Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of continuous separation of a mixture of chemical compounds in a carrier fluid flowing through a two-dimensional separation bed, said mixture being continuously or intermittently introduced into said bed, and separated components being continuously collected at multiple outlets, wherein said bed comprises a packing having different structure in at least two different directions, thereby providing different separating properties in said directions, and said carrier fluid flows alternately and repeatedly in both said directions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of continuous separation of a mixture of chemical compounds in a carrier fluid flowing through a two-dimensional separation bed, said mixture being continuously or intermittently introduced into said bed, and separated components being continuously collected at multiple outlets, wherein said bed comprises a packing having different structure in at least two different directions, thereby providing different separating properties in said directions, and said carrier fluid flows alternately and repeatedly in both said directions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said packing having different structure in at least two different directions comprises a plurality of alternating layers of at least two kinds, one of said kinds having higher resistance to fluid flow and higher ability to separate components of the mixture than the other one, thereby providing different separating properties in the directions which are, essentially, perpendicular and parallel to said layers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said layers of the kind which has higher resistance to the fluid flow and higher ability to separate components of mixture than the other one are selected from the group consisting of particulate chromatographic packing, permeable membranes, solid porous plates of sorbent material, particulate sorbent material embedded into porous sheets, permeable film, paper, and their combinations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said layers of the kind which has lower resistance to the fluid flow and lower ability to separate components of mixture than the other one are selected from the group consisting of glass beads, sand, glass wool, synthetic fiber felt, glass frit, plastic mesh, and their combinations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said alternating layers of at least two kinds have a shape of stacked disks, thereby providing different separating properties in radial and axial directions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said packing having different structure in at least two different directions comprises aligned porous fiber, thereby providing different separating properties in directions perpendicular and parallel to the fiber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said aligned porous fiber is selected from the group consisting of porous silica fiber and porous synthetic organic fiber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said packing having different structure in at least two different directions comprises solid porous material having the property of chromatographic separation of mixtures and a plurality of aligned channels going through said material in, essentially, one direction, thereby providing different separating properties in directions perpendicular and parallel to said channels.