초록 ▼

A method of reducing the sorbate concentration of a process fluid stream using a sorption bed system includes the following steps. A mass of a sorbent material is rotated so that, in a cycle of operation, a given volume of the sorbent mass sequentially passes through first, second, third, fourth, fi

A method of reducing the sorbate concentration of a process fluid stream using a sorption bed system includes the following steps. A mass of a sorbent material is rotated so that, in a cycle of operation, a given volume of the sorbent mass sequentially passes through first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth zones, before returning to the first zone. A process fluid stream is passed through the sorbent mass in the first zone, and a regeneration fluid stream is passed through the sorbent mass in the fourth zone. A first isolation fluid stream is recycled in a closed loop, independent of the process fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream, between the sorbent mass in the second zone and in the sixth zone. A second isolation fluid stream, meanwhile, is recycled in a closed loop, independent of the process fluid stream, the regeneration fluid stream, and the first isolation fluid stream, between the sorbent mass in the third zone and in the fifth zone.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A method of reducing the sorbate concentration of a process fluid stream using a sorption bed system comprising a rotating mass of a regenerable sorbent material, the method comprising the steps of: rotating the sorbent mass so that, in a cycle of operation, a given volume of the sorbe

We claim: 1. A method of reducing the sorbate concentration of a process fluid stream using a sorption bed system comprising a rotating mass of a regenerable sorbent material, the method comprising the steps of: rotating the sorbent mass so that, in a cycle of operation, a given volume of the sorbent mass sequentially passes through first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth zones, before returning to the first zone; passing a process fluid stream through the sorbent mass in the first zone; passing a regeneration fluid stream through the sorbent mass in the fourth zone; recycling a first isolation fluid stream in a closed loop, independent of the process fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream, between the sorbent mass in the second zone and in the sixth zone; and recycling a second isolation fluid stream in a closed loop, independent of the process fluid stream, the regeneration fluid stream, and the first isolation fluid stream, between the sorbent mass in the third zone and in the fifth zone. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the direction of fluid flow in each of the first, fifth, and sixth zones is the same. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the direction of fluid flow in each of the second, third, and fourth zones is the same. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the direction of fluid flow in each of the first, fifth, and sixth zones is opposite the direction of fluid flow in each of the second, third, and fourth zones. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein a concentration of at least one member selected from the group consisting of water vapor, volatile organic compounds, and nitrous oxides is reduced as a result of passing the process fluid stream through the sorbent mass in the first zone. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: recirculating the regeneration fluid stream in a closed loop; cooling the regeneration fluid stream to condense vapor out of the regeneration fluid stream; and reheating the cooled regeneration fluid stream prior to passing the regeneration fluid stream through the fourth zone. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of recirculating the process fluid stream in a substantially closed loop to dehydrate or maintain dry a product. 8. A rotary sorption bed system, comprising: a process fluid stream; a regeneration fluid stream; a first isolation fluid stream that recirculates in a closed loop independent of the process fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream; a second isolation fluid stream that recirculates in a closed loop independent of the process fluid stream, the regeneration fluid stream, and the first isolation fluid stream; and a rotating mass of a regenerable sorbent material through which each of the process fluid stream, the regeneration fluid stream, the first isolation fluid stream, and the second isolation fluid stream is passed, wherein, in a cycle of operation, a given volume of the sorbent mass sequentially passes through the process fluid stream, the first isolation fluid stream, the second isolation fluid stream, the regeneration fluid stream, the second isolation fluid stream, and the first isolation fluid stream, before returning to the process fluid stream. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the process fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream are passed through the sorbent mass in opposite directions, and each of the first isolation fluid stream and the second isolation fluid stream is passed through the sorbent mass in the same direction as the fluid stream immediately following the respective first or second isolation fluid stream in the direction of rotation of the sorbent mass. 10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a third isolation fluid stream that recirculates in a closed loop independent of the process fluid stream, the regeneration fluid stream, the first isolation fluid stream, and the second isolation fluid stream, the third isolation fluid stream being arranged such that the given volume of the sorbent mass sequentially passes through the process fluid stream, the first isolation fluid stream, the second isolation fluid stream, the third isolation fluid stream, the regeneration fluid stream, the third isolation fluid stream, the second isolation fluid stream, and the first isolation fluid stream, before returning to the process fluid stream. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the process fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream are passed through the sorbent mass in opposite directions, and each of the first isolation fluid stream, the second isolation fluid stream, and the third isolation fluid stream is passed through the sorbent mass in the same direction as the fluid stream immediately following the respective first, second, or third isolation fluid stream in the direction of rotation of the sorbent mass. 12. The system of claim 8, wherein the process fluid stream is at a higher pressure than the regeneration fluid stream. 13. The system of claim 8, wherein the process fluid stream is at a lower pressure than the regeneration fluid stream. 14. The system of claim 8, wherein the sorbent mass has a permeability of greater than 0.5 scfm/ft2"WC. 15. The system of claim 8, wherein one of the fluid streams is at a temperature of below freezing, and an adjacent fluid stream has a dew point that is higher than that of the below-freezing fluid stream. 16. The system of claim 8, wherein the regeneration fluid stream has a water vapor level above approximately 80 gpp, and the process fluid stream, after passing through the sorbent mass, has a dew point of less than approximately-30째 F. 17. A method of designing a sorption bed system in which a mass of a regenerable sorbent material is rotated so that a given volume of the sorbent mass alternately passes through a process fluid stream and a regeneration fluid stream, the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining whether at least one criterion selected from the following is satisfied: (I) the temperature of one fluid stream is less than or equal to the dew point of an adjacent fluid stream; (ii) there is a difference in vapor pressure of at least about 150 Pa between zones of the sorbent material through which adjacent fluid streams pass; (iii)the difference in absolute pressure between adjacent fluid streams exceeds a design pressure of a sealing structure of the sorption bed system; and (iv) permeation of one fluid stream through the sorbent material into the adjacent fluid stream affects the sorbate-concentration of one or both of the adjacent fluid streams by at least 10%; (b) if it is determined in step (a) that the at least one criterion is satisfied, adding to the system an isolation fluid stream that recirculates in a closed loop independent of the other fluid streams, the isolation fluid stream being arranged such that, in a cycle of operation, the given volume of the sorbent mass passes through the isolation fluid stream twice, once before the process fluid stream and after the regeneration fluid stream, and once after the process fluid stream and before the regeneration fluid stream; and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until it is determined in step (b) that the at least one criterion is not satisfied. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein, in step (a), it is determined whether each of criterion (I), (ii), (iii), and (iv) is satisfied, and in step (b), an isolation fluid stream is added if any of criterion (I), (ii), (iii), and (iv) is satisfied. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein, in step (b), it is determined whether a plurality of criterion selected from (I), (ii), (iii) , and (iv) is satisfied, and in step (b), an isolation fluid stream is added if any of the plurality of selected criterion is satisfied. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein, in step (b), the isolation fluid stream is arranged such that, in a cycle of operation, the given volume of the sorbent mass passes through the isolation fluid stream twice, once immediately before the process fluid stream, and once immediately after the process fluid stream. 21. The method of claim 17, wherein, in step (b), the isolation fluid stream is arranged such that, in a cycle of operation, the given volume of the sorbent mass passes through the isolation fluid stream twice, once immediately before the regeneration fluid stream, and once immediately after the regeneration fluid stream. 22. A rotary sorption bed system, comprising a rotating disk of a sorbent material that, in a cycle of operation, passes through a plurality of zones including a process zone, a regeneration zone, and at least one isolation zone, wherein the regeneration zone and the at least one isolation zone each extend radially outward toward the periphery of the sorbent disk to a greater extent than the process zone. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one isolation zone extends radially outward toward the periphery of the sorbent disk to a greater extent than the regeneration zone. 24. The system of claim 23, wherein the regeneration zone extends radially outward toward the periphery of the sorbent disk by at least one flute height more than the process zone, and the at least one isolation zone extends radially outward toward the periphery of the sorbent disk by at least one flute height more than the regeneration zone. 25. The system of claim 23, wherein the sorbent material, in a cycle of operation, passes through a plurality of isolation zones, and each isolation zone extends radially outward toward the periphery of the sorbent disk to a greater extent than both the process zone and the regeneration zone. 26. The system of claim 25, wherein the regeneration zone extends radially outward toward the periphery of the sorbent disk by at least one flute height more than the process zone, and each isolation zone extends radially outward toward the periphery of the sorbent disk by at least one flute height more than the regeneration zone. 27. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of isolation zones corresponds to one or more closed isolation loops. 28. A method of improving the performance of a rotary bed sorption system, the method comprising the steps of: rotating a mass of a regenerable sorbent material so that, in a cycle of operation, a given volume of the sorbent mass sequentially passes through first, second, third, and fourth zones, before returning to the first zone; passing a process fluid stream through the first zone in a first direction; passing a regeneration fluid stream through the third zone in a second direction that is opposite the first direction; and reducing cross-contamination between the process fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream by recycling at least one isolation fluid stream between the sorbent mass in the second zone, where the isolation fluid stream passes through the sorbent mass in the second direction, and in the fourth zone, where the isolation fluid stream passes through the sorbent mass in the first direction.