Patent US4015956A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4015956A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process and arrangement for the enrichment of gases
Assignee: Bergwerksverband GmbH
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Filing: 1974-02-22
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Granted: 1977-04-05
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Expires: 1994-02-22
Abstract
Abstract An initial gaseous mixture of at least two components is passed through an adsorber which preferentially adsorbs one of the components. This initially loads the adsorber. Subsequently, another gaseous mixture, having a greater proportion of the preferentially adsorbed component than the initial gaseous mixture, is passed through the adsorber so as to additionally load the adsorber. Part of the gas in the adsorber is then removed. This initially unloads the adsorber and yields a first fraction containing both components, with the proportion of the preferentially adsorbed component being greater than that in the initial gaseous mixture. The remainder of the gas in the adsorber is removed next so as to completely unload the adsorber. This results in a second fraction including both components and wherein the proportion of the preferentially adsorbed component is greater than that in both the second gaseous mixture to be passed through the adsorber and the first fraction removed from the adsorber. The first fraction may be used for additionally loading the adsorber during a subsequent cycle. An advantageous arrangement for carrying out the process is also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Heinrich Munzner
- 👤 Heinrich Heimbach
- 👤 Werner Korbacher
- 👤 Werner Peters
- 👤 Harald Juntgen
- 👤 Karl Knoblauch
- 👤 Dieter Zundorf
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 10:54
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/02; B01D53/04; B01D53/047; B01D53/0476; C; C01; C01B; C01B13/00; C01B13/02; C01B13/0229; C01B13/0248; C01B13/0259; C01B32/00; C01B32/30; C01B32/306; B01D2253/00; B01D2253/10; B01D2253/116; B01D2253/25; B01D2253/30; B01D2253/302; B01D2253/304; B01D2253/308; B01D2256/00; B01D2256/12; B01D2256/24; B01D2256/245; B01D2257/00; B01D2257/10; B01D2257/104; B01D2257/70; B01D2257/702; B01D2257/7022; B01D2257/7025; B01D2259/00; B01D2259/40; B01D2259/40011; B01D2259/40013; B01D2259/40015; B01D2259/40028; B01D2259/4003; B01D2259/402; B01D53/0407; B01D53/0446; B01D53/0473; C01B2210/00; C01B2210/0043; C01B2210/0045; Y; Y02; Y02C; Y02C20/00; Y02C20/20; Y02P; Y02P20/00; Y02P20/151; Y02P20/156
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
254 words
A process for the oxygen-enrichment of air, comprising initially loading at least one adsorber with oxygen by conveying a stream of air into said one adsorber while evacuating an initial effluent gas from said one adsorber, said one adsorber adsorbing oxygen preferentially to nitrogen, and said initial effluent gas initially having a proportion of oxygen which is less than the proportion of oxygen in said air stream; terminating said initial loading when the proportion of oxygen in said initial effluent gas approximates the proportion of oxygen in said air stream; thereafter additionally loading said one adsorber with oxygen by conveying a nitrogen-containing gas stream having substantially 25 to 40 % by volume of oxygen into said one adsorber while evacuating another effluent gas from said one adsorber, said other effluent gas initially having a proportion of oxygen which at most approximately equals the proportion of oxygen in said air stream; terminating said additional loading before the proportion of oxygen in said other effluent gas substantially exceeds the proportion of oxygen in said air stream; thereafter initially unloading said one adsorber by creating an underpressure therein so as to obtain a first fraction which has substantially 25 to 40 % volume of oxygen; subsequently substantially completely unloading said one adsorber at an underpressure so as to obtain a second fraction which has substantially 40 to 90 % by volume of oxygen; recovering said second fraction as product gas; and using said first fraction in at least one loading step similar to said additional loading step.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
254 words
A process for the oxygen-enrichment of air, comprising initially loading at least one adsorber with oxygen by conveying a stream of air into said one adsorber while evacuating an initial effluent gas from said one adsorber, said one adsorber adsorbing oxygen preferentially to nitrogen, and said initial effluent gas initially having a proportion of oxygen which is less than the proportion of oxygen in said air stream; terminating said initial loading when the proportion of oxygen in said initial effluent gas approximates the proportion of oxygen in said air stream; thereafter additionally loading said one adsorber with oxygen by conveying a nitrogen-containing gas stream having substantially 25 to 40 % by volume of oxygen into said one adsorber while evacuating another effluent gas from said one adsorber, said other effluent gas initially having a proportion of oxygen which at most approximately equals the proportion of oxygen in said air stream; terminating said additional loading before the proportion of oxygen in said other effluent gas substantially exceeds the proportion of oxygen in said air stream; thereafter initially unloading said one adsorber by creating an underpressure therein so as to obtain a first fraction which has substantially 25 to 40 % volume of oxygen; subsequently substantially completely unloading said one adsorber at an underpressure so as to obtain a second fraction which has substantially 40 to 90 % by volume of oxygen; recovering said second fraction as product gas; and using said first fraction in at least one loading step similar to said additional loading step.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the steps of initially and additionally loading said one adsorber are performed at a pressure in the region of atmospheric pressure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said one adsorber comprises molecular sieve coke.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said first fraction constitutes substantially 30 to 70 volume % of the gaseous mixture in said one adsorber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as defined in claim 1; wherein said first fraction is readmitted into said one adsorber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process as defined in claim 5; and further comprising the step of confining said first fraction prior to readmitting said first fraction into said one adsorber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process as defined in claim 6, wherein said first fraction is confined in a space having a volume substantially equal to the volume of said first fraction at atmospheric pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said steps are performed with at least one additional adsorber and said additional adsorber is additionally loaded by conveying at least part of said first fraction into said additional adsorber, said one adsorber being additionally loaded by conveying at least part of the first fraction obtained from said additional adsorber into said one adsorber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as defined in claim 8; and further comprising confining said first fractions prior to conveying said first fractions into the respective adsorbers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process as defined in claim 9, wherein said first fractions are confined in a space of substantially tubular configuration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process as defined in claim 9, wherein each of said first fractions is confined in a space having a volume substantially equal to the volume of the respective first fraction at atmospheric pressure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
A process as defined in claim 8; and further comprising the step of establishing communication between said one and said additional adsorbers when one of said adsorbers is in its additionally unloaded condition and the other of said adsorbers is in its additionally loaded condition so as to equalize the pressure in said adsorbers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of additionally loading said one adsorber is carried out for a period between substantially 5 and 20 seconds.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as defined in claim 13, wherein said period is between substantially 9 and 17 seconds.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of initially loading said one adsorber is carried out for a period between substantially 20 and 180 seconds.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as defined in claim 15, wherein said period is between substantially 60 and 140 seconds.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of initially unloading said one adsorber is carried out at a pressure ranging from substantially 760 torr to between substantially 200 and 400 torr.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of initially unloading said one adsorber is carried out for a period between substantially 2 and 20 seconds.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as defined in claim 18, wherein said period is between substantially 9 and 17 seconds.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of additionally unloading said one adsorber is carried out at a pressure ranging from between substantially 200 and 400 torr to between substantially 15 and 100 torr.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process as defined in claim 20, wherein the step of additionally unloading said one adsorber is carried out at a pressure ranging from between substantially 200 and 400 torr to between substantially 30 and 50 torr.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of additionally unloading said one adsorber is carried out for a period between substantially 20 and 180 seconds.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as defined in claim 22, wherein said period is between substantially 90 and 140 seconds.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
61 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said one adsorber comprises molecular sieve coke including porous coke particles having a particle size between substantially 0.1 and 20 millimeters; and wherein carbon is deposited in at least some of the pores of said coke particles so as to reduce the effective size of said pores to less than about 0.3 millimicrons.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said one adsorber comprises molecular sieve coke having pores of an effective size less than about 0.3 millimicrons.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-04-04 | 1980-10-04 | 1981-04-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-04-04 | 1984-10-04 | 1985-04-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-04-04 | 1988-10-04 | 1989-04-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |