Carbon Dioxide Sorbed Patents (Class 95/139)
  • Patent number: 6911065
    Abstract: A fluid purifying apparatus that includes a manifold that includes a first branch and a second branch, a first check valve coupled to the first branch of the manifold, and a purifier unit that includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the second branch of the manifold. Also, a fluid purifying apparatus that includes a vessel that includes a first interior compartment for containing a purifier material and a second interior compartment for containment of a fluid containing impurities, wherein the first interior compartment is separated from the second interior compartment by a fluid permeable support, and a rupturable seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc.
    Inventors: Tadaharu Watanabe, Robert Torres, Jr., Joseph Vininski
  • Patent number: 6908497
    Abstract: New low-cost CO2 sorbents are provided that can be used in large-scale gas-solid processes. A new method is provided for making these sorbents that involves treating substrates with an amine and/or an ether so that the amine and/or ether comprise at least 50 wt. percent of the sorbent. The sorbent acts by capturing compounds contained in gaseous fluids via chemisorption and/or physisorption between the unit layers of the substrate's lattice where the polar amine liquids and solids and/or polar ether liquids and solids are located. The method eliminates the need for high surface area supports and polymeric materials for the preparation of CO2 capture systems, and provides sorbents with absorption capabilities that are independent of the sorbents' surface areas. The sorbents can be regenerated by heating at temperatures in excess of 35° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy
    Inventor: Ranjani V. Sirwardane
  • Patent number: 6902602
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and processes for adsorptive gas separations where a first gas mixture including components A and B is to be separated so that a first product of the separation is enriched in component A, while component B is mixed with a third gas component C contained in a displacement purge stream to form a second gas mixture including components B and C, and with provision to prevent cross contamination of component C into the first product containing component A, or of component A into the second gas mixture containing component C. The invention may be applied to hydrogen (component A) enrichment from syngas mixtures, where dilute carbon dioxide (component B) is to be rejected such as directly to the atmosphere, and with preferably nitrogen-enriched air as the displacement purge stream containing residual oxygen (component C).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: QuestAir Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Bowie G. Keefer, Matthew L. Babicki, Andre Jason Joseph Boulet, Aaron M. Pelman, Brian G. Sellars, Surajit Roy
  • Patent number: 6893483
    Abstract: A gas adsorption composite a high density adsorbent including a high density layer having a first density of at least 0.3 g/cc; and a low density adsorbent having a low density layer having a second density of less than 0.3 g/cc, wherein the high density adsorbent is in substantially contiguous contact with the low density adsorbent and each of the high density adsorbent and the low density adsorbent has an adsorbent surface area of at least 500 m2/g. A pressure swing adsorption process for recovering a product gas from a feed gas, the process including supplying a pressure swing adsorption apparatus including a gas adsorption composite, feeding a feed gas into the pressure swing adsorption apparatus during a feed period not exceeding 100 seconds and recovering the product gas from the pressure swing adsorption apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Catherine Marie Anne Golden, Timothy Christopher Golden, Paula Jean Battavio
  • Patent number: 6866702
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for absorbing carbon dioxide, which is equipped along an automobile exhaust pipe and a factory chimney. The present invention also relates to a method for absorbing carbon dioxide. According to the present invention, there is provided a device for absorbing carbon dioxide, comprising a housing 4 of a material having air permeability; a cement composition for absorbing carbon dioxide, enclosed inside the housing 4; and a pipe 5 across the housing, the pipe having an inlet 2 and an outlet 3. According to the present invention, when a gas is introduced from the inlet 2, carbon dioxide in the gas is absorbed by the carbon dioxide absorbing materials such as a cement composition enclosed in the housing 4. The gas is discharged from the outlet 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: International Environmental Conservative Association, Inc.
    Inventor: Hisateru Mitsuda
  • Patent number: 6863713
    Abstract: An adsorbent composition containing a modified carbonaceous material capable of adsorbing an adsorbate is disclosed, wherein at least one organic group is attached to the carbonaceous material. Furthermore, methods to increase the adsorption capacity of a carbonaceous material capable of adsorbing an adsorbate and methods to adsorb an adsorbate using the above-described adsorbent composition are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Cabot Corporation
    Inventors: Ranjan Ghosal, James A. Belmont, Douglas M. Smith, Jameel Menashi
  • Patent number: 6849106
    Abstract: Conducting a PSA process for the purification of gaseous hydrogen contaminated at least with CO and N2 of the H1 where the gas stream to be purified is passed through an adsorption region comprising at least one adsorbent based on zeolite 5A and one adsorbent based on zeolite X exchanged with calcium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: CECA S.A.
    Inventor: Remi Le Bec
  • Patent number: 6824589
    Abstract: Regenerable gas purifier materials are provided capable of reducing the level of contaminants such as oxygen and water in an inert, nonreactive or reactive gas stream to parts-per-billion levels or sub-parts-per-billion levels. The purifier materials of this invention comprise a thin layer of one or more reduced forms of a metal oxide coated on the surface of a nonreactive substrate. The thin layer may further contain the completely reduced form of the metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Matheson Tri-Gas
    Inventors: Tadaharu Watanabe, Dan Fraenkel, Robert Torres, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6824588
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for purifying the air used in cryogenic air separation are described, which are capable of effectively removing nitrogen oxides and/or hydrocarbons. The apparatus comprises an adsorber comprising an adsorption cylinder that has a first adsorbing layer and a second adsorbing layer therein. The first adsorbing layer is composed of a first adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing water in the air. The second adsorbing layer is composed of a second adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen oxide and/or hydrocarbon in the air passing the first adsorbing layer, wherein the second adsorbent comprises an X zeolite containing magnesium ion as an ion-exchangeable cation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Sanso Corporation
    Inventors: Morimitsu Nakamura, Kazuhiko Fujie, Yasuo Tatsumi, Masato Kawai
  • Patent number: 6824590
    Abstract: A process for separating a feed gas into at least one product gas includes: (a) providing a gas separation apparatus with at least one adsorption layer including a lithium-exchanged FAU adsorbent having water desorption characteristics, defined by drying curves, similar to those for the corresponding fully sodium-exchanged FAU, a heat of adsorption for carbon dioxide equal to or lower than that for the corresponding fully sodium-exchanged FAU at high loadings of carbon dioxide, and onto which the adsorption layer water and/or carbon dioxide adsorb; (b) feeding into the gas separation apparatus a feed gas including nitrogen, oxygen, and at least one of water and carbon dioxide; and (c) collecting from a product end of the gas separation apparatus at least one product gas containing oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Paul Dee, Robert Ling Chiang, Gregory John Gondecki, Roger Dean Whitley, Jane Elizabeth Ostroski
  • Patent number: 6821316
    Abstract: A method comprising two adsorbers which follow each a phase-shifted cycle successively consisting in an adsorption phase, at high pressure of the cycle, and a regeneration phase, ending in repressurizing of the adsorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et, l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Guillard, Jan-Marc Peyron
  • Patent number: 6770120
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a vessel and a radial adsorption bed within the vessel and either an axial adsorption bed for a storage tank within the inner diameter of the radial adsorption bed. In one example, the radial adsorption bed surrounds an axial adsorption bed. A process that can be conducted in the vessel includes directing a gas mixture across the radial adsorption bed, thereby causing adsorption of at least a portion of a gas component present in the gas mixture and producing partially purified product. The partially purified gas is directed through the axial adsorption bed, thereby causing further purification of the partially purified gas and producing product gas. In another example, the radial adsorption bed surrounds a storage tank. The storage tank can be employed to store a gas generated or used in a separation process conducted in the radial adsorption bed. For instance, the storage tank can be employed to store product gas or void gas generated in a vacuum/pressure swing adsorption process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard Thomas Neu, James Smolarek, Mark Thomas Emley
  • Publication number: 20040144251
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for absorbing carbon dioxide, which is equipped along an automobile exhaust pipe and a factory chimney. The present invention also relates to a method for absorbing carbon dioxide. According to the present invention, there is provided a device for absorbing carbon dioxide, comprising a housing 4 of a material having air permeability; a cement composition for absorbing carbon dioxide, enclosed inside the housing 4; and a pipe 5 across the housing, the pipe having an inlet 2 and an outlet 3. According to the present invention, when a gas is introduced from the inlet 2, carbon dioxide in the gas is absorbed by the carbon dioxide absorbing materials such as a cement composition enclosed in the housing 4. The gas is discharged from the outlet 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION, INC.
    Inventor: Hisateru Mitsuda
  • Publication number: 20040129136
    Abstract: An adsorber vessel for use in the adsorption of a component from a gas and subsequent regeneration by thermally induced desorption of said component comprises an inlet for regeneration gas having an inlet nozzle containing at least one heater element, and an outlet for regeneration gas, said inlet and outlet for regeneration gas being separated by a flow path including a flow chamber containing a body of adsorbent, and wherein said body of adsorbent has a first end which is adjacent said inlet for regeneration gas and a second end which is remote from said inlet for regeneration gas, and the or each heater element is located so as not to penetrate through said first end of the body of adsorbent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Christopher Richard Haben, Mohammad Ali Kalbassi, Declan Patrick O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20040123737
    Abstract: A process for the separation and recovery of carbon dioxide from waste gases produced by combustible oxidation is described comprising the steps of feeding a flow of waste gas to a gas semipermeable material, separating a gaseous flow comprising high concentrated carbon dioxide from said flow of waste gas through said gas semipermeable material, and employing at least a portion of said gaseous flow comprising high concentrated carbon dioxide as feed raw material in an industrial production plant and/or stockpiling at least a portion of said gaseous flow comprising carbon dioxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Ermanno Filippi, Federico Zardi
  • Patent number: 6755892
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions emanating from a gas source includes a CO2 sorbent bed containing a regenerable sorbent. Exhaust gases flow through the CO2 sorbent bed before being released into the atmosphere. The CO2 sorbent bed traps CO2 contained within the exhaust gas to control the amount of CO2 finally exhausted to the atmosphere. At least two CO2 sorbent beds are used such that while one is absorbing CO2 from the gas stream another is being regenerated. The CO2 sorbent bed is regenerated to release the trapped CO2 for disposal or use in other processes. The CO2 sorbent beds are cycled between absorbing CO2 and regenerating to optimize absorption of CO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand
    Inventors: Timothy A. Nalette, William Papale, Tom Filburn
  • Publication number: 20040118279
    Abstract: A process for the reduction of the level of a component in a feed gas such as air involving passing the gas to at least three parallel thermal swing adsorption zones charged with an adsorbent and operating according to an adsorption cycle. The cycle of each zone is phased with respect to that of the other zones so that at any point during the cycle, the number of zones in the adsorption step is greater than the number of zones not in the adsorption step. Thermal swing adsorption apparatus having at least three parallel thermal swing adsorption zones and means for controlling the flow of the feed gas through the zones such that each bed undergoes repeated cycles which are out of phase with the cycles for the other vessels provided that, in use, at least two vessels are in the adsorption step at any time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: Mohammad Ali Kalbassi, Paul Higginbotham
  • Patent number: 6752851
    Abstract: The gas separation and purification process can recover efficiently a valuable gas such as krypton and xenon to be used as an atmospheric gas in a semiconductor manufacturing equipment etc. by means of PSA process. In the process for separating a valuable gas in the form of purified product from a mixed gas, used as a raw gas, containing the valuable gas by means of pressure swing adsorption process, the valuable gas is separated and purified by using as the pressure swing adsorption process a combination of equilibrium pressure swing adsorption process for separating gas components based on the difference in equilibrium adsorption and rate-dependent pressure swing adsorption process for separating the gas components based on the difference in adsorption rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Sanso Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Kawai, Akihiro Nakamura, Tooru Nagasaka, Shigeru Hayashida
  • Patent number: 6740141
    Abstract: A method for removing at least one contaminant selected from the group consisting of H2S and CO2 from contaminating streams, including the steps of providing an above ground stream comprising hydrocarbon containing the at least one contaminant, and positioning metal-containing nanoparticles having a particle size of less than or equal to about 100 nm in the stream, the metal-containing nanoparticles being selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal hydroxides and combinations thereof, whereby the nanoparticles adsorb the contaminants from the stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignees: Intevep, S.A., NanoScale Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Espin, Aaron Ranson, Mariela Araujo, Kenneth Klabunde, Shawn Decker, Slawomir Winecki
  • Patent number: 6736879
    Abstract: An adsorption method is disclosed for removal of acid gas from a sulfur compound stream. The method relates to a novel process to remove acid gas from a sulfur compound stream by adsorption on an adsorption media adsorbent followed by regeneration of the adsorption media after the adsorption capacity has been reached. The adsorption media comprises an activated alumina, which has been previously treated with one or more alkali metal compounds, one or more alkaline earth metal compounds, or a mixture thereof; and then regenerating the adsorbent after the adsorption capacity has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Dan M. Hasenberg, Stan A. Zisman, Mitchell D. Refvik
  • Patent number: 6723155
    Abstract: A method for removing a first and a second minor component from a gas mixture comprising the first and second minor components and one or more major components. The method comprises providing a first adsorbent zone containing a first adsorbent material and a second adsorbent zone containing a second adsorbent material wherein the selectivity of the first adsorbent material for the first minor component relative to the second minor component is greater than the selectivity of the second adsorbent material for the first minor component relative to the second minor component. The average particle diameter of the first adsorbent material and the average particle diameter of the second adsorbent material preferably are substantially the same. The gas mixture is passed through the first adsorbent zone and subsequently through the second adsorbent zone. A purified gas containing the one or more major components and depleted in the first and second minor component is withdrawn from the second adsorbent zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Scott Weyrich, Shyam Ramchand Suchdeo, Christopher James Raiswell, Elizabeth Helen Salter
  • Patent number: 6719827
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for the removal of nitrous oxide from a feed gas stream using an adsorbent having a nitrogen diffusion parameter of 0.12 sec−1 or higher and a nitrous oxide capacity of 79 mmol/g/atm or higher at 30° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Christopher Golden, Fred William Taylor, Elizabeth Helen Salter, Mohammad Ali Kalbassi, Christopher James Raiswell
  • Patent number: 6712879
    Abstract: There is disclosed a carbon dioxide gas absorbent comprising lithium silicate, 0.5 mol % to 4.9 mol % of alkali carbonate per mole of the lithium silicate, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, calcium, iron, titanium and carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masahiro Kato, Sawako Yoshikawa, Kenji Essaki, Kazuaki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 6709483
    Abstract: A carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorption membrane or bed is operative to separate metabolic CO2 from an exhaust stream from a breathable atmosphere which is discharged from a closed habitable environment. The habitable environment is in a low ambient pressure surrounding. A portion of the scrubbed exhaust gas stream is diverted from the habitable environment and passed through a desorption chamber. The desorption chamber is open to the low ambient pressure surrounding to maintain a pressure which is slightly greater than the pressure in the ambient surrounding so that the desorption chamber gas stream will exit the system into the ambient surroundings. When the diverted exhaust gas enters the low pressure desorption pressure chamber its CO2 partial pressure content is reduced. The reduced CO2 partial pressure content of the gas stream in the desorption chamber enables the desorption chamber gas stream to remove CO2 from the adsorption membrane or bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corp.
    Inventor: Edward W. Hodgson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6709485
    Abstract: A process for removing chlorine gas from the tail gas stream of a chlor/alkali plant or other chemical processes comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a chlorine-, hydrogen-, and carbon dioxide-containing tail gas stream with a zeolite molecular sieve having a molecular pore diameter greater than the molecular diameter of the carbon dioxide and hydrogen and smaller than the molecular diameter of chlorine so that at least a portion of the carbon dioxide is absorbed onto the molecular sieve, and thereby producing a purified tail gas stream that contains substantially all of the chlorine and hydrogen values and a reduced amount or no amount of carbon dioxide values; and (b) contacting the purified tail gas stream with an aqueous sodium hydroxide scrubbing solution in order to remove substantially all of the chlorine values from the purified tail gas stream, whereby producing a purified sodium hypochlorite solution that is substantially free of sodium carbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Olin Corporation
    Inventors: Sanders H. Moore, James F. Pickering, Carey O. Burger
  • Patent number: 6709482
    Abstract: Trace impurities such as organic compounds and carbon monoxide in reactive fluids such as ammonia, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, and chlorine are reduced to sub-ppb levels using gas purifying systems that contain a preconditioned ultra-low emission (P-ULE) carbon. P-ULE is capable of removing impurities from a reactive fluid down to parts-per-billion (ppb) and sub-ppb levels without concurrently emitting other impurities such as moisture or carbon dioxide into the purified reactive fluid. The P-ULE carbon is prepared by heating a carbon material to temperatures from 300° C. to about 800° C. in an ultra-dry, inert gas stream, to produce an ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon material, subjecting the ULE carbon to a second activation process under a reactive gas atmosphere to produce a P-ULE carbon and storing the P-ULE carbon in an environment that minimizes contamination of the P-ULE prior to its use in a gas purifier system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc.
    Inventors: Hans H. Funke, Dan Fraenkel, Virginia H. Houlding
  • Publication number: 20040045434
    Abstract: A process for removing at least water and carbon dioxide from a feed gas stream of air, synthesis gas or natural gas is described, comprising the steps of: contacting the feed gas stream with a composite adsorbent comprising silica and metal oxide, wherein the composite adsorbent contains at least 50 wt % silica, to form a first purified gas stream, and regenerating the composite adsorbent at a temperature of 0 to 200° C. The process optionally further comprises contacting the first purified gas stream with a carbon dioxide adsorbent and/or a nitrous oxide or hydrocarbon adsorbent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Timothy Christopher Golden, Fred William Taylor, Elizabeth Helen Salter, Mohammad Ali Kalbassi, Christopher James Raiswell
  • Publication number: 20040025692
    Abstract: Product gas (Gpro) is separated from material gas (Gmat) by a PSA process utilizing a plurality of adsorption towers (A-C) each loaded with an adsorbent. The separation of the product gas (Gpro) is performed by repeating a cycle comprising an adsorption step, a decompression step, a desorption step, a cleaning step and a pressurization step. In the decompression step, remaining gas (Grem) as cleaning gas is introduced from one adsorption tower (C) to another adsorption tower (B). The amount of the remaining gas (Grem) introduced is 2 to 7 times the volume of the adsorbent loaded in the adsorption tower (B) as converted into volume at common temperature and under atmospheric pressure. To remove both of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide from the material gas (Gmat) by a single kind of adsorbent, use is made of zeolite having a faujasite structure with a Si/Al ratio lying in a range of 1 to 1.5 and a lithium-exchange ratio of no less than 95%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Toshihiko Sumida, Hiroaki Sasano, Masanori Miyake
  • Patent number: 6689194
    Abstract: Oxides of carbon and other impurities are removed from a hydrogen fuel supply stream (12) for a fuel cell (30). A getter element (20) sufficient for chemisorbing the oxides of carbon from the hydrogen is removably connected to the fuel cell anode side. The fuel stream is passed through the getter element so as to chemisorb the oxides of carbon onto the getter, thereby providing a purified stream of hydrogen (26) to the fuel cell anode. The getter is removed from the fuel cell when the getter is spent and replaced with a fresh getter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc
    Inventors: Steven D. Pratt, Sivakumar Muthuswamy, Ronald J. Kelley, Robert W. Pennisi
  • Publication number: 20030230194
    Abstract: Activated porous carbon fibers, whose active centers are formed by pores that are filled at least in part by carbon and/or metal and/or metal carbide, obtainable by carbonization of organic or inorganic polymers, the use thereof for the adsorption or separation of gaseous substances, in particular of CO2, and also a method for the production thereof. The method includes the following steps. The first step is production of a spinning mixture containing polyacrylonitrile-based polymer A and an organic or metallo-organic polymer B. The next step is spinning of the spinning mixture to form mixed fibers of polymer A and polymer B. The next step is stabilization of the mixed fiber by oxidation. The next step is carbonization or graphitization of the mixed fiber under non-oxidizing conditions in such a way that the polymer B forms a carbon and/or metal and/or metal carbide residue of at least 25 wt %, this residue forming active centers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Inventors: Michael Heine, Richard Neuert, Rainer Zimmermann-Chopin
  • Patent number: 6660064
    Abstract: A pressure swing adsorption process for recovering a product gas from a feed gas, includes: supplying a pressure swing adsorption apparatus including an adsorbent composition containing activated carbon as a major ingredient, wherein the adsorbent composition and the apparatus are substantially free of zeolite adsorbents; feeding a feed gas into the pressure swing adsorption apparatus during a feed period not exceeding 20 seconds; and recovering the product gas from the pressure swing adsorption apparatus. The process and apparatus are particularly suitable for use with fuel cells and other applications requiring compact, rapid cycling systems for producing high purity hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Christopher Golden, Edward Landis Weist
  • Publication number: 20030221555
    Abstract: A process for removing at least water and carbon dioxide from a feed gas stream of air, synthesis gas or natural gas is described, comprising the steps of:
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventors: Timothy Christopher Golden, Fred William Taylor, Elizabeth Helen Salter, Mohammad Ali Kalbassi, Christopher James Raiswell
  • Publication number: 20030209142
    Abstract: In a method for removing carbon dioxide from the exhaust gas from a gas turbine plant (11), which exhaust gas is subjected to a downstream heat recovery process (12, 33), preferably in the heat recovery steam generator (33) of a water/steam cycle (12), a simplification of the plant engineering is achieved by the fact that the carbon dioxide is removed from the exhaust gas (39) between the gas turbine plant (11) and the heat recovery process (12, 33), and that a rotating, regenerative absorber/desorber (22) is used to remove the carbon dioxide, the absorber side of which absorber/desorber is connected into the exhaust gas stream (39) and the desorber side of which absorber/desorber is connected into a carbon dioxide cycle (38).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventors: Armin Schimkat, Juergen Baum
  • Publication number: 20030200866
    Abstract: A method for removing a first and a second minor component from a gas mixture comprising the first and second minor components and one or more major components. The method comprises providing a first adsorbent zone containing a first adsorbent material and a second adsorbent zone containing a second adsorbent material wherein the selectivity of the first adsorbent material for the first minor component relative to the second minor component is greater than the selectivity of the second adsorbent material for the first minor component relative to the second minor component. The average particle diameter of the first adsorbent material and the average particle diameter of the second adsorbent material preferably are substantially the same. The gas mixture is passed through the first adsorbent zone and subsequently through the second adsorbent zone. A purified gas containing the one or more major components and depleted in the first and second minor component is withdrawn from the second adsorbent zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Gregory Scott Weyrich, Shyam Ramchand Suchdeo, Christopher James Raiswell, Elizabeth Helen Salter
  • Patent number: 6638340
    Abstract: Applicant has developed an improved adsorbent useful in removing contaminants from various air streams. The adsorbent contains a zeolite, an alumina and a metal component. The metal component is present in an amount at least 10 mol-% of the stoichiometric amount of metal (expressed as the oxide) needed to balance the negative charge of the zeolite lattice. In a specific application an adsorbent comprising zeolite X, alumina and sodium is used to purify an air stream in order to remove water, carbon dioxide and other impurities including hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Vladislav I. Kanazirev, Donald G. Latus
  • Patent number: 6630012
    Abstract: The present invention provides compact adsorption systems that are capable of rapid temperature swings and rapid cycling. Novel methods of thermal swing adsorption and thermally-enhanced pressure swing adsorption are also described. In some aspects of the invention, a gas is passed through the adsorbent thus allowing heat exchangers to be very close to all portions of the adsorbent and utilize less space. In another aspect, the adsorption media is selectively heated, thus reducing energy costs. Methods and systems for gas adsorption/desorption having improved energy efficiency with capability of short cycle times are also described. Advantages of the invention include the ability to use (typically) 30-100 times less adsorbent compared to conventional systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Robert S. Wegeng, Scot D. Rassat, Victoria S. Stenkamp, Ward E. TeGrotenhuis, Dean W. Matson, M. Kevin Drost, Vilayanur V. Viswanathan
  • Publication number: 20030172808
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the purification of gaseous hydrogen contaminated at least with CO and N2 of the H2 PSA type, where the gas stream to be purified is passed through an adsorption region comprising at least one adsorbent based on zeolite 5A and one adsorbent based on zeolite X exchanged with calcium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventor: Remi Le Bec
  • Patent number: 6616732
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel family of zeolite adsorbents comprising a mixture of zeolite X and zeolite LSX, these adsorbents being predominantly exchanged with sodium or with strontium. These adsorbents are particularly suited to the decarbonatation of gas flows contaminated by CO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Ceca, S.A.
    Inventors: Marie-Therese Grandmougin, Francis Mayolet, Jacques Rouet
  • Publication number: 20030164092
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for the removal of nitrous oxide from a feed gas stream using an adsorbent having a nitrogen diffusion parameter of 0.12 sec−1 or higher and a nitrous oxide capacity of 79 mmol/g/atm or higher at 30° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Timothy Christopher Golden, Fred William Taylor, Elizabeth Helen Salter, Mohammad Ali Kalbassi, Christopher James Raiswell
  • Patent number: 6610122
    Abstract: Water vapor is removed from a mixture of air, metabolic carbon dioxide (CO2), and water vapor prior to removing the CO2 from the mixture. The water vapor-containing mixture is passed through a membrane module which is operative to separate the water vapor from the air and CO2 mixture. The water vapor in the entering mixture will pass in one direction through the membrane in the module from an entry side of the membrane to an exit side of the membrane. The membrane divides the module into two chambers, one of which receives the water vapor-containing mixture, and the other of which receives CO2-free air from a CO2 adsorbant station. The water vapor-containing mixture is removed from a closed habitable environment such as a space station, a space suit, a submarine, or the like, and is moved through the membrane module where the water vapor is removed from the gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas Filburn, Karen Murdoch
  • Patent number: 6610124
    Abstract: A pressure swing adsorption process for the separation of impurities such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide and recovery of hydrocarbons from a natural gas stream utilizes two separate adsorption systems, the first containing an adsorbent selective for nitrogen, carbon dioxide or both and the second containing a hydrocarbon-selective adsorbent. In the process, the natural gas stream is passed through a first adsorbent to form a product stream enriched with methane and to adsorb nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide and which further co-adsorbs at least a portion of the hydrocarbons contained in the feed stream. The hydrocarbons are recovered by passing a low pressure waste stream from the first pressure swing adsorption stage which contains co-adsorbed nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons and directing the waste stream to the second pressure swing adsorption stage to adsorb the hydrocarbons and produce a product stream enriched in nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Engelhard Corporation
    Inventors: William Bachop Dolan, Michael J. Mitariten
  • Patent number: 6607584
    Abstract: A formed adsorbent material includes an adsorbent solid phase and a gas phase ensuring transport of the gaseous components right to the adsorbent, being such that the constants for the transport kinetics of the components adsorbable in the gas phase and in the solid phase are in a ratio of between 0.1 and 10 defined for a gas discharge velocity of 0.2 m/s measured on air at 1 bar and 20° C. or in a ratio of between 0.1 and 10, defined for a gas discharge velocity of 0.01 m/s measured on hydrogen at 30 bar and 40° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide-Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Serge Moreau, Xavier Badiche
  • Patent number: 6607582
    Abstract: The air distillation unit (2) has a low-pressure column (11C) which operates clearly above atmospheric pressure. The waste nitrogen coming from this column serves to purge, under low pressure, the air purification adsorbers (10A, 10B) in order to desorb them of the contaminants (water and CO2), then is mixed with the impure nitrogen stream sent directly to the nitrogen compressor (14) which feeds the combustion chamber (8) of the gas turbine (1). At the start of regeneration, each adsorber is decompressed down to atmospheric pressure, then brought back up to the low pressure by impure nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide - Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Giovanni Massimo, Jean Marc Peyron
  • Patent number: 6605132
    Abstract: A system for treating air for supply to an enclosed space in which the air is to be breathed, includes an inlet through which air can enter the system from atmosphere for supply to the enclosed space, and a regenerative adsorption assembly having at least two chambers which contain an adsorbent material, arranged so that air flowing in the inlet for supply to the enclosed space can pass through one of the chambers for adsorption of contaminants before supply to the enclosed space while adsorbent material in another of the chambers is purged of adsorbed contaminants. A recirculation path is provided for supplying air from the enclosed space to the inlet to be mixed with air from atmosphere before it is supplied to the enclosed space. The system includes structure for adjusting the resistance to flow of air through the recirculation path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Domnick Hunter Limited
    Inventor: Robert Michael Fielding
  • Patent number: 6599347
    Abstract: A method of operating a thermal swing adsorption process by determining a parameter relating to the water content of a feed gas, selecting process conditions for regeneration of the adsorbent in the thermal swing adsorption process based on the parameter and modifying the regeneration process conditions to accord with the selected process conditions for regeneration is disclosed. Apparatus for effecting this adsorption method and apparatus in which regeneration conditions are modified based on the actual ambient water content of the feed gas are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad Ali Kalbassi, Nasim Hassan Malik
  • Patent number: 6596248
    Abstract: In a method for removing carbon dioxide from the exhaust gas from a gas turbine plant (11), which exhaust gas is subjected to a downstream heat recovery process (12, 33), preferably in the heat recovery steam generator (33) of a water/steam cycle (12), a simplification of the plant engineering is achieved by the fact that the carbon dioxide is removed from the exhaust gas (39) between the gas turbine plant (11) and the heat recovery process (12, 33), and that a rotating, regenerative absorber/desorber (22) is used to remove the carbon dioxide, the absorber side of which absorber/desorber is connected into the exhaust gas stream (39) and the desorber side of which absorber/desorber is connected into a carbon dioxide cycle (38).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) Ltd
    Inventors: Armin Schimkat, Juergen Baum
  • Publication number: 20030126989
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for purifying a syngas of the CO/H2 or N2/H2 type, which consists in removing CO2 and possibly other gaseous impurities (water, etc.) before the gas undergoes a cryogenic process. These impurities are adsorbed by the gas stream to be purified passing over an NaLSX-type zeolite and then desorbed during a regeneration step which may be performed by raising the temperature (TSA) and/or reducing the pressure (PSA or VSA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: CECA S.A.
    Inventors: Stephane Bancon, Remi Le Bec
  • Publication number: 20030106430
    Abstract: A process for separating a feed gas into at least one product gas includes: (a) providing a gas separation apparatus with at least one adsorption layer including a lithium-exchanged FAU adsorbent having water desorption characteristics, defined by drying curves, similar to those for the corresponding fully sodium-exchanged FAU, a heat of adsorption for carbon dioxide equal to or lower than that for the corresponding fully sodium-exchanged FAU at high loadings of carbon dioxide, and onto which the adsorption layer water and/or carbon dioxide adsorb; (b) feeding into the gas separation apparatus a feed gas including nitrogen, oxygen, and at least one of water and carbon dioxide; and (c) collecting from a product end of the gas separation apparatus at least one product gas containing oxygen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: Douglas Paul Dee, Robert Ling Chiang, Gregory John Gondecki, Roger Dean Whitley, Jane Elizabeth Ostroski
  • Patent number: 6576044
    Abstract: A gas mixture comprised of nitric oxide and one or more impurities selected from nitrous oxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrous acid, sulfur dioxide, carbonyl sulfide, water vapor and carbon dioxide is purified by pressure swing adsorption or temperature swing adsorption using a porous, metal-free polymer adsorbent that does not promote the disproportionation of nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen or nitrous oxide. The adsorption step is preferably carried out at tempereatures in the range of about −120 to about 0° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin Wenpin Ho, Deming Tang, Walter H. Whitlock
  • Patent number: 6572681
    Abstract: Carbon monoxide (CO) is removed from a nitrogen and CO containing gas stream such as feed air to an air separation process for recovery of a nitrogen product gas stream or a nitrogen product gas stream from an air separation process by adsorbing CO from said gas stream before or after separation of oxygen from said gas stream to produce a product gas stream containing less than 5 ppb of CO by contacting said gas stream With a solid adsorbent such as a Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Ag, Pd, Co, Pt or Au exchanged zeolite and periodically regenerating the adsorbent by desorption of CO therefrom under a flow of regenerating gas, and, if said gas stream is said feed air, separating oxygen therefrom to produce said nitrogen product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Christopher Golden, Alexander Schwarz, Thomas Hsiao-Ling Hsiung, Fred William Taylor