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Method for separating the constituents of a gas mixture by making use of a rapid selective adsorbent

Assignee: Societe National Elf Aquitaine
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Filing: 1976-02-06
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Granted: 1977-10-18
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Expires: 1996-02-06
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Abstract

Abstract In a first step of the method, the gas mixture to be treated is injected into a column swept by a continuous stream of carrier gas and containing a suitable selective solid adsorbent until saturation of this latter by the adsorbed constituent of the gas mixture. In a second step, small quantities of the mixture to be treated and representing a fraction of the quantity injected into the column during the first step are injected periodically so as to collect successively at the column outlet a fraction which is enriched in the non-adsorbed constituent and a fraction which is purified in the adsorbed constituent.

Inventors

  • 👤 Patrick Valentin
  • 👤 Germain Hagenbach
  • 👤 Jean-Louis Duran
  • 👤 Maurice Fromager

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 05:05
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/02; B01D53/04; B01D2253/00; B01D2253/10; B01D2253/106; B01D2253/108

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 150 words
A method for the treatment of a gas mixture which permits the separation of at least one of the constituents of the gas mixture, which comprises 1. continuously injecting the gas mixture to be treated into a column swept by a continuous stream of carrier gas and containing a selective solid adsorbent of the chromatographic type, which will retain the desired constituent of the gas mixture without retaining the non-desired constituent, until saturation of said selective adsorbent by the desired adsorbed constituent of the gas mixture, and 2. discontinuing the continuous injecting of said gas mixture while periodically injecting small quantities of the gas mixture to be treated and representing a fraction of the quantity injected into the column during step (1) so as to collect successively at the outlet of the column a fraction which is enriched in the non-adsorbed constituent and a fraction of the purified adsorbed constituent.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 150 words
A method for the treatment of a gas mixture which permits the separation of at least one of the constituents of the gas mixture, which comprises 1. continuously injecting the gas mixture to be treated into a column swept by a continuous stream of carrier gas and containing a selective solid adsorbent of the chromatographic type, which will retain the desired constituent of the gas mixture without retaining the non-desired constituent, until saturation of said selective adsorbent by the desired adsorbed constituent of the gas mixture, and 2. discontinuing the continuous injecting of said gas mixture while periodically injecting small quantities of the gas mixture to be treated and representing a fraction of the quantity injected into the column during step (1) so as to collect successively at the outlet of the column a fraction which is enriched in the non-adsorbed constituent and a fraction of the purified adsorbed constituent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the quantities of gas mixture to be treated and injected during step (2) are less than 40% by weight of the quantity which it has been necessary to inject for the saturation of the selective adsorbent during step (1).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the time-duration of the periodic injections of the gas mixture to be treated during step (2) is within the range of 1 to 120 seconds and wherein the time of each cycle is within the range of 10 to 800 seconds.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method according to claim 3, wherein the ratio ##EQU5## is less than 0.4.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said method is carried out at a temperature within the range of 20° to 500° C and at a pressure within the range of 1 to 100 bar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the carrier gas employed is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, helium and hydrogen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the gas mixture to be treated consists essentially of n-paraffins and isoparaffins and wherein the selective solid adsorbent employed is a molecular sieve type 5A.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method according to claim 1, which is practiced at substantially isothermal and isobaric conditions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 99 words
The method according to claim 8, wherein: the quantities of gas mixture to be treated and injected during step (2) are less than 40% by weight of the quantity which it has been necessary to inject for the saturation of the selective adsorbent during step (1); wherein the time-duration of the periodic injections of the gas mixture to be treated during step (2) is within the range of 1 to 120 seconds and wherein the time of each cycle is within the range of 10 to 800 seconds; and wherein the ratio injection time/cycle time is less than 0.4.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method according to claim 8, wherein the gas mixture to be treated consists essentially of n-paraffins and isoparaffins.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 8, wherein, during said successive collection of a fraction enriched in non-adsorbed constituent and a fraction purified of the adsorbed constituent, an elution front of adsorbed constituent is recovered which has superimposed thereon concentration peaks of the non-adsorbed constituent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the elution front has a high proportion of n-paraffins and the concentration peaks have a high concentration of iso-paraffins.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3457704A Cited
US3654145A Cited
US3699182A Cited
US3721064A Cited
US3903187A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-10-17 1981-04-18 1981-10-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-10-17 1985-04-18 1985-10-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-10-17 1989-04-18 1989-10-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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