US4056369A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of and apparatus for the recovery of a desired material from a carrier stream
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-11-25
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Granted: 1977-11-01
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Expires: 1995-11-25
Abstract
Abstract A process and apparatus for recovering gasoline or other solvents from solvent laden air is disclosed. The solvent laden air is contacted at ambient pressure and temperature in a vessel with a mixture of an adsorbent for the desired material, e.g., activated charcoal, and an inert compound possessing a high heat capacity, e.g., aluminum oxide. After the adsorbent is essentially saturated with the solvent, flow of solvent laden air into the vessel is terminated. The mixture of materials in the vessel is then heated by indirect heat exchange (e.g., steam coils buried in the mixture) to a temperature below the vaporization temperature of the solvent thereby indirectly treating the solvent adsorbed on the material. A pump is then operated to draw the air from the vessel at a rate that reduces the pressure in the vessel sufficiently to vaporize the solvent. Thus, substantially all of the solvent is drawn out of the vessel with the air. Afterward, the vessel is cooled to ambient temperature and the process can be repeated. The solvent in the air that is drawn off from the vessel may be recovered by subsequent treatment. A plurality of vessels may be utilized to effect continuous treatment of the solvent laden air.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry Quackenbush
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:35
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/02; B01D53/04; B01D2253/00; B01D2253/10; B01D2253/102; B01D2253/104; B01D2256/00; B01D2256/24; B01D2259/00; B01D2259/40; B01D2259/40083; B01D2259/40088; B01D2259/4009; B01D2259/402; B01D2259/45; B01D2259/4516
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
A process for the recovery of gasoline from a stream of air laden with gasoline comprising: providing at least one vessel containing a mixture of adsorbent material for said gasoline and an inert, high heat capacity material; passing a stream of air laden with gasoline through an inlet conduit into said vessel to selectively adsorb substantially all of said gasoline in said mixture, the temperature in said vessel being below the vaporization temperature of said gasoline, the remainder of said air stream passing out of said vessel through an outlet conduit; closing said inlet and outlet conduits; heating the interior of said vessel at about atmospheric pressure to a temperature below the vaporization temperature of the gasoline but above the vaporization temperature at a selected lower pressure; drawing a vacuum in said vessel to said selected lower pressure, the said high heat capacity material maintaining the temperature of said mixture above the vaporization temperature of the gasoline at the said selected lower pressure whereby substantially all of the adsorbed gasoline is vaporized from the said mixture, while withdrawing gasoline vapor from said vessel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
A process for the recovery of gasoline from a stream of air laden with gasoline comprising: providing at least one vessel containing a mixture of adsorbent material for said gasoline and an inert, high heat capacity material; passing a stream of air laden with gasoline through an inlet conduit into said vessel to selectively adsorb substantially all of said gasoline in said mixture, the temperature in said vessel being below the vaporization temperature of said gasoline, the remainder of said air stream passing out of said vessel through an outlet conduit; closing said inlet and outlet conduits; heating the interior of said vessel at about atmospheric pressure to a temperature below the vaporization temperature of the gasoline but above the vaporization temperature at a selected lower pressure; drawing a vacuum in said vessel to said selected lower pressure, the said high heat capacity material maintaining the temperature of said mixture above the vaporization temperature of the gasoline at the said selected lower pressure whereby substantially all of the adsorbed gasoline is vaporized from the said mixture, while withdrawing gasoline vapor from said vessel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said adsorbent material is activated charcoal and said inert high heat capacity material is aluminum oxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said heating step maintains a temperature in said vessel of about 260° F at about atmospheric pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 3 wherein said vaccuum drawing step reduces the pressure in the vessel to about 70 millimeters of mercury absolute.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said vacuum drawing step includes providing a vacuum pump and a pipe from said vessel to said pump, and includes condensing said gasoline in said pipe between said pump and said vessel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 5 including sealing said pump with gasoline from said condensing step, and collecting said gasoline on the outlet side of said pump.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 1 including measuring the quantity of gasoline in the air stream passing through said outlet conduit, and said closing step occurring in response to measurement of a predetermined quantity of gasoline in said air stream.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process according to claim 1 including circulating any air in the vessel when said conduits are closed through said vessel during said heating step.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
136 words
A process for the recovery of gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbons of the type having a boiling point that varies in direct proportion to pressure comprising: adsorbing said gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbon on a bed of adsorbent material from a stream of air laden with said gasoline or chlorinated hydrocarbon, the bed further containing an inert, high heat capacity material intimately mixed with said adsorbent material; providing an enclosure for said bed; heating the interior of said enclosure at substantially atmospheric pressure; reducing the pressure in said enclosure while maintaining the temperature in the enclosure above the vaporization temperature at the reduced pressure; withdrawing air laden with gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbon vapor from the enclosure while maintaining the temperature in the enclosure; and subsequently separating the gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbon from the air withdrawn from the enclosure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
136 words
A process for the recovery of gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbons of the type having a boiling point that varies in direct proportion to pressure comprising: adsorbing said gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbon on a bed of adsorbent material from a stream of air laden with said gasoline or chlorinated hydrocarbon, the bed further containing an inert, high heat capacity material intimately mixed with said adsorbent material; providing an enclosure for said bed; heating the interior of said enclosure at substantially atmospheric pressure; reducing the pressure in said enclosure while maintaining the temperature in the enclosure above the vaporization temperature at the reduced pressure; withdrawing air laden with gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbon vapor from the enclosure while maintaining the temperature in the enclosure; and subsequently separating the gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbon from the air withdrawn from the enclosure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process according to claim 9 wherein said adsorbent material is activated charcoal, and said heating step includes conducting steam through a coil embedded in the adsorbent material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process according to claim 8 wherein said separating step includes condensing said vapor and said withdrawing step including passing from said enclosure through a vacuum pump.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process according to claim 10 including providing a pump having a liquid ring seal and using the liquid condensate as a liquid seal for the pump.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
124 words
Apparatus for recovering gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbons from an air stream containing these materials, said apparatus comprising: an enclosed vessel having an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit; a bed including a mixture of an adsorbent material for gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbons and an inert, high heat capacity material in said vessel between said inlet and outlet conduits; pump means communicating with said vessel for selectively withdrawing air and vapor from said vessel; first valve means in said inlet conduit for controlling flow of vapor laden air from a source to said inlet conduit; second valve means for controlling the flow of air from said vessel to the atmosphere; and container means for collecting the gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbons after passing through said pump.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
124 words
Apparatus for recovering gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbons from an air stream containing these materials, said apparatus comprising: an enclosed vessel having an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit; a bed including a mixture of an adsorbent material for gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbons and an inert, high heat capacity material in said vessel between said inlet and outlet conduits; pump means communicating with said vessel for selectively withdrawing air and vapor from said vessel; first valve means in said inlet conduit for controlling flow of vapor laden air from a source to said inlet conduit; second valve means for controlling the flow of air from said vessel to the atmosphere; and container means for collecting the gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbons after passing through said pump.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
74 words
The apparatus of claim 13 further including a return conduit between said inlet conduit and said outlet conduit, said return conduit cooperating with said first and second valve means to allow circulation of air through said vessel when said first valve means is closed to prevent air from said source to enter said inlet conduit and said second valve means is closed to present air from falling from said outlet conduit to the atmosphere.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 14 including detecting means for closing said second valve means when the proportion of gasoline or halogenated hydrocarbons blowing through said valve means exceeds a predetermined value.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said pump is of the liquid seal type.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein a second vessel having substantially the same structure and component as the first mentioned vessel; and valve means for alternately drawing a vacuum in said first vessel and said second vessel by said pump means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
192 words
A process for the recovery of a solvent from a stream of solvent laden air comprising: providing at least one vessel containing a mixture of adsorbent material for said solvent and an inert, high heat capacity material; passing a stream of solvent laden air through an inlet conduit into said vessel to selectively adsorb substantially all of said solvent in said mixture, the temperature in said vessel being below the vaporization temperature of said solvent at the pressure maintained therein, the remainder of said air stream passing out of said vessel through an outlet conduit; closing said inlet and outlet conduits; heating the interior of said vessel at about atmospheric pressure to a temperature below the vaporization temperature of the solvent at atmospheric pressure but above the vaporization temperature of said solvent at a selected lower pressure; drawing a vacuum in said vessel to said selected lower pressure, the said high heat capacity material maintaining the temperature of said mixture above the vaporization temperature of the solvent at said selected lower pressure whereby substantially all of the adsorbedt solvent is vaporized from said mixture; withdrawing vapors of said solvent from said vessel.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
192 words
A process for the recovery of a solvent from a stream of solvent laden air comprising: providing at least one vessel containing a mixture of adsorbent material for said solvent and an inert, high heat capacity material; passing a stream of solvent laden air through an inlet conduit into said vessel to selectively adsorb substantially all of said solvent in said mixture, the temperature in said vessel being below the vaporization temperature of said solvent at the pressure maintained therein, the remainder of said air stream passing out of said vessel through an outlet conduit; closing said inlet and outlet conduits; heating the interior of said vessel at about atmospheric pressure to a temperature below the vaporization temperature of the solvent at atmospheric pressure but above the vaporization temperature of said solvent at a selected lower pressure; drawing a vacuum in said vessel to said selected lower pressure, the said high heat capacity material maintaining the temperature of said mixture above the vaporization temperature of the solvent at said selected lower pressure whereby substantially all of the adsorbedt solvent is vaporized from said mixture; withdrawing vapors of said solvent from said vessel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 18 wherein the interior of said vessel is thereafter cooled to ambient temperature or below.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
Process of claim 18 wherein the said solvent is gasoline or a chlorinated hydrocarbon, the adsorbent material is activated charcoal and said inert high heat capacity material is aluminum oxide.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
63 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said vacuum drawing step includes providing a liquid ring sealant type vacuum pump and a pipe from said vessel to said pump, the liquid ring sealant of said liquid sealant type of vacuum pump being the same liquid as said solvent and further wherein said solvent is condensed in said pipe between said pump and said vessel.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 21 further including measuring the quantity of solvent in the air stream passing through said outward conduit, said closing step occuring in response to measurement of a predetermined quantity of solvent in said air stream.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 18 wherein indirect heating coils are provided in said mixture for heating and cooling of said bed.
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) | 1980-10-31 | 1981-05-02 | 1981-11-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-10-31 | 1985-05-02 | 1985-11-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-10-31 | 1989-05-02 | 1989-11-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |