Apparatus and method for the prevention of evaporative loss of mixed organic liquids

Claim 1

IN A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE VAPOR EMISSION OF A VENTED CONTAINER, OF MIXED ORGANIC LIQUIDS, THE STEPS OF THE METHOD COMPRISING PROVIDING A CONTAINER ADAPTED TO RECEIVE MIXED VOLATILE ORGANIC LIQUIDS, THE CONTAINER HAVING A VENT, THE VENT PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER AND A SURROUNDING GASEOUS ATMOSPHERE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES INTERPOSING BETWEEN THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER AND A TERMINAL OPEN END OF THE VENT A COMPOSITE SORBING BED, THE SORBING BED HAVING AT LEAST A FIRST SORBENT CAPABLE OF SORBING AND DESORBING THE HIGHEST BOILING FRACTION OF THE PORTION OF THE VENT REMOTE FROM THE CONTAINER WHEREIN DISPOSED GENERALLY ADJACENT THE CONTAINER, AT LEAST A SECOND SORBENT CAPABLE OF SORBING AND DESORBING THE LOWER BOILING COMPONENT OF THE LIQUID MIXTURE, SAID SECOND SORBENT BEING DISPOSED GENERALLY ADJACENT THE TERMINAL PORTION OF THE VENT REMOTE FROM THE CONTAINER WHEREIN VAPORS PASSING FROM THE CONTAINER FIRST PASS THROUGH A FIRST SORBENT WHICH SORBS THE HIGHER BOILING COMPONENTS, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THROUGH SORBENT WHICH SORBS THE LOWER BOILING COMPONENTS, AND ON PASSING OF GAS IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION THE ATMOSPHERWE DESORBS THE RESPECTIVE COMPONENTS FROM THE FIRST AND SECOND BEDS.