprises a first sorbent and wherein the temperature and pressure in the first sorption region are selected to favor sorption of the fluid component into the first sorbent in the first sorption region;
- transferring heat from the first sorption region into a microchannel heat exchanger and selectively removing the fluid component from said fluid mixture thus resulting in a sorbed component in the first sorbent and a fluid mixture that is relatively depleted in said component;
- passing the relatively component-depleted fluid mixture into a second sorption region at a second temperature and second pressure, wherein the second sorption region comprises a second sorbent and wherein the temperature and pressure in the second sorption region are selected to favor sorption of the fluid component into the sorbent in the second sorption region;
- transferring heat from the second sorption region into a microchannel heat exchanger and selectively removing the fluid component from said relatively component-depleted fluid mixture thus resulting in sorbed component in the second sorbent and a relatively more component-depleted gas mixture;
- wherein the second temperature is different than the first temperature;
- adding heat to the first sorbent, through a distance of about 1 cm or less to substantially the entire first sorbent, to raise the first sorbent to a third temperature and desorbing said component from the first sorbent;
- adding heat to the second sorbent, through a distance of about 1 cm or less to substantially the entire second sorbent, to raise the second sorbent to a fourth temperature and desorbing said component from the second sorbent;
- and
- obtaining the component desorbed from the first and second sorbents.
6 more elements
A fluid separation apparatus comprising:
- a flow channel comprising a porous sorbent, the flow channel having at least one dimension of 1 cm or less, wherein, in at least one cross-section of the flow channel the porous sorbent occupies at least 90% of the cross-sectional area;
- and
- a microchannel heat exchanger in thermal contact with the flow channel.
The apparatus of 61 wherein the apparatus is constructed of materials comprising plastics.
A fluid separation apparatus comprising:
- a first array of flow channels;
- the first array of flow channels comprising:
- at least two flow channels;
- each of the at least two flow channels comprising an inlet, an outlet and a sorbent disposed between the inlet and the outlet;
- each of the at least two flow channels in thermal contact with a microchannel heat exchanger;
- each of the at least two flow channels having at least one dimension of 1 cm or less, wherein the at least one dimension is in a direction toward a microchannel heat exchanger;
- and
- at least one array inlet and at least one array outlet;
- and
- a second array of flow channels;
- the second array of flow channels comprising:
- at least two flow channels;
- each of the at least two flow channels comprising an inlet, an outlet and a sorbent disposed between the inlet and the outlet;
- each of the at least two flow channels in thermal contact with a microchannel heat exchanger;
- each of the at least two flow channels having at least one dimension of 1 cm or less, wherein the at least one dimension is in a direction toward a microchannel heat exchanger;
- and
- at least one array inlet and at least one array outlet;
- at least one fluid conduit connecting the outlet of the first array to the inlet of the second array;
- and
- a valve capable of controlling the flow through the conduit.
17 more elements
The apparatus of 98 wherein the apparatus is constructed of materials comprising plastics.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.