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The present invention provides apparatus and methods for separating fluid components. In preferred embodiments, the apparatus and methods utilize microchannel devices with small distances for heat and mass transfer to achieve rapid cycle times and surprisingly large volumes of fluid components separ

The present invention provides apparatus and methods for separating fluid components. In preferred embodiments, the apparatus and methods utilize microchannel devices with small distances for heat and mass transfer to achieve rapid cycle times and surprisingly large volumes of fluid components separated in short times using relatively compact hardware.

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1. A method of separating a fluid component from a mixture comprising:a first step comprising sorbing a fluid component, this first step comprising passing a fluid mixture into a flow channel at a first temperature;wherein the flow channel comprises a sorbent within the channel, andwherein flow thro

1. A method of separating a fluid component from a mixture comprising:a first step comprising sorbing a fluid component, this first step comprising passing a fluid mixture into a flow channel at a first temperature;wherein the flow channel comprises a sorbent within the channel, andwherein flow through the channel is constrained such that in at least one cross-sectional area of the channel that comprises the sorbent, the height of the flow channel is 1 cm or less;a second step comprising increasing the temperature of the sorbent, this second step comprising adding energy from an energy source; anddesorbing a fluid component at a second temperature and obtaining a fluid component that was sorbed in the first step, wherein the second temperature is higher than the first temperature; andwherein the first and second steps, combined,for a non-condensed fluid mixture take 10 seconds or less and wherein at least 20% of the gaseous component sorbed in the first step is desorbed from the sorbent; orfor a liquid mixture take 1000 seconds or less and wherein at least 20% of the fluid component sorbed in the first step is desorbed from the sorbent. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein substantially all the fluid flowing through the flow channel flows through a porous sorbent. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sorbent is a porous sorbent having a pore volume of 5 to 95% wherein at least 20% of the sorbent's pore volume is composed of pores in the size range of 0.1 to 300 microns. 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the energy sources comprises a heat exchanger that comprises an array of heat exchanger microchannels. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the flow channel is disposed in a planar array of flow channels. 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the flow channel is disposed in a planar array of flow channels that is disposed between planar arrays of heat exchanger microchannels. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the sorbent is disposed on a thermally-conductive felt or continuously porous foam. 8. The method of claim 4 wherein flow of a fluid through the heat exchanger is cross-flow or counter-flow in relation to fluid flow through the flow channel. 9. The method of claim 3 wherein the energy source comprises a heat exchanger, and further wherein a heat transfer liquid flows through the heat exchanger. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the energy source comprises a heat exchanger, and further wherein a heat transfer liquid comprising water flows through the heat exchanger. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein conditions for sorption or desorption are selected to coincide with a phase change of heat transfer fluid. 12. The method of claim 3 wherein sorption is conducted at 1 to 1000 psig. 13. The method of claim 3 wherein a feed stream is distributed among multiple flow channels each of which is sandwiched between heat exchangers. 14. The method of claim 3 wherein the flow channel has a height of 2 mm or less. 15. The method of claim 3 wherein the porous sorbent has a thickness of between 100 and 500 microns. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein at least 50% of the sorbent's pore volume is composed of pores in the size range of 0.3 to 200 microns. 17. The method of claim 1 wherein sorbent comprises sorbent fibers. 18. The method of claim 3 wherein heat from the sorbent is transferred through a metal channel wall to fluid in a heat exchanger. 19. The method of claim 3 wherein the flow channel comprises a bulk flow path and a porous sorbent plug. 20. The method of claim 18 comprising laminar flow through the flow channel. 21. The method of claim 3 comprising flowing a fluid through at least two flow channels and further comprising mixing gases from the at least two flow channels in a mixing chamber. 22. The method of claim 18 wherein bulk flow from at least two flow channels flows into a porous sorbent. 23. The method of claim 3 comprising adding heat from an electrically resistive heating element to desorb the fluid component. 24. The method of claim 3 wherein desorption is conducted by heating down the length of a flow channel to drive off sorbed fluid while introducing feed to the beginning of the flow channel. 25. The method of claim 3 further comprising a step of pretreating the gas fluid mixture to remove constituents. 26. The method of claim 3 wherein the desorbed fluid component is recycled back into the flow channel. 27. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid mixture comprises sulfurous gases. 28. The method of claim 3 wherein the fluid mixture comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of: H 2 , CO, CO 2 , H 2 O, CH 4 , C 2 H 6 , C 3 H 8 , N 2 , O 2 , Ar, NH 3 , CH 3 OH and C 2 H 5 OH. 29. The method of claim 3 wherein the fluid mixture flows into the flow channel at a partial pressure of 1×10 −3 to 20 bar. 30. The method of claim 29 wherein no pumping is utilized. 31. The method of claim 30 wherein at least 85% of equilibrium is reached during sorption. 32. The method of claim 31 wherein the step of sorbing a fluid component occurs for 0.1 to 10 seconds. 33. The method of claim 31 wherein the sorption/desorption cycle time is 100 to 1000 Hz. 34. The method of claim 3 wherein, prior to the step of desorbing a fluid component, the flow channel is at least partially evacuated for a time of less than 2 seconds. 35. A method of separating a fluid component from a mixture comprising:a first step comprising sorbing a fluid component, this first step comprising passing a non-condensed fluid mixture into a flow channel at a first temperature;wherein the flow channel comprises a sorbent within the channel, andwherein flow through the channel is constrained such that in at least one cross-sectional area of the channel that comprises the sorbent, the height of the flow channel is 1 cm or less;a second step comprising increasing the temperature of the sorbent, this second step comprising adding energy from an energy source; anddesorbing a fluid component at a second temperature and obtaining a fluid component that was sorbed in the first step, wherein the second temperature is higher than the first temperature; andwherein the first and second steps, combined, take 10 seconds or less and wherein at least 20% of the fluid component sorbed in the first step is desorbed from the sorbent. 36. The method of claim 35 wherein the sorbent is a porous sorbent having a pore volume of 5 to 95% wherein at least 20% of the sorbent's pore volume is composed of pores in the size range of 0.1 to 300 microns. 37. The method of claim 35 wherein the energy source comprises a heat exchanger that comprises an array of heat exchanger microchannels. 38. The method of claim 37 wherein the flow channel is disposed in a planar array of flow channels. 39. The method of claim 35 wherein the flow channel is disposed in a planar array of flow channels that is disposed between planar arrays of heat exchanger microchannels. 40. The method of claim 35 wherein sorption is conducted at 1 to 1000 psig. 41. The method of claim 35 wherein the flow channel has a height of 2 mm or less. 42. The method of claim 39 wherein the flow channel has a height of 2 mm or less. 43. The method of claim 41 comprising adding heat from an electrically resistive heating element to desorb the fluid component. 44. The method of claim 42 wherein desorption is conducted by heating down the length of a flow channel to drive off sorbed fluid while introducing feed to the beginning of the flow channel. 45. The method of claim 41 wherein the desorbed fluid component is recycled back into the flow channel. 46. The method of claim 42 wherein the fluid mixture comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of: H 2 , CO, CO 2 , H 2 O, CH 4 , C 2 H 6 , C 3 H 8 , O 2 , Ar, NH 3 , CH 3 OH and C 2 H 5 OH. 47. The method of claim 46 wherein no pumping is utilized. 48. The method of claim 41 wherein at least 85% of equilibrium is reached during sorption. 49. The method of claim 41 wherein the sorp tion/desorption cycle time is 0.1 to 1 second. 50. The method of claim 41 wherein the sorption portion of each cycle occurs for 0.001 to 2 s, while the desorption portion of each cycle occurs for 0.1 to 1 s. 51. A method of separating a fluid component from a mixture comprising:a first step comprising sorbing a fluid component, this first step comprising passing a liquid mixture into a flow channel at a first temperature;wherein the flow channel comprises a sorbent within the channel, andwherein flow through the channel is constrained such that in at least one cross-sectional area of the channel that comprises the sorbent, the height of the flow channel is 1 cm or less;a second step comprising increasing the temperature of the sorbent, this second step comprising adding energy from an energy source; anddesorbing a fluid component at a second temperature and obtaining a fluid component that was sorbed in the first step, wherein the second temperature is higher than the first temperature; andwherein the first and second steps, combined, take 1000 seconds or less and wherein at least 20% of the fluid component sorbed in the first step is desorbed from the sorbent. 52. The method of claim 51 wherein the energy source comprises a heat exchanger that comprises an array of heat exchanger microchannels. 53. The method of claim 51 wherein the flow channel is disposed in a planar array of flow channels that is disposed between planar arrays of heat exchanger microchannels. 54. The method of claim 51 wherein the desorbed fluid component is recycled back into the flow channel. 55. The method of claim 51 wherein the sorption/desorption cycle time is 100 to 1000 seconds.