US4231768A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Air purification system and process
Assignee: Pall Corp
•
Filing: 1978-09-29
•
Granted: 1980-11-04
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Expires: 1998-09-29
Abstract
Abstract An air purification system and process are provided that are capable of ensuring oil-free moisture-free and particulate- and microbial contaminant-free pharmaceutical quality air, the air purification system comprising, in combination, and in the sequence indicated: (1) an oil and water coalescer filter; (2) an adsorbent or desiccant dryer; (3) an oil vapor adsorber; (4) an after-filter; and (5) a bacterial-retentive final filter.
Inventors
- 👤 Chesterfield F. Seibert
- 👤 John D. Miller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 02:12
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D46/00; B01D46/0027; B01D46/0036; A; A61; A61L; A61L9/00; B01D39/00; B01D39/14; B01D46/003; B01D46/0031; B01D46/24; B01D46/2403; B01D46/2411; B01D53/00; B01D53/02; B01D53/04; B01D53/0407; B01D53/0446; B01D53/0454; B01D53/26; B01D53/261; B01D53/266; B01D2253/00; B01D2253/10; B01D2253/102; B01D2253/104; B01D2253/106; B01D2253/20; B01D2253/202; B01D2253/30; B01D2253/302; B01D2253/308; B01D2253/31; B01D2253/34; B01D2253/342; B01D2257/00; B01D2257/70; B01D2257/702; B01D2257/80; B01D2259/00; B01D2259/40; B01D2259/402; B01D2275/00; B01D2275/10; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/05
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
An air purification system capable of removing substantially quantitatively commonly occurring gaseous liquid and solid contaminants, including water and hydrocarbons, from compressed air, thereby ensuring hydrocarbon-free moisture-free and particulate-and microbial-solid-contaminant-free compressed air, ready for application in pharmaceutical uses, comprising, in combination, and in the sequence indicated: p1 (1) a coalescer filter separating and removing hydrocarbon droplets and water droplets; (2) an adsorbent dryer sorbing water vapor and hydrocarbon aerosols at least in part on particulate desiccant; (3) an oil vapor adsorber sorbing hydrocarbon vapor and hydrocarbon aerosols at least in part on particulate activated sorbent; (4) an after-filter separating and removing particulate solids larger than bacterial dimensions; and (5) a bacterial-retentive final filter separating and removing particulate solids of bacterial dimensions and any remaining hydrocarbon aerosols.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
An air purification system capable of removing substantially quantitatively commonly occurring gaseous liquid and solid contaminants, including water and hydrocarbons, from compressed air, thereby ensuring hydrocarbon-free moisture-free and particulate-and microbial-solid-contaminant-free compressed air, ready for application in pharmaceutical uses, comprising, in combination, and in the sequence indicated: p1 (1) a coalescer filter separating and removing hydrocarbon droplets and water droplets; (2) an adsorbent dryer sorbing water vapor and hydrocarbon aerosols at least in part on particulate desiccant; (3) an oil vapor adsorber sorbing hydrocarbon vapor and hydrocarbon aerosols at least in part on particulate activated sorbent; (4) an after-filter separating and removing particulate solids larger than bacterial dimensions; and (5) a bacterial-retentive final filter separating and removing particulate solids of bacterial dimensions and any remaining hydrocarbon aerosols.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
An air purification system according to claim 1 in which the coalescer filter comprises a first stage coalescer in which entrained liquid droplets are coalesced into droplets sufficiently large to be affected by gravity, a second stage coalescer in which the remaining portions of partially condensed droplets are further coalesced, and means for collecting and draining off liquid from the coalescer filter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
An air purification system according to claim 2 in which the first stage coalescer is a nonwoven fibrous mat.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
An air purification system according to claim 3 in which the fibrous mat is of glass fibers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
An air purification system according to claim 2 in which the second stage coalescer is a polyurethane foam sheet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
An air purification system according to claim 2 in which the second stage coalescer is a porous fibrous mat.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
An air purification system according to claim 6 in which the fibrous mat is of glass fibers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
An air purification system according to claim 6 in which the fibrous mat is of polypropylene fibers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
An air purification system according to claim 2 in which the first and second stage coalescers are each tubular and concentric with the first stage coalescer internal and the second stage coalescer external.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
An air purification system according to claim 9 in which the first stage coalescer comprises at least one layer of epoxy-impregnated cellulose paper and at least one layer of epoxy-bonded fibrous mat of glass fibers, and the second stage coalescer comprises a foamed polyurethane sheet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
An air purification system according to claim 9 in which the first stage coalescer comprises at least one layer of epoxy-impregnated cellulose paper and at least one layer of epoxy-bonded fibrous mat of glass fibers, and the second stage coalescer comprises a polypropylene fibrous mat.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
An air purification system according to claim 1 in which the adsorbent dryer is heaterless.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
An air purification system according to claim 12 in which the dryer comprises two beds, one of which is on-stream for adsorption while the other is off-stream for regeneration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
An air purification system according to claim 12 in which the desiccant is activated alumina.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
An air purification system according to claim 12 in which the desiccant is activated silica gel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
An air purification system according to claim 12 in which the desiccant is activated molecular sieve.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
An air purification system according to claim 1 in which the oil vapor adsorber comprises a vessel with a chamber therein comprising a bed of particulate activated sorbent.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
An air purification system according to claim 17 in which the activated sorbent is activated carbon.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
An air purification system according to claim 17 in which the activated sorbent is activated alumina.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
An air purification system according to claim 1 in which the after-filter comprises a plurality of fibrous filter sheets of differing pore size, arranged in sequence of fluid flow therethrough according to decreasing pore size.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
An air purification system according to claim 20 in which the fibrous filter sheets are free from synthetic resin and binders.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
An air purification system according to claim 20 in which the fibrous filter sheets comprise cellulose fibers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
An air purification system according to claim 20 in which the fibrous filter sheets comprise polypropylene fibers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
An air purification system according to claim 1 in which the bacterial-retentive final filter comprises a microporous filter sheet having a pore size of less than 3 microns, small enough to quantitatively remove bacteria, fungi and microorganisms.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
An air purification system according to claim 24 in which the microporous filter sheet comprises a synthetic resin filter membrane.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
An air purification system according to claim 25 in which the synthetic resin filter membrane is a polyamide membrane.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
An air purification system according to claim 24 in which the microporous sheet material comprises at least one stratum of fibrous material laid down on a substrate from a slurry thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
138 words
An air purification system according to claim 1 in which the coalescer filter comprises a first stage coalescer in which entrained liquid droplets are coalesced into droplets sufficiently large to be affected by gravity, a second stage coalescer in which the remaining portions of partially condensed droplets are further coalesced, and means for collecting and draining off liquid from the coalescer filter; the adsorbent dryer is heaterless; the oil vapor adsorber comprises a vessel with a chamber therein comprising a bed of particulate activated sorbent; the after-filter comprises a plurality of fibrous filter sheets of differing pore size, arranged in sequence of fluid flow therethrough according to decreasing pore size; and the bacterial-retentive final filter comprises a microporous filter sheet having a pore size of less than 3 microns, small enough to quantitatively remove bacteria, fungi and microorganisms.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
An air purification system according to claim 28 in which the first and second stage coalescers are each tubular and concentric, with the first stage coalescer internal and the second stage coalescer external.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
An air purification system according to claim 28 in which the dryer comprises two beds, one of which is on-stream for adsorption while the other is off-stream for regeneration.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
An air purification system according to claim 30 in which the desiccant is activated alumina.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
An air purification system according to claim 30 in which the desiccant is activated silica gel.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
An air purification system according to claim 30 in which the desiccant is activated molecular sieve.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
An air purification system according to claim 28 in which the activated sorbent is activated carbon.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
An air purification system according to claim 28 in which the activated sorbent is activated alumina.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
An air purification system according to claim 28 in which the microporous filter sheet comprises a synthetic resin filter membrane.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
An air purification system according to claim 36 in which the synthetic resin filter membrane is a polyamide membrane.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
122 words
A air compressor and purification system capable of delivering hydrocarbon-free moisture-free and particulate- and microbial-solid-contaminant-free compressed air, ready for application in pharmaceutical uses, comprising, in combination, and in the sequence indicated: (1) an air compressor; (2) an after-cooler; (3) a compressed air receiver; (4) a coalescer filter separating and removing hydrocarbon droplets and water droplets; (5) an adsorbent dryer sorbing water vapor and hydrocarbon aerosols at least in part on particulate desiccant; (6) an oil vapor adsorber sorbing hydrocarbon vapor and hydrocarbon aerosols at least in part on particulate activated sorbent; (7) an after-filter separating and removing particulate solids larger than bacterial dimensions; and (8) a bacterial-retentive final filter separating and removing particulate solids of bacterial dimensions and any remaining hydrocarbon aerosols.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
122 words
A air compressor and purification system capable of delivering hydrocarbon-free moisture-free and particulate- and microbial-solid-contaminant-free compressed air, ready for application in pharmaceutical uses, comprising, in combination, and in the sequence indicated: (1) an air compressor; (2) an after-cooler; (3) a compressed air receiver; (4) a coalescer filter separating and removing hydrocarbon droplets and water droplets; (5) an adsorbent dryer sorbing water vapor and hydrocarbon aerosols at least in part on particulate desiccant; (6) an oil vapor adsorber sorbing hydrocarbon vapor and hydrocarbon aerosols at least in part on particulate activated sorbent; (7) an after-filter separating and removing particulate solids larger than bacterial dimensions; and (8) a bacterial-retentive final filter separating and removing particulate solids of bacterial dimensions and any remaining hydrocarbon aerosols.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-11-04 | 1984-05-05 | 1984-11-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-11-04 | 1988-05-05 | 1988-11-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-11-04 | 1992-05-05 | 1992-11-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |