Heat and mass transfer

Claim 1

A method of increasing reaction rates in a chemisorption reaction process in which a polar gas is repeatedly alternately absorbed and desorbed on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said polar gas on a metal salt, said complex compound capable of having a first density if allowed to expand without restriction during said adsorption, said method comprising: controlling the volumetric expansion of said complex compound formed during at least the initial adsorption reaction of said polar gas on said metal salt to form at least a partially structurally immobilized, self-supporting, coherent, reaction product mass having a second density and capable of increased reaction rates in which the number of moles of gaseous reactant adsorbed and/or desorbed per mole of said salt, per hour, is increased as compared to a complex compound formed without controlling said volumetric expansion and carrying out said chemisorption reaction process using said complex compound having said second density at said increased reaction rates.

Claim 2

A method of increasing reaction rates in a chemisorption reaction process in which a polar gas is repeatedly alternately absorbed and desorbed on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said polar gas on a metal salt, said complex compound capable of having a first density if allowed to expand without restriction during said adsorption, said method comprising: controlling the volumetric expansion of said complex compound formed during at least the initial adsorption reaction of said polar gas on said metal salt to form at least a partially structurally immobilized, self-supporting, coherent, reaction product mass having a second density and capable of increased reaction rates in which the number of moles of gaseous reactant adsorbed and/or desorbed per mole of said salt, per hour, is increased as compared to a complex compound formed without controlling said volumetric expansion and carrying out said chemisorption reaction process using said complex compound having said second density at said increased reaction rates.

Claim 9

A method of increasing reaction rates in a chemisorption reaction process in which a polar gas is repeatedly alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said polar gas on a metal salt in one or more reaction chambers, said complex compound capable of having a first density if allowed to expand without restriction during said adsorption, said method comprising: determining the chemisorption process parameters and reaction conditions for which said process is to be used, selecting a metal salt and polar gas to be used in said process, determining desired chemisorption reaction rates for said metal salt and polar gas, determining the mass diffusion path length for said polar gas comprising a first reactor dimension and the thermal diffusion path length comprising a second reaction dimension, which will result in the said desired chemisorption reaction rates, providing a reactor having said one or more reaction chambers having said first and second dimensions, and carrying out said chemisorption reaction in said reactor while controlling the volumetric expansion of said complex compound during at least the initial adsorption reaction to form a reaction product in which at least a portion of the mass is structurally immobilized and self-supporting, having a second density and capable of increased chemisorption reaction rates as compared to a complex compound formed without controlling said volumetric expansion, and carrying out said reaction process using said complex compound having said second density at said increased reaction rates.

Claim 10

A method of increasing reaction rates in a chemisorption reaction process in which a polar gas is repeatedly alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said polar gas on a metal salt in one or more reaction chambers, said complex compound capable of having a first density if allowed to expand without restriction during said adsorption, said method comprising: determining the chemisorption process parameters and reaction conditions for which said process is to be used, selecting a metal salt and polar gas to be used in said process, determining desired chemisorption reaction rates for said metal salt and polar gas, determining the mass diffusion path length for said polar gas comprising a first reactor dimension and the thermal diffusion path length comprising a second reaction dimension, which will result in the said desired chemisorption reaction rates, providing a reactor having said one or more reaction chambers having said first and second dimensions, and carrying out said chemisorption reaction in said reactor while controlling the volumetric expansion of said complex compound during at least the initial adsorption reaction to form a reaction product in which at least a portion of the mass is structurally immobilized and self-supporting, having a second density and capable of increased chemisorption reaction rates as compared to a complex compound formed without controlling said volumetric expansion, and carrying out said reaction process using said complex compound having said second density at said increased reaction rates.

Claim 19

A method of increasing reaction rates in a chemisorption reaction process in which a polar gas is alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a reaction produce of zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina or silica gel and said polar gas, said method comprising: mixing said zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina or silica gel with a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal zinc, cadmium, tin aluminum, sodium borofluoride, or double metal chloride. introducing the mixture of said zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina or silica gel and said metal salt in a reaction chamber, and adsorbing said polar gas on said mixture while limiting the volumetric expansion of the reaction product during at least the initial adsorption reaction to form at least a partially coherent, cohesive, physically self-supporting reaction product capable of increased chemisorption reaction rates as compared to a mixture in which said complex compound is formed without controlling said volumetric expansion, and carrying out said reaction process using said mixture containing said reaction product at said increased chemisorption reaction rates.

Claim 20

A method of increasing reaction rates in a chemisorption reaction process in which a polar gas is alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a reaction produce of zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina or silica gel and said polar gas, said method comprising: mixing said zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina or silica gel with a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal zinc, cadmium, tin aluminum, sodium borofluoride, or double metal chloride. introducing the mixture of said zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina or silica gel and said metal salt in a reaction chamber, and adsorbing said polar gas on said mixture while limiting the volumetric expansion of the reaction product during at least the initial adsorption reaction to form at least a partially coherent, cohesive, physically self-supporting reaction product capable of increased chemisorption reaction rates as compared to a mixture in which said complex compound is formed without controlling said volumetric expansion, and carrying out said reaction process using said mixture containing said reaction product at said increased chemisorption reaction rates.

Claim 25

A method of increasing reaction rates in a sorption reaction process in which a non-polar gas is alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a reaction product of said gas and an adsorbent comprising zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina, silica gel or a metal hydride, said method comprising: mixing said adsorbent with a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, oxalate, sulfate, or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin aluminum, sodium boroflouride, or double metal chloride, introducing said mixture in a reaction chamber, adsorbing a polar gas on said mixture and forming a complex compound of said polar gas and said metal salt while limiting the volumetric expansion of the complex compound during at least the initial adsorption reaction to form at least a partially coherent, cohesive, physically self-supporting reaction product capable of increased reaction rates as compared to a complex compound formed without limiting the volumetric expansion, desorbing said polar gas from said complex compound and purging said polar gas from said reaction chamber, and introducing said non-polar gas into said reaction chamber and carrying out said sorption reaction at said increased reaction rates.

Claim 26

A method of increasing reaction rates in a sorption reaction process in which a non-polar gas is alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a reaction product of said gas and an adsorbent comprising zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina, silica gel or a metal hydride, said method comprising: mixing said adsorbent with a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, oxalate, sulfate, or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin aluminum, sodium boroflouride, or double metal chloride, introducing said mixture in a reaction chamber, adsorbing a polar gas on said mixture and forming a complex compound of said polar gas and said metal salt while limiting the volumetric expansion of the complex compound during at least the initial adsorption reaction to form at least a partially coherent, cohesive, physically self-supporting reaction product capable of increased reaction rates as compared to a complex compound formed without limiting the volumetric expansion, desorbing said polar gas from said complex compound and purging said polar gas from said reaction chamber, and introducing said non-polar gas into said reaction chamber and carrying out said sorption reaction at said increased reaction rates.