Adsorption control

Claim 2

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second control paths comprise electrical relay controlled switch means.

Claim 3

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein flow dependent pressure transmitters are provided on said input line and on said counterflow line and wherein a proportioning valve is responsive to said pressure transmitters to control flow in said counterflow line.

Claim 4

The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein means are provided to produce and to count electrical pulses generated at a rate proportional to flow in said counterflow line, and means responsive to each preset count to close said open vent valve.

Claim 5

Control means for two gas adsorbers interconnected for flow from an input line through said adsorbers to an output flow line for delivery of the least adsorbed fraction of the input stream in purified form and wherein a given volume of input gas at high pressure so exhausts the ability of the adsorbent in a given adsorber as to require regeneration of said adsorbent, Which comprises: a. a control valve connected from said output flow line to valved counterflow inputs at one end of each said adsorber and adapted to maintain counterflow at a constant fraction of the flow in said input line, b. a valved vent at the other end of each said adsorber, c. means operative upon initiation of flow through one adsorber to vent and initiate counterflow of said fraction of the purified gas from said output flow line through said control valve to the other adsorber, d. a gas volume integrating controller connected to close said vent on said other adsorber when the volume of regeneration gas flowing through said other adsorber at the low pressure therein about equals said given volume, and e. means including differential pressure means connected across said control valve and operative at a predetermined low decreasing pressure differential simultaneously to substitute one said adsorber for the other in each of said input gas stream and said counterflow stream and to vent the adsorber in the counterflow gas stream.

Claim 6

In gas purification wherein a pair of adsorbers serve to purify a high pressure flow of contaminated gas with each adsorber having valved input and output flow lines and valved counterflow and vent lines, the method which comprises: a. simultaneously actuating in a first sense in response to each appearance of a switching function the valved input and output flow lines on the first said adsorber and the valved counterflow and vent lines on the second of said adsorbers, b. simultaneously actuating in a second sense opposite the first sense in response to each appearance of a switching function the valved input and output flow lines on the second of said adsorbers and the valved counterflow line and the valved vent line on the first of said adsorbers, c. flowing gas in said counterflow lines at a rate of a substantially constant fraction of the flow from said output line, d. responsive to counterflow of a predetermined gas volume, closing any open valved vent line in said system, and e. responsive to a near minimum in each cycle of decreasing pressure difference between said two adsorbers generating said switching function simultaneously to switch flow of contaminated gas from a spent adsorber to a regenerated adsorber and to vent and initiate regeneration of the spent adsorber.

Claim 7

The method of claim 7 wherein said switching functions are closures of circuits through a latching relay.

Claim 8

In a system for purifying a contaminated gas stream to deliver a constant flow of purified gas, the combination which comprises: a. first and second adsorbers, each adapted to remove contaminants from said gas stream and adapted to be regenerated by counterflow of purified gas therethrough, b. means for simultaneously i. initiating flow of said contaminated gas stream through said first adsorber, ii. venting said second adsorber to low pressure, and iii. initiating counterflow through said second adsorber of a fraction of the stream of purified gas flowing from said first adsorber, c. means for closing the vent of said second adsorber when the volume of purified counterflow gas at said low pressure equals that volume of contaminated through said first adsorber which about exhausts the ability of said first adsorber to remove further contaminants thereby to initiate repressurization of said second adsorber, and d. means responsive to the rise in pressure in said second absorber to a predetermined pressure near the pressure in said first adsorber to switch flow of said gas stream from said first adsorber to said second adsorber and to simultaneously vent said first adsorber and initiate counterflow of regeneration gas through said first adsorber.

Claim 9

In a gas purification system wherein a pair of adsorbers are adapted to purify a flow of contaminated gas, each adsorber having valved input and output flow lines, a valved counterflow line and a valved vEnt line, the combination which comprises: a. a first control circuit which when energized simultaneously actuates in a first sense the valved input and output flow lines in the first of said adsorbers, and the valved counterflow and vent lines in the second of said adsorbers, b. a second control circuit which when energized simultaneously actuates in a second sense opposite said first sense the valved input and output flow lines on the second of said adsorbers and the valved counterflow line and the valved vent line on the first of said adsorbers, c. means to maintain gas flow in said counterflow line at a substantially constant fraction of the flow from said output line, d. means responsive to counterflow of a predetermined gas volume following each energization of said control circuit for closing any open valved vent line in said system, and e. means responsive to a near minimum in each cycle of decreasing pressure difference between said two adsorbers alternately to switch said control circuits between energized and non-energized state.

Claim 10

In a gas system wherein a pair of adsorbers are adapted to purify a flow of contaminated gas, each adsorber having valved input and output flow lines, a valved counterflow line and a valved vent line, the combination which comprises: a. a source of electrical control power, b. a pulse type ratchet relay having two paths connected to said source and adapted to be alternately latched closed, c. a first set of solenoids connected to be energized through one of said paths of said relay with solenoids of said first set coupled to actuate the valved input flow line on the first adsorber, the valved output flow line on said first adsorber, the valved counterflow line on the second adsorber, and the valved vent line on the second adsorber, d. a second set of solenoids connected to be energized through a second of said paths of said relay with solenoids of said second set coupled to actuate the valved input flow line on the second adsorber, the valved output flow line on said second adsorber, the valved counterflow line on the first adsorber, and the valved vent line on the first adsorber, e. a counter connected to accumulate a count proportional to flow in said counterflow line during each interval that a valved vent line is open, f. two differential pressure actuated switches, one adapted to close and one adapted to be opened each time the differential pressure between said adsorbers decreases to a preset minimum, g. a second relay energized at the end of each said interval and connected to open said two paths to de-energize solenoids selectively to close any open vent line and deactivate the input to said counter so long as said second relay is energized, and h. a relay energizing circuit on said second relay latched closed by said second relay and adapted to be opened simultaneously with energization of said ratchet relay to de-energize said second relay.