Membrane separation process and membrane plant for energy-efficient production of oxygen
AssigneeFraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.
InventorRalf Kriegel
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Abstract
The invention relates to a membrane separation process for energy-efficient generation of oxygen from fresh air. In the process, mixed conducting membranes in vacuum operation are used, the fresh air is discharged as waste air after separation of the oxygen, at least 85% of the thermal energy required for heating the fresh air is acquired by utilizing the waste heat of the waste air and/or of the obtained oxygen, the rest of the heating of the fresh air being realized through external energy supply, and a ratio of fresh air to generated oxygen in normal operation is adjusted to a range of from 6:1 to 25:1.
Claims17
A membrane separation process for energy-efficient generation of oxygen from fresh air, wherein the process is a stand-alone process, mixed conducting membranes in vacuum operation are used, the fresh air is discharged as waste air after separation of the oxygen, at least 85% of the thermal energy required for heating the fresh air is acquired by utilizing the waste heat of the waste air and/or of the obtained oxygen, the rest of the heating of the fresh air is realized through external energy supply, and a volume ratio of fresh air to generated oxygen in normal operation is adjusted to a range of from 6:1 to 25:1.
A membrane plant for energy-efficient production of oxygen from fresh air, wherein
- the plant comprises a housing with an input and an output, MIEC (Mixed Ionic Electronic Conductor) membranes and a vacuum pump,
- a metal connection plate is arranged in the housing, which metal connection plate comprises a vacuum-tight hollow space structure in which the MIEC membranes which are closed on one side are arranged in a gastight manner,
- at least one dividing wall for dividing into chambers is present, each chamber comprising a stationary regenerator, a supplemental heater and a portion of the MIEC membranes, and an orifice is present in every dividing wall to ensure passage for the fresh air from a chamber downstream of the input to a chamber upstream of the output,
- an upstream fan is arranged upstream of the input,
- a downstream fan is arranged downstream of the output, the upstream fan and the downstream fan having opposite suction directions,
- a regenerative heat exchanger is present, partial regions being associated with the input and other partial regions being associated with the output, and
- the vacuum pump communicates with the hollow space structure for sucking out the obtained oxygen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.