Apparatus and method for drying a gaseous medium

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING A CONTAMINANT FROM A GASEOUS MEDIUM IN A CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING, PULSATING, CYCLICAL SYSTEM COMPRISING: A COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY FOR INCREASING AND DECREASING THE PRESSURE OF THE GASEOUS MEDIUM AND INCLUDING A CYLINDER HAVING A HEAD AND SIDE WALLS AND A PISTON WITHIN THE CYLINDER, SAID CYLINDER BEING PROVIDED WITH A VALVE-CONTROLLED INTAKE PORT FOR THE GASEOUS MEDIUM TO BE TREATED AND AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH THE GASEOUS MEDIUM MAY FLOW IN EITHER DIRECTION WHILE BEING TREATED, A COMPRESSION CHAMBER HAVING COMMUNICATION WITH SAID OPENING IN THE CYLINDER, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AN ADSORPTION AGENT FOR THE CONTAMINANT BETWEEN SAID OPENING AND SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBER SO THAT THE GASEOUS MEDIUM FLOWING THROUGH THE OPENING IN EITHER DIRECTION MUST PASS THROUGH THE ADSORPTION AGENT, AND AN OUTLET PORT IN SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBER CONTROLLED BY A PRESSUREOPERATED VALVE SO THAT GASEOUS MEDIUM MAY FLOW OUTWARDLY FROM SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBER WHEN THE GASEOUS MEDIUM THEREIN HAS REACHED A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE, SAID PISTON BEING SHIFTABLE WITHIN THE CYLINDER TOWARDS THE HEAD ON THE COMPRESSION STROKE TO CAUSE GASEOUS MEDIUM BEING TREATED TO BE INCREASED IN PRESSURE AND TO FLOW THROUGH THE OPENING AND ADSORPTION AGENT SO THAT THE CONTAMINANT IS REMOVED THEREFROM AND THENCE INTO THE COMPRESSION CHAMBER FROM WHICH A PORTION OF THE TREATED GASEOUS MEDIUM ESCAPES THROUGH THE OUTLET PORT WHEN A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE IS REACHED AND SAID PISTON BEING ALSO SHIFTABLE AWAY FROM THE HEAD ON THE EXPANSION STROKE TO DRAW A PORTION OF SAID TREATED GAS AT REDUCED PRESSURE FROM THE COMPRESSION CHAMBER BACK THROUGH THE ADSORPTION AGENT TO REACTIVATE IT AND ALSO TO DRAW MORE GASEOUS MEDIUM TO BE TREATED THROUGH THE INTAKE PORT, AND SAID COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY ALSO INCLUDING ESCAPE OUTLET PASSAGE MEANS PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE INTERIOR OF THE CYLINDER AND THE SPACE OUTSIDE THE APPARATUS AT LEAST DURING THE INITIAL PORTION OF THE COMPRESSION STROKE TO BLEED OFF SOME OF THE GASEOUS MEDIUM IN THE CYLINDER AND PREVENT UNDUE CONCENTRATION OF CONTAMINANT.