Method and apparatus for the continuous separation of contaminants from a fluid mixture

Claim 2

A continuous sorber device for separating components of a fluid mixture comprising: (a) at least one rotatable sorption bed comprising sorption material, at least three processing zones and drive means for said sorption bed; (b) fluid inlet means communicating with said sorption bed; (c) a first manifold communicating with said sorption bed, said manifold having separate compartments comprising means for each of said processing zones for passing fluid from one processing zone to the next; (d) a second manifold communicating with said sorption bed on the side opposite to said first manifold, and said second manifold having separate compartments, said compartments comprising means for each of said processing zones for passing fluid from one processing zone to the next; (e) sealing means between said sorption bed and each of said first and second manifolds for sealing each of said manifold compartments to prevent fluid flow into another compartment through said sorption material within any one of said processing zones or between said manifold compartments; (f) fluid outlet means communicating with said sorption bed for removal of fluid separated from said components, wherein a regeneration portion of said separated fluid is diverted to pass through the remaining processing zones of said bed; (g) heater means communicating with said sorption bed to heat said regeneration portion of separated fluid to desorb and regenerate said sorption material; and wherein said three processing zones comprise: (1) a sorption zone, (2) a cooling zone, and (3) a desorption zone.

Claim 3

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said sorbent material is a solid particulate held in place by retainer screens.

Claim 4

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said sorbent material is a solid, porous monolithic block.

Claim 5

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said device is constructed and arranged to provide conditioning means for the pre-treatment of a gas.

Claim 6

The sorber device according to claim 4 wherein said device further comprises a gas conditioning means located between said fluid inlet means and said sorption bed.

Claim 7

The sorber device according to claim 5 wherein said gas conditioning means comprises: (a) a dust separator; (b) a dust scavenge means; (c) a compressor; (d) an aerosol/particulate filter; (e) cooling means; (f) a temperature sensing means for controlling the gas temperature; and, (g) water separation means.

Claim 8

The sorber device according to claim 6 wherein said aerosol/particulate filter is downstream of said sorption bed.

Claim 9

The sorber device according to claim 4 wherein said sorption material is a solid material capable of separation of components contained within said gas.

Claim 10

The sorber device according to claim 8 wherein said device is constructed and arranged to provide conditioning means for the pre-treatment of a gas wherein said gas is air and said components to be separated are toxic to humans.

Claim 11

A sorber device according to claim 9 wherein said device is constructed and arranged to provide conditioning means for the pre-treatment of a gas wherein said gas is air and said toxic components are the active agents of chemical warfare gases.

Claim 12

A sorber device according to claim 9 wherein said device is constructed and arranged to provide conditioning means for the pre-treatment of a gas wherein said gas is air and said toxic components are air pollutants.

Claim 13

The sorber device according to claim 8 wherein said sorption means is selected from the group consisting of silica gels, solid amines, molecular sieves, zeolites, and activated carbon.

Claim 14

The sorber device according to claim 12 wherein said sorption means is activated carbon.

Claim 15

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said sorbent bed is subdivided into segments by segment dividers.

Claim 16

The sorber device according to claim 14 wherein said device is constructed and arranged to provide the indexed rotation of said sorption bed and the rate of indexing is dependent upon the number of segments into which the bed is subdivided.

Claim 17

A sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said device is constructed and arranged for the treatment of a liquid and wherein said sorbent bed comprises sorptive material for the treatment of a liquid and said material is selected from the group consisting of ion exchange resins, clay materials, diatomaceous earth, sand, activated carbon, zeolites, molecular sieves, silica gels, alumina, Fuller's earth, metal carbonates and mixtures thereof.

Claim 18

A sorber device according to claim 16 wherein said device is constructed and arranged for the treatment of a liquid and said liquid is water.

Claim 19

The sorber device according to claim 17 wherein said sorption material is a solid material capable of separating dissolved, suspended, and mixed components from said water.

Claim 20

The sorber device according to claim 18 wherein said sorption material is an ion exchange resin.

Claim 21

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said sorbent bed is carried on bearings.

Claim 22

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said device is constructed and arranged to provide axial fluid flow through said sorption bed.

Claim 23

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said device is constructed and arranged to provide radial fluid flow through said sorption bed.

Claim 24

The sorber device according to claim 22 wherein a mixture of sorption materials are used in said sorption bed.

Claim 25

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said sorption bed comprises an additional heating zone for processing said fluids.

Claim 26

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said device is constructed and arranged for treating fluid mixtures exiting, entering, or within a building.

Claim 27

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said device is constructed and arranged for use in a vehicle.

Claim 28

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein said device is constructed and arranged to provide the regeneration portion of said separated fluid and said regeneration portion of separated fluid is about 3% to about 50% of separated fluid exiting said sorption zone of said sorption bed.

Claim 29

A sorber device according to claim 27 wherein said device is constructed and arranged to provide the regeneration portion of said separated fluid and said regeneration portion of separated fluid is about 5% to about 30% of the separated fluid exiting said sorption zone of said sorption bed.

Claim 30

The sorber device according to claim 27 wherein said regeneration portion of separated fluid is diverted by a restriction means in said fluid outlet means or by a pump, blower or compressor.

Claim 31

The sorber device according to claim 1 wherein a mixture of sorption materials are used in said sorption bed.

Claim 34

The method according to claim 31 wherein said fluid flows axially through said sorption bed.

Claim 35

The method according to claim 31 wherein said fluid flows radially through said sorption bed.

Claim 36

The method according to claim 31 wherein said regeneration portion of separated fluid is further introduced to a heating zone of said rotating sorption bed.

Claim 37

The method according to claim 31 wherein said sorption material is solid particulate held in place by retainer screens.

Claim 38

The method according to claim 31 wherein said sorption material is a solid, porous monolithic block.

Claim 39

The method according to claim 31 wherein said fluid is a gas.

Claim 40

The method according to claim 37 wherein said gas is first introduced to a conditioning means before entering said rotating sorption bed.

Claim 41

The method according to claim 38 wherein said gas conditioning means comprises: (a) a dust separator; (b) a dust scavenge means; (c) a compressor; (d) an aerosol/particulate filter; (e) cooling means; (f) a temperature sensing means for controlling the gas temperature; and (g) water separation means.

Claim 42

The method according to claim 39 wherein said gas is air and said components are toxic to humans.

Claim 43

The method according to claim 40 wherein said toxic components are the active agents of chemical warfare gases.

Claim 44

The method according to claim 40 wherein said toxic components are air pollutants.

Claim 45

The method according to claim 39 wherein said sorption material is selected from the group consisting of silica gels, solid amines, molecular sieves, zeolites and activated carbon.

Claim 46

The method according to claim 43 wherein said sorption material is activated carbon.

Claim 47

The method according to claim 39 wherein said aerosol/particulate filter is located downstream of said sorption bed.

Claim 48

The method according to claim 31 wherein said fluid is a liquid.

Claim 49

The method according to claim 46 wherein said liquid is water.

Claim 50

The method according to claim 47 wherein said sorption material is a solid material capable of separating dissolved, suspended, and mixed components from said water.

Claim 51

The method according to claim 48 wherein said sorption material is an ion exchange resin.

Claim 52

The method according to claim 46 wherein said liquid is organic and said sorption material is capable of separating dissolved, suspended and mixed components from said organic liquid.

Claim 53

The method according to claim 31 wherein said fluid mixture is a fluid mixture which enters a building.

Claim 54

The method according to claim 31 wherein said fluid mixture is a fluid mixture which enters a vehicle.

Claim 55

The method according to claim 31 wherein said sorption bed is subdivided into segments by segment dividers.

Claim 56

The method according to claim 31 wherein said regeneration portion of separated fluid is about 3% to about 50% of separated fluid exiting said sorption zone of said sorption bed.

Claim 57

The method according to claim 54 wherein said regeneration portion of separated fluid is about 5% to about 30% of the separated fluid exiting said sorption zone of said sorption bed.

Claim 58

The method according to claim 31 wherein a mixture of sorption materials are used in said sorption bed.

Claim 59

The method according to claim 31 wherein at least two different sorption materials are stratified in said sorption bed.

Claim 60

A continuous sorber device for separating components of a gaseous mixture comprising: (a) at least one rotatable sorption bed comprising sorption material, at least three processing zones and drive means for said sorption bed; (b) fluid inlet means communicating with said sorption bed; (c) a first manifold communicating with said sorption bed, said manifold having separate compartments comprising means for each of said processing zones for passing fluid from one processing zone to the next; (d) a second manifold communicating with said sorption bed on the side opposite to said first manifold, and said second manifold having separate compartments, said compartments comprising means for each of said processing zones for passing fluid from one processing zone to the next; (e) sealing means between said sorption bed and each of said first and second manifolds for sealing each of said manifold compartments to prevent fluid flow into another compartment through said sorption material within any one of said processing zones or between said manifold compartments; (f) fluid outlet means communicating with said sorption bed for removal of fluid separated from said components, wherein a regeneration portion of said separated fluid is diverted to pass through the remaining processing zones of said bed; (g) heater means communicating with said sorption bed to heat said regeneration portion of separated fluid to desorb and regenerate said sorption material; and, wherein said three processing zones comprise: (1) a sorption zone, (2) a cooling zone, and (3) a desorption zone; and wherein said sorber device further comprises a gas conditioning means comprising: (a) a dust separator; (b) a dust scavenge means; (c) a compressor; (d) an aerosol/particulate filter; (e) cooling means; (f) a temperature sensing means for controlling the gas temperature; and, (g) water separation means.

Claim 61

A continuous sorber device for separating components of a gaseous mixture comprising: (a) at least one rotatable sorption bed comprising sorption material, at least three processing zones and drive means for said sorption bed; (b) fluid inlet means communicating with said sorption bed; (c) a first manifold communicating with said sorption bed, said manifold having separate compartments comprising means for each of said processing zones for passing fluid from one processing zone to the next; (d) a second manifold communicating with said sorption bed on the side opposite to said first manifold, and said second manifold having separate compartments, said compartments comprising means for each of said processing zones for passing fluid from one processing zone to the next; (e) sealing means between said sorption bed and each of said first and second manifolds for sealing each of said manifold compartments to prevent fluid flow into another compartment through said sorption material within any one of said processing zones or between said manifold compartments; (f) fluid outlet means communicating with said sorption bed for removal of fluid separated from said components, wherein a regeneration portion of said separated fluid is diverted to pass through the remaining processing zones of said bed; (g) heater means communicating with said sorption bed to heat said regeneration portion of separated fluid to desorb and regenerate said sorption material; and, wherein said three processing zones comprise: (1) a sorption zone, (2) a cooling zone, and (3) a desorption zone; and wherein said sorber device further comprises a gas conditioning means comprising: (a) a dust separator; (b) a dust scavenge means; (c) a compressor; (d) an aerosol/particulate filter; (e) cooling means; (f) a temperature sensing means for controlling the gas temperature; and, (g) water separation means.

Claim 62

The sorber device according to claim 58 wherein said device is constructed and arranged to provide conditioning means for the pre-treatment of a gas wherein said gas is air and said components to be separated are toxic to humans.

Claim 63

The sorber device according to claim 58 wherein said sorption means is activated carbon.

Claim 64

A sorber device according to claim 58 wherein said device is constructed and arranged to provide conditioning means for the pre-treatment of a gas and said toxic components are the active agents of chemical warfare gases.

Claim 65

The sorber device according to claim 58 wherein said aerosol/particulate filter is downstream of said sorption bed.

Claim 66

The sorber device according to claim 58 wherein a mixture of sorption materials are used in said sorption bed.

Claim 67

The method according to claim 58 wherein at least two different sorption materials are stratified in said sorption bed.