Method and apparatus for removing carbon monoxide from compressed air

Claim 2

A purifier for removing carbon monoxide from compressed air comprising: A. a valve means for receiving compressed air; B. a first tower communicating with the valve means and containing a dehumidifying agent and a carbon monoxide converting agent; C. a pressure reducer means communicating with the first tower for receiving and reducing the pressure of all the compressed air; D. a second tower communicating between the pressure reducer means and the valve means for receiving all the compressed air from the pressure reducer means and directing it to the valve means, said tower containing a carbon monoxide converting agent and a rehumidifying agent; said valve means adapted to reverse the direction of the compressed air flow between the towers so that dehumidified, compressed air simultaneously is rehumidified and the rehumidifying agent is converted into the dehumidifying agent by the expansion of all the pressure reduced compressed air, whereby there is no intentional loss of compressed air and water in the purifier and no external heat for converting the rehumidifying agent to the dehumidifying agent.

Claim 3

The purifier of claim 1, said second tower being positioned concentrically about the first tower and having a common heat conducting wall therewith.

Claim 4

The purifier of claim 1, said valve means comprising a reversible four-way valve, said valve in a first position directing compressed air to be treated into the first tower and receiving treated air from the second tower and in a second position directing compressed air to be treated into the second tower and receiving treated air from the first tower.

Claim 5

The purifier of claim 1, said dehumidifying and rehumidifying agents being selected from the desiccant group consisting of alumina, silica gel and a molecular sieve and said carbon monoxide converting agent being hopcalite.

Claim 6

The purifier of claim 1, said pressure reducer means comprising two differential pressure regulator valves in parallel so as to maintain a constant pressure drop irrespective of the total air flow or direction of flow.

Claim 7

A purifier for removing carbon monoxide from compressed air comprising: A. a four-way main valve for receiving compressed air; B. a first tower communicating with the valve and including a section containing desiccant for receiving and dehumidifying the compressed air and an adjacent section containing hopcalite for converting carbon monoxide in the compressed air to carbon dioxide; C. a pressure reducer communicating with the first tower for receiving and reducing the pressure of all the compressed air from said adjacent section; D. a second tower communicating between the pressure reducer and the main valve, said second tower including a section containing hopcalite for receiving all the reduced pressure compressed air and converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and an adjacent section containing a moist desiccant for rehumidifying the air prior to the air's return through and out of the main valve; whereby reversal of the main valve reverses the direction of flow of the compressed air and regeneration of the desiccant occurs by the expansion of the pressure reduced air without an external heat source and there is no intentional loss of compressed air or water in the purifier.

Claim 8

A purifier for removing carbon monoxide from compressed air comprising: A. a four-way main valve for receiving compressed air; B. a first tower communicating with the valve and including a section containing desiccant for receiving and dehumidifying the compressed air and an adjacent section containing hopcalite for converting carbon monoxide in the compressed air to carbon dioxide; C. a pressure reducer communicating with the first tower for receiving and reducing the pressure of all the compressed air from said adjacent section; D. a second tower communicating between the pressure reducer and the main valve, said second tower including a section containing hopcalite for receiving all the reduced pressure compressed air and converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and an adjacent section containing a moist desiccant for rehumidifying the air prior to the air's return through and out of the main valve; whereby reversal of the main valve reverses the direction of flow of the compressed air and regeneration of the desiccant occurs by the expansion of the pressure reduced air without an external heat source and there is no intentional loss of compressed air or water in the purifier.

Claim 9

The purifier of claim 6, said first tower concentrically positioned within the second tower and defined in part by a common heat conductive wall between at least the desiccant sections, said second tower defined in part by a heat insulating wall spaced from the common wall.

Claim 10

A purifier for removing carbon monoxide from compressed air comprising: A. an outer casing having a first and second port at one end thereof; B. a first tower positioned within the casing in communication with the first port and defined by an annular heat conducting wall and foraminous end walls, said first tower containing a layer of desiccant at the first port end and a layer of hopcalite adjacent the desiccant; C. a second tower positioned concentrically about the first tower and in communication with the second port so that the heat conducting wall is common to both towers, said second tower defined by a heat insulating wall adjacent the casing and foraminous end walls, said second tower containing a layer of desiccant at the second port end and a layer of hopcalite adjacent the desiccant; D. a pressure reducer communicating between the first and second tower to pressure reduce all of compressed air passing therebetween; and E. a reversible four-way valve communicating with the first and second port so as to direct compressed air into one of the ports and receive rehumidified substantially carbon monoxide free air from the other of the ports; whereby regeneration of said desiccant occurs by the expansion of the pressure reduced air without an external heat source and there is no intentional loss of compressed air or water in the purifier.

Claim 11

A purifier for removing carbon monoxide from compressed air comprising: A. an outer casing having a first and second port at one end thereof; B. a first tower positioned within the casing in communication with the first port and defined by an annular heat conducting wall and foraminous end walls, said first tower containing a layer of desiccant at the first port end and a layer of hopcalite adjacent the desiccant; C. a second tower positioned concentrically about the first tower and in communication with the second port so that the heat conducting wall is common to both towers, said second tower defined by a heat insulating wall adjacent the casing and foraminous end walls, said second tower containing a layer of desiccant at the second port end and a layer of hopcalite adjacent the desiccant; D. a pressure reducer communicating between the first and second tower to pressure reduce all of compressed air passing therebetween; and E. a reversible four-way valve communicating with the first and second port so as to direct compressed air into one of the ports and receive rehumidified substantially carbon monoxide free air from the other of the ports; whereby regeneration of said desiccant occurs by the expansion of the pressure reduced air without an external heat source and there is no intentional loss of compressed air or water in the purifier.

Claim 12

The purifier of claim 8, said pressure reducer communicating between said common wall for reducing the pressure of all said compressed air.