US4698073A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process for regeneration of adsorbers
Assignee: Linde GmbH
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Filing: 1986-02-26
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Granted: 1987-10-06
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Expires: 2006-02-26
Abstract
Abstract Adsorbers are loaded with impurities removed from a compressed gas stream and are regenerated by a gas heated by the heat of compression of the gas stream. A heat reservoir or accumulator is employed instead of a conventional shell and tube type heat exchanger.
Inventors
- 👤 Wilhelm Rohde
- 👤 Gunter Klein, deceased
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 19:12
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25J; F25J3/00; F25J3/02; F25J3/04; F25J3/04151; F25J3/04163; F25J3/04169; F25J3/04181; B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/02; B01D53/04; B01D53/047; B01J; B01J20/00; B01J20/02; B01J20/10; B01J20/16; B01J20/18; B01J20/30; B01J20/34; B01J20/3408; B01J20/3483; F25J3/04006; F25J3/04012; F25J3/04018; F25J3/04157; F25J3/04763; F25J3/04769; F25J3/04775; B01D2256/00; B01D2256/10; B01D2256/12; B01D2257/00; B01D2257/50; B01D2257/504; B01D2257/70; B01D2257/702; B01D2257/7022; B01D2257/80; B01D2259/00; B01D2259/40; B01D2259/402; B01D53/0407; B01D53/0438; B01D53/0446; B01J2220/00; B01J2220/50; B01J2220/60; B01J2220/603; F25J2205/00; F25J2205/24; F25J2205/30; F25J2205/32; F25J2205/60; F25J2205/66; F25J2205/68; F25J2205/70; F25J2210/00; F25J2210/06; F25J2230/00; F25J2230/04; F25J2245/00; F25J2245/40; Y; Y02; Y02C; Y02C20/00; Y02C20/40; Y10; Y10S; Y10S62/00; Y10S62/902; Y10S62/909
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
In a process for the regeneration of an adsorber loaded with impurities removed from air by passing a stream of hot low-pressure regeneration gas through the adsorber, the improvement being wherein one- or multi-step compression of the air is effected such that the temperature of the air after each compression step is in the range of 80° to 130° C.; wherein a minor portion of compressed air is conducted through a heat reservoir for a period of time at least sufficient to raise the temperature of the heat reservoir air outlet end to substantially the temperature of the compressed air and then terminating the flow of compressed air through the heat reservoir; and wherein the low-pressure regeneration gas, during a hot gas regeneration phase of the adsorber, is conducted through the heat reservoir and thereby heated to a temperature not more than 4° C. below the temperature of the compressed air, and thereafter passed through the adsorber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
In a process for the regeneration of an adsorber loaded with impurities removed from air by passing a stream of hot low-pressure regeneration gas through the adsorber, the improvement being wherein one- or multi-step compression of the air is effected such that the temperature of the air after each compression step is in the range of 80° to 130° C.; wherein a minor portion of compressed air is conducted through a heat reservoir for a period of time at least sufficient to raise the temperature of the heat reservoir air outlet end to substantially the temperature of the compressed air and then terminating the flow of compressed air through the heat reservoir; and wherein the low-pressure regeneration gas, during a hot gas regeneration phase of the adsorber, is conducted through the heat reservoir and thereby heated to a temperature not more than 4° C. below the temperature of the compressed air, and thereafter passed through the adsorber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the regeneration gas, during passage through the heat reservoir, is heated to a temperature not more than 3° C. below the temperature of the compressed air.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process according to claim 2, wherein the compression of the air is effected by multi-step compression and the temperature of the air after each compression stage is in the range of 95° to 125° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the regeneration gas, during passage through the heat reservoir, is heated to a temperature not more than 2° C. below the temperature of the compressed air.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process according to claim 4, wherein the compression of the air is effected by multi-step compression and the temperature of the air after each compression stage is in the range of 95° to 125° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the compression of the air is effected by multi-step compression and the temperature of the air after each compression stage is in the range of 95° to 125° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the pressure drop of the regeneration gas during passage through the heat reservoir is less than 0.1 bar.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the pressure drop of the regeneration gas during passage through the heat reservoir is less than 0.05 bar.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of the regeneration gas is below 1.5 bar.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of the regeneration gas is below 1.2 bar.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said minor portion of compressed air is 15 to 30% of the compressed air
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the amount of regeneration gas is in the range of 15 to 30% of the amount of air to be purified.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the hot low-pressure regeneration gas is conducted during 15 to 40% of the time for regeneration through the adsorber and a cooling time of 40 to 75% of time for regeneration is provided for.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the heat reservoir is loaded by compressed air at least partly during the cooling period of an adsorber after its hot gas regeneration phase.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claim 14, wherein two adsorbers and one heat reservoir are provided for, the adsorbers being switched cyclically between adsorption and regeneration phases.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein a minor portion of the regeneration gas conducted through heat reservoir is superheated to a temperature higher than that provided by the heat of compression and passing resultant superheated gas through the adsorber at the end of the heating period.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 16, wherein the regeneration gas is superheated for about the last 5 to 20% of the hot gas regeneration period.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 16, wherein the regeneration gas is superheated for about the last 10 to 20% of the hot gas regeneration phase.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process according to claim 16, wherein the regeneration gas is superheated to a temperature about 25° to 50° C. higher than the temperature provided by the heat of compression.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the pressure drop of the regeneration gas during passage through the heat reservoir is less than 100 mm of water gauge.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a process for the separation of air by low-temperature fractionation with a purification of air by adsorption in at least two cyclically switchable adsorbers and a two-stage low-temperature air fractionation including a high-pressure rectification column and a low-pressure rectification column; with a recovery of a nitrogen fraction from the top of the low-pressure rectification column and using part of said low-pressure nitrogen fraction for the regeneration of an adsorber loaded with impurities previously removed from air by conducting hot nitrogen through the adsorber, the improvement being wherein one or multi-step compression of the air is effected such that the temperature of the air after each compression step is in the range of 80° to 130° C.; wherein a minor portion of compressed air is conducted through a heat reservoir for a period of time at least sufficient to raise the temperature of the heat reservoir air outlet end to substantially the temperature of the compressed air and then terminating the flow of compressed air through the heat reservoir; and wherein the low-pressure nitrogen is heated, by passage through the heat reservoir, to a temperature not more than 4° C. below the temperature of the compressed air, and thereafter is passed through the adsorber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a process for the separation of air by low-temperature fractionation with a purification of air by adsorption in at least two cyclically switchable adsorbers and a two-stage low-temperature air fractionation including a high-pressure rectification column and a low-pressure rectification column; with a recovery of a nitrogen fraction from the top of the low-pressure rectification column and using part of said low-pressure nitrogen fraction for the regeneration of an adsorber loaded with impurities previously removed from air by conducting hot nitrogen through the adsorber, the improvement being wherein one or multi-step compression of the air is effected such that the temperature of the air after each compression step is in the range of 80° to 130° C.; wherein a minor portion of compressed air is conducted through a heat reservoir for a period of time at least sufficient to raise the temperature of the heat reservoir air outlet end to substantially the temperature of the compressed air and then terminating the flow of compressed air through the heat reservoir; and wherein the low-pressure nitrogen is heated, by passage through the heat reservoir, to a temperature not more than 4° C. below the temperature of the compressed air, and thereafter is passed through the adsorber.
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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) | 1990-10-05 | 1991-04-06 | 1991-10-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-10-05 | 1995-04-06 | 1995-10-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-10-05 | 1999-04-06 | 1999-10-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |