초록 ▼

A first separation stage (A) separates nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor from atmospheric air. A mixture of oxygen and argon is passed from the first separation stage as the feed stock to a second separation stage (B). The second separation stage includes a pair of molecular sieve beds (90a,

A first separation stage (A) separates nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor from atmospheric air. A mixture of oxygen and argon is passed from the first separation stage as the feed stock to a second separation stage (B). The second separation stage includes a pair of molecular sieve beds (90a, 90b) which adsorb oxygen and pass argon. The feed stock is passed to one of the beds such that the oxygen is adsorbed and the argon flows through to an argon discharge port (96). When the first bed is reaching saturation, a secondary product valve (108) closes the argon discharge port, a flush valve (82) supplies high purity oxygen to the bed, and a product conservation valve (104) causes the oxygen and argon gas in the interstitial voids of the saturated bed to be channeled to the other bed. The other bed is at reduced pressure by virtue of having just had its adsorbed oxygen desorbed. After the primary product flushing gas has flushed all of the argon from the interstitial voids of the saturated bed into the other bed, the saturated bed is connected with a low pressure collection tank (110) and a compressor (112) which desorbs the adsorbed oxygen and pumps it into a high purity oxygen receiver tank (116). As the saturated bed is being desorbed, the feed stock is supplied to the other bed. The process is repeated cyclically.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of separating a primary product gas from a gaseous feed stock, the method comprising: feeding a flow of the feed stock under positive pressure into a first bed of molecular sieve medium which adsorbs the primary product gas and passes a secondary product gas therethrough; terminating the fl

A method of separating a primary product gas from a gaseous feed stock, the method comprising: feeding a flow of the feed stock under positive pressure into a first bed of molecular sieve medium which adsorbs the primary product gas and passes a secondary product gas therethrough; terminating the flow of the feed stock to the first bed and holding the first bed under pressure; while continuing to hold the first bed under pressure, supplying the primary product gas under pressure to the first bed to flush feed stock and secondary product gas from interstitial voids of the molecular sieve medium under pressure into a second vessel; recovering the primary product gas adsorbed on the molecular sieve medium of the first bed at a positive pressure; increasing the positive pressure of at least a portion of the recovered primary product gas to a sufficient pressure to flush the feed stock and the secondary product gas from the interstitial voids when supplied under pressure to the first bed.