Buffer bed dehumidification

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF DRYING GAS BY PASSING THE INLET GAS TO BE DRIED THROUGH GRANULAR DESICCANT MATERIAL TO MAINTAIN THE TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE GAS SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT, COMPRISING PASSING THE GAS CONTINUOUSLY FIRST THROUGH A MAIN BED OF GRANULAR DESICCANT MATERIAL TO PRODUCE A GAS VARIABLE IN TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE CONTENT AS THE DRYING EFFEICIENCY OF THE BED DECREASES, IMMEDIATELY AND CONTINUOUSLY PASSING THE GAS EVOLVED FROM THE MAIN BED THROUGH AN AUXILIARY BUFFER BHED OF GRANULAR DESICCANT MATERIAL, AND BUFFER BED PERIODICALLY SUBSTITUTING A REGENERATED MAIN BED FOR A USED PERIODICALLY SUBSTITUTING A REGENERATED MAIN BED FOR USED MAIN BED BEFORE SAID MAIN USED BED BECOMES FULLY SATURATED WHILE SAID BUFFER BED REMAINS UNREGENERATED EXCEPT FOR GAS FLOW THERETHROUGH OF DRIED GAS FROM SAID MAIN BEDS, WHEREBY SAID BUFFER BED BECOMES AND IS THEN MAINTAINED AT AN ESSENTIALLY SATURATED EQUILIBRIUM CONDITION.