US4661133A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for heat and mass exchange operations
Assignee: Technion Research and Development Foundation Ltd
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Filing: 1985-05-23
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Granted: 1987-04-28
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Expires: 2005-05-23
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a method for carrying out simultaneous heat and mass exchange operations between two input streams, where a gradient of at least 30 degrees C. exists between the streams, each stream containing at least two components. According to the invention, the two streams are introduced into a reactor containing a solid or liquid adsorbent material, which retains at least one component preferentially to the other components. The adsorbancy power of the component by the adsorbent material is higher at lower temperatures than at high temperatures. A stream results from the reactor in which the diluted component becomes more concentrated in respect to the input stream. The equilibrium concentration of the adsorbable species in the adsorbent, at the conditions of the colder stream, is higher by at least 0.01 g adsorbed species per g adsorbent than that prevailing at the conditions of the hot feed. The method is applicable to a number of processes such as gas purification, distillation, process-air drying, air conditioning, air enrichment and internal combustion engines. The method imparts appreciable savings in energy requirements and improved mass transfer efficiency for processes wherein heat and mass exchange operations are involved.
Inventors
- 👤 Ram Lavie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 12:06
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/02; B01D53/06; B01D53/08; B01D53/04; B01D53/26; B01D53/261; F; F24; F24F; F24F12/00; F24F12/001; F24F3/00; F24F3/12; F24F3/14; F24F3/1411; F24F3/1429; B01D2259/00; B01D2259/40; B01D2259/402; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B30/00; Y02B30/56; Y10; Y10S; Y10S62/00; Y10S62/902; Y10S62/908
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
203 words
A method comprising carrying out a simultaneous heat and mass exchange operation between two input streams, each stream containing at least two components and a there being a temperature gradient of at least 30 degrees Centigrade between the two streams, the two streams being designated a hot stream and a cold stream, by; providing a reactor containing a reagent capable of preferentially retaining one component, the retaining power of the reagent being higher at lower temperatures than at higher temperatures, and the equilibrium concentration of the reagent at the conditions of the cold stream being higher than that prevailing at the conditions of the hot stream enabling the use of the thermodynamic work potential supplied by the transfer of heat between the two streams to drive the process in the desired direction; feeding the hot stream into a first end of the reactor and extracting the hot stream from a second end of the reactor, feeding the cold stream into the second end of the reactor and extracting the cold stream from the first end of the reactor, and obtaining a stream in which a diluted component becomes more diluted while a concentrated component becomes more concentrated in respect to the input streams.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
203 words
A method comprising carrying out a simultaneous heat and mass exchange operation between two input streams, each stream containing at least two components and a there being a temperature gradient of at least 30 degrees Centigrade between the two streams, the two streams being designated a hot stream and a cold stream, by; providing a reactor containing a reagent capable of preferentially retaining one component, the retaining power of the reagent being higher at lower temperatures than at higher temperatures, and the equilibrium concentration of the reagent at the conditions of the cold stream being higher than that prevailing at the conditions of the hot stream enabling the use of the thermodynamic work potential supplied by the transfer of heat between the two streams to drive the process in the desired direction; feeding the hot stream into a first end of the reactor and extracting the hot stream from a second end of the reactor, feeding the cold stream into the second end of the reactor and extracting the cold stream from the first end of the reactor, and obtaining a stream in which a diluted component becomes more diluted while a concentrated component becomes more concentrated in respect to the input streams.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said reagent is a solid adsorbent material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein the solid adsorbent material is structured such that the bulk flow is facilitated in a preferred direction and inhibited otherwise by means of appropriately directed channels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein the solid adsorbent material is in the form of a moving bed.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
33 words
A method according to claims 1, wherein said equilibrium concentration is higher by at least 0.01 g adsorbed species per gram adsorbent than that prevailing at the conditions of the hot feed stream.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said reagent is a fluid adsorbent material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein the system consists of two parallel batteries of fluid-fluid contactors/phase separators stages, where the heavy fluid reagent is circulated between the corresponding stages in the two series while the light fluid streams that are to be processed are fed continuously at opposite ends of their respective battery and flow through consecutive stages until they are withdrawn at the other end of the battery.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the two operations are carried out simultaneously in at least one pair of adsorption beds which are thermally insulated from their enclosures, switching valves directing the streams alternatingly into and out of each bed in a programmed sequence.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein said switching valves are replaced by a unified flow distributor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein the flow distributors are fixed while the solid adsorbent mass is rotated.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
10 words
A method according to claim 1, applied to gas purification.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
9 words
A method according to claim 1, applied to distillation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
10 words
A method according to claim 1, applied to process-air drying.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
10 words
A method according to claim 1, applied to air conditioning.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method according to claim 1, applied to internal combustion engines.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
10 words
A method according to claim 1, applied to air enrichment.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3839847A
Cited
US4367082A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-04-27 | 1990-10-27 | 1991-04-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-04-27 | 1994-10-27 | 1995-04-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-04-27 | 1998-10-27 | 1999-04-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |