# US 8,771,402 B2 · Membrane based apparatus for measurement of volatile particles

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- Number: US 8,771,402 B2
- Document ID: US8771402B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/523,067
- Filed: 2012-06-14
- Published: 2013-07-25
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-14
- Assignees: UT-Battelle, LLC
- Applicants: Meng-Dawn Cheng; Steve L. Allman
- Inventors: Meng-Dawn Cheng; Steve L. Allman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771402B2

## CPC

- B01D 53/228: {characterised by specific membranes}
- B01D 53/925: {Simultaneous elimination of carbon monoxide or hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides}
- F01N 3/005: {for draining or otherwise eliminating condensates or moisture accumulating in the apparatus (F01N3/02 takes precedence)}
- F01N 3/027: using electric or magnetic heating means
- F01N 3/055: {without contact between air and exhaust gases}
- F01N 5/02: the devices using heat
- G01N 1/2252: {in a vehicle exhaust}
- G01N 1/4005: {by transferring a selected component through a membrane}
- B01D 2257/11: Noble gases
- B01D 2257/404: Nitrogen oxides other than dinitrogen oxide
- B01D 2257/7022: Aliphatic hydrocarbons
- B01D 2257/7027: Aromatic hydrocarbons
- G01N 15/02: Investigating particle size or size distribution (by measuring osmotic pressure G01N7/10; investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions G01N15/04; investigating individual particles G01N15/10)
- G01N 2001/2261: {preventing condensation (heating lines)}
- G01N 2015/0038: {Investigating nanoparticles}
- G01N 2015/0046: {in gas, e.g. smoke}
- Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A vapor particle separator including a temperature controlled chamber for desorbing vapors from the particulates of an exhaust gas and a separation chamber including a micro porous membrane. The micro porous membrane provides an interface between at least one particle passageway and at least one vapor passageway through the separation chamber. The particle passageway extends from an entrance to the separation chamber to a particle exit from the separation chamber. The vapor passageway extends from the micro-porous membrane to a vapor exit from the separation chamber that is separate from the particle exit from the separation chamber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vapor particle separator comprising:
a temperature controlled chamber for desorbing vapors from the particulates of an exhaust gas that enters the vapor particle separator through the temperature controlled chamber; and
a separation chamber including a micro porous membrane for providing an interface between at least one particle passageway and at least one vapor passageway through the separation chamber, the particle passageway extends from an entrance to the separation chamber to a particle exit of the separation chamber, the vapor passageway extends from the micro-porous membrane to a vapor exit from the separation chamber that is separate from the particle exit from the separation chamber, wherein the micro porous membrane has a pore size that allows for diffusion of the vapors from the particle passageway through the micro porous membrane to the vapor passageway, wherein the particles having a lower diffusivity than the vapors are obstructed from entering the vapor passageway.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vapor particle separator of claim 1, wherein the temperature controlled chamber comprises a metallic tube that is positioned within a heater.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vapor particle separator of claim 2, wherein the metallic tube is composed of a metal selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, aluminum, copper, titanium, zirconium or combinations thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The vapor particle separator of claim 2, wherein the metallic tube provides the sample inlet to the vapor particle separator and continuously extends to the entrance chamber of the vapor particle separator, wherein the heater includes a radiant heater that surrounds the metallic tube to provide a heating chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vapor particle separator of claim 1, wherein the micro porous membrane is composed of a metal selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, zirconium and a combination thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vapor particle separator of claim 1, wherein the micro porous membrane has a pore size ranging from 5 nm to 50,000 nm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vapor particle separator of claim 1, wherein the micro porous membrane comprises at least two layers, wherein a first layer of the at least two layers has a first thickness ranging from 5 microns to 20 microns and has a first pore size ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm and a second layer of the at least two layers has a second pore size ranging from 500 nm to 50,000 nm and a second thickness ranging from 20 microns to 400 microns.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The vapor particle separator of claim 1, wherein the micro porous membrane has a tube geometry, wherein one of the at least one particle passageway is centrally positioned in the separation chamber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The vapor particle separator of claim 8, wherein the tube geometry has a substantially circular cross section across a length of the micro-porous membrane extending from the entrance to the separation chamber to the particle exit of the separation chamber, or the tube geometry has a multi-sided cross section across the length of the micro-porous membrane extending from the entrance to the separation chamber to the particle exit of the separation chamber.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The vapor particle separator of claim 9, wherein the at least one vapor passageway is an outer tube wherein an inner wall of the outer tube is provided by the micro porous membrane.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The vapor particle separator of claim 1 further comprising a first pump for applying a first vacuum to the vapor exit of the separation chamber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The vapor particle separator of claim 11 further comprising a second pump for applying a second vacuum to the particle exit of the separation chamber.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The vapor particle separator of claim 12, wherein application of the first vacuum and the second vacuum provides a cross flow filtration.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The vapor particle separator of claim 1 further comprising a probe for collecting the particulates of the exhaust gas from an exhaust plumb of an engine and for introducing the particulates of the exhaust gas to the temperature controlled chamber of the vapor particle separator.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The vapor particle separator of claim 1 further comprising a filter for collecting the gas phase molecules from the vapor exit of the vapor particle separator, wherein the filter is selected from the group consisting of activated carbon filters, zeolites, polymers and a combination thereof.

### Claim 16

A method of separating vapors from particles comprising:
collecting particulates of an exhaust gas from an exhaust plume of an engine;
heating the particles of the exhaust gas in a temperature controlled chamber of a vapor particle separator, wherein a temperature of the temperature controlled chamber is selected to desorb gas phase molecules from the particulates of the exhaust gas;
introducing the particles of the exhaust gas and the gas phase molecules that were desorbed from the particles of the exhaust gas into a separation chamber of the vapor particle separator that includes a particle passageway to a particle exit in a first direction and an vapor passageway to a vapor exit in a second direction, wherein an interface between the particle passageway and the vapor passageway is provided by a micro porous membrane; and
applying a cross flow to the separation chamber to draw the vapors from the vapor exit of the vapor particle separator and to draw the particles of the exhaust gas from the particle exit of the vapor particle separator.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the particulates of the exhaust gas are selected from the group consisting of linear alkanes, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, elemental carbons, and a combination thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the particulates of the exhaust gas have a particle size ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the gas phase molecules desorbed from the particulates of the exhaust gas are selected from the group consisting of linear alkanes, elemental carbons, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and a combination thereof.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the temperature of the temperature controlled chamber to desorb the gas phase molecules from the particulates of the exhaust gas ranges from 20° C. to 500° C.

### Claim 21 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the micro porous membrane has a pore size ranging from 5 nm to 50,000 nm.

### Claim 22 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the micro porous membrane comprises at least two layers, wherein a first layer of the at least two layers has a first thickness ranging from 5 microns to 20 microns and has a first pore size ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm and a second layer of the at least two layers has a second pore size ranging from 500 nm to 50,000 nm and a second thickness ranging from 20 microns to 400 microns.

### Claim 23 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the micro porous membrane has a tube geometry, wherein one of the at least one particle passageway is centrally positioned in the separation chamber.

### Claim 24 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the first direction of particle passageway is a longitudinal direction through the vapor particle separator and the second direction of the vapor passageway is an axial direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, further comprising a first pump to apply a first flow to the vapor exit of the vapor particle passageway and a second pump to apply a second flow to the particle exit of the vapor particle passageway, wherein application of the first flow and the second flow through the vapor exit and particle exit provides cross flow filtration through the separation chamber of the vapor particle separator.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the first pump provides a flow rate ranging from 0.1 lpm to 5 lpm, and the second pump provides a flow rate ranging from 0.1 lpm to 5 lpm.

### Claim 27 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising applying filter to the vapor exit for collecting the gas phase molecules from the vapor exit of the vapor particle separator.

### Claim 28 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising applying sweeping gas to the vapor particle separator that is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon and a combination thereof.