US4983190A
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US
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Pressure-swing adsorption system and method for NBC collective protection
Assignee: Pall Corp
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Filing: 1985-05-21
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Granted: 1991-01-08
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Expires: 2005-05-21
Abstract
Abstract A pressure-swing adsorber using type 13X (10 Angstrom) molecular sieve is used in lieu of or ahead of an activated or impregnated carbon filter in an NBC collective protection system. The pressure-swing adsorber removes a much wider range of toxic vapors from air than an impregnated carbon bed, is fully regenerable, and has a long service life. In one system for supplying purified air to a shelter, air is compressed by a gas turbine-driven compressor, fed through an aerosol removal system, purified by an industrial-type pressure-swing adsorber using type 13X molecular sieve, filtered by a Super HEPA filter, and expanded to atmospheric pressure in a turbo-generator. In another system for field medical oxygen generation, a compressor is driven by an electrical motor and the purified air is fed to a pressure-swing oxygen concentrator using type 5A molecular sieve.
Inventors
- 👤 Marcel G. Verrando
- 👤 Donald H. White
- 👤 Evan E. Koslow
- 👤 Phillip G. Barkley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 11:39
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/02; A; A62; A62B; A62B15/00; B01D53/04; B01D53/047; B01D2253/00; B01D2253/10; B01D2253/104; B01D2253/30; B01D2253/302; B01D2253/308; B01D2257/00; B01D2257/70; B01D2257/702; B01D2257/80; B01D2258/00; B01D2258/02; B01D2258/0225; B01D2259/00; B01D2259/40; B01D2259/40007; B01D2259/40009; B01D2259/414; B01D2259/4141; B01D2259/4145; B01D2259/4146; B01D2259/45; B01D2259/4533; B01D2259/4566; B01D2259/4583
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of removing chemical and biological warfare agents from air for human consumption comprising the steps of: (a) compressing the air to substantially above atmospheric pressure, (b) purifying the compressed air in a pressure-swing adsorber of the kind having at least one adsorbent bed capable of being regenerated, said adsorbent having pores having an internal diameter substantially in excess of five Angstroms and of about ten Angstroms, and (c) filtering the compressed air through a filter intercepting particulates in excess of about one micrometer (1μm) in diameter.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of removing chemical and biological warfare agents from air for human consumption comprising the steps of: (a) compressing the air to substantially above atmospheric pressure, (b) purifying the compressed air in a pressure-swing adsorber of the kind having at least one adsorbent bed capable of being regenerated, said adsorbent having pores having an internal diameter substantially in excess of five Angstroms and of about ten Angstroms, and (c) filtering the compressed air through a filter intercepting particulates in excess of about one micrometer (1μm) in diameter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compressed air is filtered both before and after being purified in said pressure-swing adsorber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the purified air from the pressure-swing adsorber is filtered through said filter intercepting particulates in excess of about one micrometer in diameter, and wherein the compressed air is not filtered by a filter intercepting particulates in excess of about one micrometer in diameter before being purified in the pressure-swing adsorber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said filter intercepts particles in excess of about one-half micrometer in diameter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adsorbent is a molecular sieve.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said molecular sieve is type 13× molecular sieve.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a final step of expanding the purified and filtered air so that the purified air is cooled.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the purified and filtered air is expanded to approximately atmospheric pressure in a tubro-generator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of passing the purified air through a carbon filter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said carbon filter is a high-pressure activated carbon filter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the steps of sensing the presence of said chemical agents in the purified air before the purified air is passed through said carbon filter, and activating an alarm in response to said sensing of said presence of said chemical agents.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said compressed air is selectively diverted and purified in the bed of a second pressure-swing adsorber in response to said sensing of said presence of said chemical agents.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pressure-swing adsorber is of the kind having at least two adsorbent beds, so that one bed is capable of being regenerated when another is purifying said compressed air.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said pressure-swing adsorber is an industrial-type pressure-swing adsorber of the kind wherein a portion of the purified air is expanded to approximately atmospheric pressure for purging and regenerating one of the adsorbent beds without the application of heat.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a capacitance probe is placed in said adsorbent bed for detecting a moisture front in said bed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein a control system predicts the occurrence of breakthrough of chemical agents through the adsorbent bed ahead of said moisture front.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oxygen content of the compressed air purified in said pressure-swing adsorber is concentrated by passing the purified air to a second pressure-swing adsorber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said second pressure-swing adsorber includes at least one adsorbent bed of molecular sieve having a pore diameter of approximately five Angstroms.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said adsorbent bed of said second pressure-swing adsorber has a substantially greater volume than the adsorbent bed of the first-mentioned adsorber purifying said compressed air.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the compressed air being purified by the first-mentioned adsorber is at pressure substantially in excess of eighty psig, and wherein said pressure of the compressed air is dropped to about eighty psig for oxygen concentration in said second adsorber.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the pressure of the compressed air being purified by said first-mentioned adsorber is at least about one-hundred and sixty psig.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
149 words
A system for removing chemical and biological warfare agents from air for human consumption comprising, in combination, (a) an air compressor providing compressed air, (b) an aerosol removal system for removing particulates from said compressed air that have a diameter in excess of a first diameter to generate a first filtered air stream, (c) a pressure-swing adsorber system for purifying said first filtered air stream in at least one bed of molecular sieve adsorbent capable of being regenerated and having a pore size substantially in excess of five Angstroms and of about ten Angstroms to thereby generate a stream of purified air, (d) a filter for receiving said stream of purified air and intercepting particles in excess of a second diameter, wherein one of said first and second diameters is substantially less than one micrometer (1μm), to thereby generate a stream of filtered and purified air for human consumption.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
149 words
A system for removing chemical and biological warfare agents from air for human consumption comprising, in combination, (a) an air compressor providing compressed air, (b) an aerosol removal system for removing particulates from said compressed air that have a diameter in excess of a first diameter to generate a first filtered air stream, (c) a pressure-swing adsorber system for purifying said first filtered air stream in at least one bed of molecular sieve adsorbent capable of being regenerated and having a pore size substantially in excess of five Angstroms and of about ten Angstroms to thereby generate a stream of purified air, (d) a filter for receiving said stream of purified air and intercepting particles in excess of a second diameter, wherein one of said first and second diameters is substantially less than one micrometer (1μm), to thereby generate a stream of filtered and purified air for human consumption.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said first diameter is substantially in excess of one micro-meter and said second diameter is about 0.5 micro-meter.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a carbon filter for filtering said stream of purified air, and a chemical agent vapor detector for activating an alarm in response to chemical agent vapors being detected in said stream of purified air upstream of said carbon filter.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said air compressor is a turbo-compressor, and further comprising a turbo-expander for expanding and cooling said stream of filtered and purified air.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system as claimed in claim 25, wherein said turbo-compressor is a gas turbine and heat of combustion in said gas turbine is selectively applied to said stream of filtered and purified air.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a regenerable pressure-swing oxygen concentrator for receiving air having been purified by said pressure-swing adsorber system, said oxygen concentrator having at least one chamber of molecular sieve adsorbent having a pore size of approximately five Angstroms.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the air received by said oxygen concentrator is at about sixty psig in said chamber, and wherein the air in said bed of said pressure-swing adsorber is at a pressure substantially in excess of sixty psig, and further comprising a regulator for dropping the pressure of the air in said chamber to about sixty psig.
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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) | 1994-01-07 | 1994-07-09 | 1995-01-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-01-07 | 1998-07-09 | 1999-01-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-01-07 | 2002-07-09 | 2003-01-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |