Adsorption separation system

An apparatus for an adsorption separation system comprising:

• at least three adsorbent units, each unit comprising an adsorbent bed, an inlet port, and an outlet port;
• a rotating plate assembly having a disk shape with a substantially flat sealing surface, having a plurality of rotating plate ports equal to the number of inlet and outlet ports of the adsorbent units with a plate port in fluid communication with one of the inlet ports and a second plate port in fluid communication with one of the outlet ports of the adsorbent units, and the rotating plate ports disposed around an axis of rotation;
• a stationary plate assembly with a substantially flat seating surface in contact with the rotating plate sealing surface, having a plurality of stationary plate ports equal to the number of rotating plate ports;
• a plurality of connecting conduits equal to one less than the number of adsorbent units, each conduit having an inlet and an outlet and connecting two stationary plate ports, wherein each conduit provides fluid communication between a first adsorbent bed outlet port and a second adsorbent bed inlet port, and leaving two of the stationary plate ports unconnected to connecting conduits;
• and
• means for rotating the rotating plate and the adsorbent units around the axis of rotation;
• wherein one of the two unconnected stationary plate ports is in fluid communication with a first fluid inlet, and the other of the two unconnected stationary plate ports is in fluid communication with a first fluid outlet, one of the connecting conduits is in fluid communication with a second fluid inlet, and one of the connecting conduits is in fluid communication with a second fluid outlet, wherein the adsorbent units are adsorbent beds in U-tubes, with each U-tube having an inlet end and an outlet end.

An apparatus for an adsorption separation system comprising:

• at least three adsorbent units, each unit comprising an adsorption bed, an inlet port and an outlet port;
• a rotating plate assembly having a substantially flat sealing surface, and a plurality of rotating plate ports at least equal to the number of inlet and outlet ports of the adsorbent units, with each adsorbent bed inlet port in fluid communication with a rotating plate port and each adsorbent bed outlet port in fluid communication with a rotating plate port;
• a stationary plate assembly having a substantially flat seating surface in contact with the rotating plate sealing surface, and having a plurality of ports equal to the number of rotating plate ports;
• at least four net flow connections providing at least two inflow connections and two outflow connections for the addition and withdrawal of fluid;
• a plurality of connecting conduits equal to one less than one-half the number of stationary plate ports, each conduit having an inlet and outlet and connecting two stationary plate ports, and wherein each conduit inlet is in fluid communication with an adsorbent unit outlet port and each conduit outlet is in fluid communication with an adsorbent unit inlet port;
• and
• means for rotating the rotating plate and the adsorbent units around the axis of rotation;
• wherein at least one inflow connection is in fluid communication with a stationary port that is not connected to a connecting conduit and at least one outflow connection is in fluid communication with a stationary port that is not connected to a connecting conduit, and wherein the rotating plate assembly comprises a plurality of plates, including a matching plate for matching ports on the rotating plate with the ports on the stationary plate, and an adsorbent bed plate for matching the ports on the rotating plate with the adsorbent bed inlet and outlet ports.