Dual product pressure swing adsorption process and system

Claim 2

In a pressure swing adsorption process for the recovery of either oxygen or nitrogen product in an adsorption system having at least one adsorbent bed containing adsorbent material capable of selectively adsorbing either oxygen or nitrogen as a more readily adsorbable component of feed air, said process comprising, on a cyclic basis in each bed, an adsorption/desorption/repressurization sequence in which a desired product is recovered from the system and a waste stream is discharged from said system, the improvement comprising: (a) separating a portion of the waste stream from a net waste portion thereof, the portion separated having a non-product component purity higher than the average purity level of said component in the waste stream, said purity level being at least equal to a minimum acceptable level desired for said non-product component; (b) passing the separated portion of the waste stream from the system as a high purity second product; and (c) discharging said net waste portion from the system, whereby high purity oxygen and nitrogen streams are both recovered, such dual product recovery enhancing the overall air separation operation.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 in which the more readily adsorbable component comprises nitrogen and oxygen is a less readily adsorbable component of feed air.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 in which oxygen is the desired product, with high purity nitrogen comprising the second product.

Claim 5

The process of claim 2 in which nitrogen is the desired product, with high purity oxygen comprising the second product.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 and including monitoring the instantaneous purity of the waste stream, with said waste stream being separated from the net waste whenever its purity meets or exceeds said minimum acceptable level.

Claim 7

The process of claim 5 in which oxygen is the desired product.

Claim 8

The process of claim 6 in which said adsorbent material comprises zeolitic molecular sieve material capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen as the more readily adsorbable component of feed air.

Claim 9

The process of claim 5 in which nitrogen is the desired product.

Claim 10

The process of claim 8 in which said adsorbent material comprises zeolitic molecular sieve material capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen as the more readily adsorbable component of feed air.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 in which the separated portion of the waste stream passes to a storage tank, with the purity of the separated portion of non-product component in the storage tank being monitored and said separated portion of the waste stream passing to said storage tank for the period of time during which the purity of said separated portion of non-product component meets or exceeds said minimum acceptable level.

Claim 12

The process of claim 10 in which said more readily adsorbable component comprises nitrogen and the less readily adsorbable component comprises oxygen.

Claim 13

The process of claim 11 in which oxygen is the desired product, with high purity nitrogen comprising the second product.

Claim 14

The process of claim 11 in which nitrogen is the desired product, with high purity oxygen comprising the second product.

Claim 15

The process of claim 1 and including presetting the time increments during which a portion of the waste stream is separated from the net waste so that said separated portion of the waste stream has a purity that meets or exceeds said minimum acceptable level.

Claim 16

The process of claim 14 in which said adsorbent material comprises zeolitic molecular sieve material capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen as the more readily adsorbable component of feed air.

Claim 17

The process of claim 15 in which oxygen is the desired product.

Claim 18

The process of claim 15 in which nitrogen is the desired product.

Claim 19

The process of claim 1 and including passing the separated portion of the waste stream to a storage tank, monitoring the amount of said separated portion of the waste stream passed to the storage tank, and diverting additional amounts of the waste stream for discharge when said storage tank is filled with said separated portion of the waste stream.

Claim 20

In a pressure swing adsorption system for the recovery of either oxygen or nitrogen product in an adsorption system having at least one adsorbent bed containing adsorbent material capable of selectively adsorbing either oxygen or nitrogen as a more readily adsorbable component of feed air, said system being adapted for operation of a processing sequence comprising adsorption, desorption and repressurization in which a desired product is recovered from the system and a waste stream is discharged from said system, the improvement comprising: (a) control means for separating a portion of said waste stream from a net waste portion thereof, the portion separated having a non-product component purity higher than the average purity level of said component in the waste stream, said purity level being at least equal to a minimum acceptable level established for said non-product component; (b) conduit means for passing the portion of the non-product component separated from the system as a high purity second product; and (c) conduit means for discharging the net waste portion from the system; whereby high purity oxygen and nitrogen streams are both recovered, such dual product recovery enhancing the overall air separation operation.

Claim 21

In a pressure swing adsorption system for the recovery of either oxygen or nitrogen product in an adsorption system having at least one adsorbent bed containing adsorbent material capable of selectively adsorbing either oxygen or nitrogen as a more readily adsorbable component of feed air, said system being adapted for operation of a processing sequence comprising adsorption, desorption and repressurization in which a desired product is recovered from the system and a waste stream is discharged from said system, the improvement comprising: (a) control means for separating a portion of said waste stream from a net waste portion thereof, the portion separated having a non-product component purity higher than the average purity level of said component in the waste stream, said purity level being at least equal to a minimum acceptable level established for said non-product component; (b) conduit means for passing the portion of the non-product component separated from the system as a high purity second product; and (c) conduit means for discharging the net waste portion from the system; whereby high purity oxygen and nitrogen streams are both recovered, such dual product recovery enhancing the overall air separation operation.

Claim 22

The system of claim 19 in which said adsorbent material is capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen as the more readily adsorbable component of feed air.

Claim 23

The system of claim 19 and including analyzer means for monitoring the instantaneous purity of the waste stream, and control means for separating said portion of the waste stream from the net waste stream whenever its purity meets or exceeds said minimum acceptable level.

Claim 24

The system of claim 21 in which said desired product comprises oxygen.

Claim 25

The system of claim 21 in which said desired product comprises nitrogen.

Claim 26

The system of claim 21 in which said adsorbent material comprises zeolitic molecular sieve material capable of selective adsorbing nitrogen as the more readily adsorbable component of feed air.

Claim 27

The system of claim 21 in which said adsorption system comprises two to four adsorbent beds.

Claim 28

The system of claim 19 and including (1) a storage tank for said separated portion of the waste stream, (2) conduit means for passing said separated portion the storage tank, (3) analyzer means for monitoring the purity of the separated portion of non-product component in said storage tank, and (4) control means for passing said separated portion of the waste stream to said storage tank for the period of time during which the purity of the separated portion of non-product component meets or exceeds said minimum acceptable level.

Claim 29

The system of claim 26 in which said more readily adsorbable component of feed air comprises nitrogen.

Claim 30

The system of claim 27 in which the desired product is oxygen.

Claim 31

The system of claim 27 in which the desired product is nitrogen.

Claim 32

The system of claim 26 in which said adsorption system comprises two adsorbent beds.

Claim 33

The system of claim 19 and including control means for presetting the time increments during which a portion of the waste gas is separated from the net waste, such that said separated portion of the waste stream has a purity that meets or exceeds said minimum acceptable level.

Claim 34

The system of claim 31 in which said adsorbent material comprises zeolitic molecular sieve material capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen as the more readily adsorbable component of feed air.

Claim 35

The system of claim 31 in which said adsorption system comprises two to four adsorbent beds.

Claim 36

The system of claim 33 in which said adsorption system comprises two adsorbent beds.

Claim 37

The system of claim 19 and including (1) conduit means for passing the separated portion of the waste stream to a storage tank, (2) monitoring means for determining the amount of said separated portion of the waste stream passed to the storage tank, and (3) control means for diverting additional amounts of said waste stream for discharge when said storage tank is filled with said separated portion of the waste stream.

Claim 38

The system of claim 19 in which said adsorption system comprises from two to four adsorbent beds.

Claim 39

The system of claim 36 in which said adsorption system comprises two adsorbent beds.