Patent US4750918A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4750918A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Selective-permeation gas-separation process and apparatus
Assignee: Stevens Institute of Technology
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Filing: 1985-05-28
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Granted: 1988-06-14
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Expires: 2005-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A permeant gas is selectively transferred from a feed-gas mixture which comprises the permeant gas and at least one other component to an output fluid by the process of the invention. The process involves introducing a selective-permeation liquid into a permeation-transfer chamber. A gas-depletion channel and a gas-enrichment channel pass through the permeation chamber and are separated from the chamber respectively by porous walls. The selective-permeation liquid contacts the porous walls but does not flow into the gas-depletion or gas-enrichment channels. The feed-gas mixture is introduced into the gas-depletion channel so that permeant gas in the mixture can pass through the pores of the walls of the channel into the selective-permeation liquid and from the selective-permeation liquid through the pores of the walls of the gas-enrichment channel into the gas-enrichment channel. Permeant gas is withdrawn from the gas-enrichment channel and a stream of gas depleted in the permeant gas is withdrawn from the gas-depletion channel. A gas-transfer unit permits the process of the invention to be carried out effectively.
Inventors
- 👤 Kamalesh K. Sirkar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:57
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D61/00; B01D61/38; B01D53/00; B01D53/22; B01D53/229; B01D2251/00; B01D2251/30; B01D2251/304; B01D2251/306; B01D2251/60; B01D2251/606; B01D2252/00; B01D2252/10; B01D2252/20; B01D2252/204; B01D2252/20478; B01D2252/20484; B01D2252/20489; B01D2256/00; B01D2256/24; B01D2256/245; B01D2257/00; B01D2257/30; B01D2257/304; B01D2257/50; B01D2257/502; B01D2257/504; B01D2258/00; B01D2258/05; B01D2317/00; B01D2317/08; B01D2319/00; B01D2319/06; B01D53/14; B01D53/1493; Y; Y02; Y02C; Y02C20/00; Y02C20/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
416 words
A process for separating a permeant gas from a feed-gas mixture, the feed-gas mixture comprising the permeant gas and at least one other gaseous component, the process comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a selective-permeation liquid into a permeation-transfer chamber, the selective-permeation liquid being selectively permeable to the permeant gas relative to the other component of the feed-gas mixture, a gas-depletion channel extending through the permeation-transfer chamber, the gas-depletion channel being separated from the permeation-transfer chamber by a gas-depletion porous wall, a gas-enrichment channel extending through the permeation-transfer chamber disjoint from the gas-depletion channel, the gas-enrichment channel being separated from the permeation-transfer chamber by a gas-enrichment porous wall, the gas-depletion and gas enrichment porous walls being in close proximity to one another, the gas-enrichment channel and the gas-depletion channel together defining gas-transfer channels, regions adjacent to the porous walls of the gas-transfer channels and exterior of the channels within the permeation-transfer chamber constituting open passages to permit a substantially free liquid passage of the selective-permeation liquid so that surfaces of the porous walls of the gas-transfer channels are contacted by the selective-permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber; (b) introducing a stream of the feed-gas mixture into the gas-depletion channel and allowing the feed-gas mixture to flow through the channel in the permeation-transfer chamber so that permeant gas in the feed gas mixture can pass through the pores of the walls of the gas-depletion channel into the selective permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber and from the selective-permeation liquid through the pores of the walls of the gas-enrichment channel into the gas-enrichment channel; (c) maintaining a difference between the pressure of the selective-permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber and the pressure of the gas in the gas-depletion channel at a value which substantially prevents the selective permeation liquid from flowing through the gas-depletion porous wall into the gas-depletion channel and substantially prevents gas in the gas-depletion channel from flowing through the gas-depletion porous wall into the permeation-transfer chamber; (d) maintaining a difference between the pressure of the selective permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber and the pressure of the fluid in the gas-enrichment channel at a value which substantially prevents the selective-permeation liquid from flowing through the gas-enrichment porous wall into the gas-enrichment channel and substantially prevents fluid in the gas-enrichment channel from flowing through the gas-enrichment porous wall into the permeation-transfer chamber; (e) withdrawing permeant gas from the gas-enrichment channel; and (f) withdrawing a stream of gas depleted in the permeant gas from the gas-depletion channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
416 words
A process for separating a permeant gas from a feed-gas mixture, the feed-gas mixture comprising the permeant gas and at least one other gaseous component, the process comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a selective-permeation liquid into a permeation-transfer chamber, the selective-permeation liquid being selectively permeable to the permeant gas relative to the other component of the feed-gas mixture, a gas-depletion channel extending through the permeation-transfer chamber, the gas-depletion channel being separated from the permeation-transfer chamber by a gas-depletion porous wall, a gas-enrichment channel extending through the permeation-transfer chamber disjoint from the gas-depletion channel, the gas-enrichment channel being separated from the permeation-transfer chamber by a gas-enrichment porous wall, the gas-depletion and gas enrichment porous walls being in close proximity to one another, the gas-enrichment channel and the gas-depletion channel together defining gas-transfer channels, regions adjacent to the porous walls of the gas-transfer channels and exterior of the channels within the permeation-transfer chamber constituting open passages to permit a substantially free liquid passage of the selective-permeation liquid so that surfaces of the porous walls of the gas-transfer channels are contacted by the selective-permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber; (b) introducing a stream of the feed-gas mixture into the gas-depletion channel and allowing the feed-gas mixture to flow through the channel in the permeation-transfer chamber so that permeant gas in the feed gas mixture can pass through the pores of the walls of the gas-depletion channel into the selective permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber and from the selective-permeation liquid through the pores of the walls of the gas-enrichment channel into the gas-enrichment channel; (c) maintaining a difference between the pressure of the selective-permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber and the pressure of the gas in the gas-depletion channel at a value which substantially prevents the selective permeation liquid from flowing through the gas-depletion porous wall into the gas-depletion channel and substantially prevents gas in the gas-depletion channel from flowing through the gas-depletion porous wall into the permeation-transfer chamber; (d) maintaining a difference between the pressure of the selective permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber and the pressure of the fluid in the gas-enrichment channel at a value which substantially prevents the selective-permeation liquid from flowing through the gas-enrichment porous wall into the gas-enrichment channel and substantially prevents fluid in the gas-enrichment channel from flowing through the gas-enrichment porous wall into the permeation-transfer chamber; (e) withdrawing permeant gas from the gas-enrichment channel; and (f) withdrawing a stream of gas depleted in the permeant gas from the gas-depletion channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process according to claim 1 in which the gas-depletion channel comprises the lumina of a multiplicity of porous-wall hollow fibers which extend through the permeation-transfer chamber and the gas-enrichment channel comprises the lumina of a multiplicity of a porous-wall hollow fibers which extend through the permeation-transfer chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
289 words
A process for separating a permeant gas from a feed-gas mixture, the feed-gas mixture comprising the permeant gas and at least one other gaseous component, the process comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a selective-permeation liquid into a permeation-transfer chamber, the selective-permeation liquid being selectively permeable to the permeant gas relative to the other component of the feed-gas mixture, a first multiplicity of porous-wall hollow fibers extending through the permeation-transfer chamber to define gas-depletion hollow fibers, a second multiplicity of porous-wall hollow fibers extending through the permeation-transfer chamber to define gas-enrichement hollow fibers, the gas-depletion and the gas-enrichment hollow fibers commingling in close proximity to one another in the permeation-transfer chamber, the gas-enrichment hollow fibers and the gas-depletion hollow fibers together defining gas-transfer hollow fibers, radially-outer surfaces of the walls of the permeant-gas-transfer hollow fibers being contacted by the selective-permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber, surfaces of the walls of the gas-transfer hollow fibers in the permeation-transfer chamber being composed of a material which tends not to be wetted by the selective-permeation liquid; (b) introducing a stream of the feed-gas mixture into the lumina of the gas-depletion hollow fibers and allowing the feed-gas mixture to flow through the lumina in the permeation-transfer chamber so that the permeant gas in the feed gas mixture can pass through the pores of the walls of the gas-depletion hollow fibers into the selective permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber and from the selective-permeation liquid through the pores of the walls of the gas-enrichment hollow fibers into the lumina of the fibers; (c) withdrawing permeant gas from the lumina of the gas-enrichment hollow fibers; and (d) withdrawing a stream of gas depleted in the permeant gas from the lumina of the gas-depletion hollow fibers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
289 words
A process for separating a permeant gas from a feed-gas mixture, the feed-gas mixture comprising the permeant gas and at least one other gaseous component, the process comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a selective-permeation liquid into a permeation-transfer chamber, the selective-permeation liquid being selectively permeable to the permeant gas relative to the other component of the feed-gas mixture, a first multiplicity of porous-wall hollow fibers extending through the permeation-transfer chamber to define gas-depletion hollow fibers, a second multiplicity of porous-wall hollow fibers extending through the permeation-transfer chamber to define gas-enrichement hollow fibers, the gas-depletion and the gas-enrichment hollow fibers commingling in close proximity to one another in the permeation-transfer chamber, the gas-enrichment hollow fibers and the gas-depletion hollow fibers together defining gas-transfer hollow fibers, radially-outer surfaces of the walls of the permeant-gas-transfer hollow fibers being contacted by the selective-permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber, surfaces of the walls of the gas-transfer hollow fibers in the permeation-transfer chamber being composed of a material which tends not to be wetted by the selective-permeation liquid; (b) introducing a stream of the feed-gas mixture into the lumina of the gas-depletion hollow fibers and allowing the feed-gas mixture to flow through the lumina in the permeation-transfer chamber so that the permeant gas in the feed gas mixture can pass through the pores of the walls of the gas-depletion hollow fibers into the selective permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber and from the selective-permeation liquid through the pores of the walls of the gas-enrichment hollow fibers into the lumina of the fibers; (c) withdrawing permeant gas from the lumina of the gas-enrichment hollow fibers; and (d) withdrawing a stream of gas depleted in the permeant gas from the lumina of the gas-depletion hollow fibers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process according to claim 3 further comprising the step of introducing a sweep fluid into the lumina of the gas-enrichment hollow fibers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process according to claim 4 in which the sweep fluid is a gas and the step of withdrawing permeant gas from the lumina of the gas-enrichment hollow fibers comprises withdrawing a stream of gas enriched in the permeant gas from the lumina of the gas enrichment hollow fibers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
106 words
The process according to claim 5 in which the stream of feed-gas mixture is introduced into the lumina of the gas-depletion hollow fibers at a location outside of the permeation-transfer chamber, the stream of sweep gas is introduced into the gas-enrichment hollow fibers at a location outside of the permeation-transfer chamber, the stream of gas enriched in the permeant gas is withdrawn from the lumina of the gas-enrichment hollow fibers at a location outside of the permeation-transfer chamber, and the stream of gas depleted in the permeant gas is withdrawn from the lumina of the gas-depletion hollow fibers at a location outside of the permeation-transfer chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process according to claim 3 in which the gas-transfer hollow fibers are made of a hydrophobic material and the selective-permeation liquid is an aqueous solution.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process according to claim 7 in which the gas-transfer hollow fibers are made of porous polypropylene, porous polyethylene or porous polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process according to claim 7 in which the permeant-gas is carbon dioxide and the selective-permeation liquid is an aqueous solution of an alkali-metal carbonate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process according to claim 7 in which the permeant gas is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide and the selective-permeation liquid comprises an amine selected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and hindered amines.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process according to claim 7 in which the permeant-gas is carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide and the selective-permeation liquid is an aqueous solution of cuprous chloride and an alkali-metal chloride.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process according to claim 7 in which the permeant gas is sulfur dioxide and the selective-permeation liquid is an aqueous solution of a salt selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal bisulfate and an alkali metal sulfite.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process according to claim 7 in which the permeant gas is selected from the group consisting of ethylene and propylene and the selective-permeation liquid is an aqueous solution of water-soluble silver salt.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process according to claim 7 in which the permeant gas is sulfur dioxide and the selective-permeation liquid is selected from the group consisting of sulfolane and polyethylene glycol.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process according to claim 7 in which the permeant gas is ethanol and the selective permeation liquid is a non-polar organic liquid having a boiling point substantially higher than the boiling point of ethanol.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process according to claim 5 further comprising the step of maintaining the selective-permeation liquid in the permeation-transfer chamber at a pressure higher than the pressure of the gas in the gas-depletion fibers and higher than the pressure of the gas in the gas enrichment fibers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process according to claim 3 in which each gas-transfer fiber includes a first and a second radial layer, the first radial layer being composed of a porous hydrophilic material and the second radial layer being composed of a porous hydrophobic layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
318 words
A gas-transfer unit for selectively transferring a permeant gas from a feed-gas mixture comprising the permeant gas and at least one other component to an output fluid, the gas-transfer unit comprising: (a) a fluid-tight housing, an interior of the housing defining a gas-transfer chamber, the housing having a feed-gas input port, a depleted-gas output port, a sweep-fluid input port, an enriched-gas output port and a selective-permeation liquid inlet port, the five ports providing communication with the gas-transfer chamber; (b) gas-depletion porous-wall means located within the gas-transfer chamber for forming at least a portion of a wall of a gas-depletion channel which passes through the gas-transfer chamber, the gas-depletion channel connecting the feed-gas input port to the depleted-gas output port; (c) gas-enrichment porous-wall means located within the gas-transfer chamber for forming at least a portion of a wall of a gas-enrichment channel which passes through the gas-transfer chamber, the gas-enrichment channel connecting the sweep-fluid input port to the enriched-gas output port, the gas-enrichment channel being disjoint from the gas-depletion channel, a region within the gas-transfer chamber and outside of the gas-enrichment channel and the gas-depletion channel defining a selective-permeation chamber, the selective-permeation-liquid inlet port providing communication with the selective-permeation chamber, the selective-permeation chamber including open passages adjacent to the gas-depletion porous-wall means and the gas-enrichment porous-wall means to permit a substantially free liquid passage of a preselected selective-permeation liquid introduced into the selective-permeation chamber through the selective-permeation-liquid inlet port to contact the gas-depletion porous-wall means and the gas-enrichment porous-wall means, the gas-depletion porous-wall means and the gas-enrichment porous-wall means being made of a material which tends to prevent the selective-permeation liquid in the selective-permeation chamber from flowing into the gas-depletion channel and into the gas-enrichment channel, so that a selective-permeation liquid can be confined in the selective-permeation chamber to facilitate the selective transfer of the permeant gas from the gas-depletion channel to the gas-enrichment channel of the gas-transfer unit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
318 words
A gas-transfer unit for selectively transferring a permeant gas from a feed-gas mixture comprising the permeant gas and at least one other component to an output fluid, the gas-transfer unit comprising: (a) a fluid-tight housing, an interior of the housing defining a gas-transfer chamber, the housing having a feed-gas input port, a depleted-gas output port, a sweep-fluid input port, an enriched-gas output port and a selective-permeation liquid inlet port, the five ports providing communication with the gas-transfer chamber; (b) gas-depletion porous-wall means located within the gas-transfer chamber for forming at least a portion of a wall of a gas-depletion channel which passes through the gas-transfer chamber, the gas-depletion channel connecting the feed-gas input port to the depleted-gas output port; (c) gas-enrichment porous-wall means located within the gas-transfer chamber for forming at least a portion of a wall of a gas-enrichment channel which passes through the gas-transfer chamber, the gas-enrichment channel connecting the sweep-fluid input port to the enriched-gas output port, the gas-enrichment channel being disjoint from the gas-depletion channel, a region within the gas-transfer chamber and outside of the gas-enrichment channel and the gas-depletion channel defining a selective-permeation chamber, the selective-permeation-liquid inlet port providing communication with the selective-permeation chamber, the selective-permeation chamber including open passages adjacent to the gas-depletion porous-wall means and the gas-enrichment porous-wall means to permit a substantially free liquid passage of a preselected selective-permeation liquid introduced into the selective-permeation chamber through the selective-permeation-liquid inlet port to contact the gas-depletion porous-wall means and the gas-enrichment porous-wall means, the gas-depletion porous-wall means and the gas-enrichment porous-wall means being made of a material which tends to prevent the selective-permeation liquid in the selective-permeation chamber from flowing into the gas-depletion channel and into the gas-enrichment channel, so that a selective-permeation liquid can be confined in the selective-permeation chamber to facilitate the selective transfer of the permeant gas from the gas-depletion channel to the gas-enrichment channel of the gas-transfer unit.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
54 words
The gas-transfer unit according to claim 18 in which: the gas-depletion porous-wall means forms a multiplicity of gas-depletion hollow fibers, the lumina of the gas-depletion hollow fibers comprising the gas-depletion channel; the gas enrichment porous-wall means forms a multiplicity of gas-enrichment hollow fibers, the lumina of the gas-enrichment hollow fibers comprising the gas-enrichment channel.
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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) | 1991-06-14 | 1991-12-14 | 1992-06-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-06-14 | 1995-12-14 | 1996-06-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-06-14 | 1999-12-14 | 2000-06-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |