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A method and apparatus for adsorptive fractionation of a gaseous mixture. A twin tower fractionator or dryer apparatus includes a pair of sorbent beds. A filter and valve assembly directs a flow of the gaseous mixture from a source thereof to one of the beds for removing a gaseous component of said

A method and apparatus for adsorptive fractionation of a gaseous mixture. A twin tower fractionator or dryer apparatus includes a pair of sorbent beds. A filter and valve assembly directs a flow of the gaseous mixture from a source thereof to one of the beds for removing a gaseous component of said mixture while simultaneously directing a flow of purge gas through the other of said beds for stripping the adsorbed gas component therefrom and regenerating the bed. Microprocessor controlled valves control the flow of gases to and from said beds. The towers and associated manifolds are twin bore extrusion prism shaped of heat conductive material. The parallel bores extend axially longitudinally through the tower extrusion with each bore adapted to contain a sorbent bed or bed cartridge. Conductivity probes are used to sense the moisture or adsorbed component front in the sorbent bed. The adsorption cycle is controlled by controlling the cycling of the purge-valves which control flow of purge or regeneration gas through one of the beds while the other is on stream for adsorption.

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A method of controlling gas flow for the adsorptive fractionation of gases in a twin tower gas fractionation apparatus including a generally elongated prism shaped tower of heat conductive material integrally defining first and second parallel tower bores extending axially longitudinally through sai

A method of controlling gas flow for the adsorptive fractionation of gases in a twin tower gas fractionation apparatus including a generally elongated prism shaped tower of heat conductive material integrally defining first and second parallel tower bores extending axially longitudinally through said tower, said first and second tower bores containing first and second sorbent beds respectively, an input manifold sealingly secured to said tower at one end thereof, an output manifold sealingly secured to said tower at the other end thereof, the tower bores extending between the input and output manifolds, each of said manifolds being formed as an elongated prism, means in each said manifold defining first and second parallel manifold bores extending therein, means in each manifold for communicating the first and second manifold bores with the corresponding first and second tower bores respectively, said inlet manifold including in communication with each manifold bore an inlet gas port for receiving a gaseous mixture to be fractionated and an outlet port for discharging purge gas to regenerate or purge the sorbent bed in the corresponding tower bore, and said outlet manifold including in communication with each manifold bore an outlet gas port for discharging fractionated gas and a restricted orifice opening extending between said first and second outlet manifold bores for introducing purge gas from said stream of fractionated gas in one outlet manifold bore to the other outlet manifold bore, an inlet gas control assembly comprising an inlet housing mounted on said inlet manifold in operative alignment with said inlet gas ports, a shuttle valve in said inlet housing including first and second shuttle valve members operatively positioned for selectively opening and closing said first and second inlet gas ports respectively in response to a relative predetermined pressure differential in the first and second inlet manifold bores, an outlet gas control assembly including an outlet housing mounted on said outlet manifold in operative alignment with said outlet gas ports, a check valve operatively positioned in said outlet housing for controlling the fractionated gas flow from the associated outlet gas port in relation to the pressure at the outlet gas port, and first and second pilot controlled purge valves operatively mounted on said inlet manifold in communication with the outlet port of said first and second inlet manifold bores respectively; said method comprising the steps of directing a flow of the pressurized gaseous mixture to be fractionated containing a component to be adsorbed from a source thereof to said shuttle valve, withdrawing a major flow of pressurized gas lower in said adsorbable component from one outlet gas port of said outlet housing while conducting a minor flow of said gas lower in said adsorbable component at a predetermined lower pressure as a purge gas through the restricted orifice opening from the one bore to the other bore of said outlet manifold, the pressure of the major flow of pressurized gas in the one bore of the outlet manifold corresponding to the sorbent bed receiving the flow of pressurized gaseous mixture being sufficient to open the check valve operatively associated with the one outlet gas port of the one bore, the predetermined lower pressure of the minor flow of gas conducted by the restricted orifice opening to the other bore of the outlet manifold being insufficient to open the check valve operatively associated with the outlet gas port of the other bore, opening the first one of said purge valves for exhausting purge gas from the corresponding first of said sorbent beds, the opening of said first purge valve effecting a pressure reduction in said first corresponding sorbent bed and in the first manifold bore associated therewith, said pressure reduction causing said shuttle valve to shift to close the corresponding inlet port to said first inlet manifold bore and simultaneously open the inlet port to the second inlet manifold bore to direct the flow of pressurized gaseous mixture to the second sorbent bed wherein said adsorbable gas component is at least partially removed from the gaseous mixture, closing said first purge valve after a first purge time sufficient to purge said first one of said sorbent beds of the adsorbed gas component, flowing pressurized gas through said second one of said sorbent beds for a first adsorbing time period at least equal to said first purge time but not exceeding the time period in which said second sorbent bed would become saturated with said adsorbable gas component, and at the end of said first adsorbing time period opening the second one of said purge valves to exhaust purge gas from said second sorbent bed and simultaneously effect a pressure reduction in the second inlet manifold bore and in the corresponding second sorbent bed, the pressure reduction causing said shuttle valve to shift to close said second corresponding inlet gas port and open the first inlet gas port corresponding to said first inlet manifold and first sorbent bed to direct the pressurized gaseous mixture thereto wherein said adsorbable gas component is at least partially removed from the gaseous mixture, and continuously repeating said steps to alternately shift said sorbent beds from adsorption to purge by directly controlling the opening and closing of substantially only the first and second purge valves, thereby to provide for the continuous adsorption of said adsorbable gas component from said pressurized gas. In an apparatus for adsorptive fractionation of a gaseous mixture, including at least a pair of sorbent beds, means for directing a flow of the gaseous mixture from a source thereof to one of the beds for removing a gaseous component of said mixture while simultaneously directing a flow of purge gas through the other of said beds for stripping the adsorbed gas component thereform, and means for controlling the flow of said gases to and from said beds, the improvement comprising, a generally elongated prism shaped tower of heat conductive material, and means integrally in said tower prism defining a pair of parallel tower bores extending axially longitudinally through said tower, and said tower bores being adapted each to contain a sorbent bed, an input manifold sealingly secured to said tower at one end thereof, an output manifold sealingly secured to said tower at the other end thereof, the tower bores extending between the input and output manifolds, esch of said manifolds being formed as a one-piece elongated prism, means integrally in each said manifold defining a pair of parallel longitudinally extending manifold bores, means in each manifold defining a communication port for communicating each manifold bore with a different one of said tower bores, said inlet manifold including inlet gas ports for receiving a gaseous mixture to be fractionated and outlet ports for discharging purge gas, said outlet manifold including outlet gas ports for discharging fractionated gas, and said tower prism and said inlet and outlet manifolds having essentially the same cross-sectional configuration taken transverse to the bores therethrough.