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A continuous method of producing a process fluid gas from a feed stream that includes the process fluid and impurities. The method includes: (a) providing a first and second vessel, each vessel containing one or more regenerable purifier materials for removing at least one of the impurities from the

A continuous method of producing a process fluid gas from a feed stream that includes the process fluid and impurities. The method includes: (a) providing a first and second vessel, each vessel containing one or more regenerable purifier materials for removing at least one of the impurities from the feed stream; (b) removing at least one of the impurities by passing the feed stream through one or the other of the vessels to provide a purified process fluid gas, with the vessel being maintained at a first temperature during the removal of impurities; and (c) regenerating the purifier materials in the vessels at a second temperature and during the time when it is not purifying the feed stream by flowing a portion of the purified process fluid or the feed stream or a separate source of the process fluid gas therethrough.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A continuous method of producing a purified process fluid other than hydrogen or ammonia from a feed stream comprising said process fluid and one or more impurities, said method comprising: (a) providing first and second vessels, each of said vessels containing regenerable purifier mat

We claim: 1. A continuous method of producing a purified process fluid other than hydrogen or ammonia from a feed stream comprising said process fluid and one or more impurities, said method comprising: (a) providing first and second vessels, each of said vessels containing regenerable purifier material for removing at least one of said impurities from said feed stream; (b) removing at least one of said impurities by passing said feed stream through one or the other of said vessels to provide said purified process fluid, said vessel operating for said removing being maintained at a first temperature during said removing of said at least one of said impurities; and (c) regenerating said purifier material in one of said vessels at a second temperature and during a time when it is not purifying said feed stream and when the other one of said vessels is at least partially concurrently operating to perform said removing, the regenerating including flowing (i) a portion of said purified process fluid from an outlet of said other one of said vessels or (ii) a portion of said feed stream or (iii) a separate source of said process fluid therethrough, wherein said feed stream or said separate source used for regeneration in step (c) is purified prior to step (c) by passing said feed stream or said separate source through a purification container positioned in-line in an inlet line for said feed stream or said separate source to said vessel to be regenerated. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said impurities comprise moisture, carbon dioxide, siloxanes, germane, silane, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen, carbon monoxide and tetraethoxysilane. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said regenerable purifier material comprises first and second purifier materials, wherein said first purifier material is capable of removing one or more of moisture, carbon dioxide, siloxanes, germane or silane impurities, and said second purifier material is capable of removing at least one of oxygen, carbon monoxide or tetraethoxysilane impurities. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said second temperature is at least 50째 C. but below a temperature that degrades said purifier material. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said process fluid is a hydride, a hydrocarbon, halocarbon, an oxide of nitrogen, a halogenated fluid, a sulfur-containing fluid, or an amine. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said purifier material is an alloy or an oxide of vanadium, molybdenum, antimony, bismuth, tin, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, tungsten, iron, manganese, nickel, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, technetium, osmium, rhodium, iridium, silver, cadmium, mercury, or mixtures thereof. 7. A continuous method of producing a purified fluid other than hydrogen from a feed stream comprising a process fluid and one or more impurities, said method comprising: (a) providing at least first and second vessels containing at least a first regenerable purifier material for removing at least one of said impurities from said feed stream; (b) providing at least third and fourth vessels containing at least a second purifier material for removing at least one of said impurities from said feed stream, wherein said first vessel is in series with said third vessel and said second vessel is in series with said fourth vessel; (c) removing one or more of said impurities by flowing said feed stream through said first vessel and then flowing said feed stream through said third vessel to provide a purified process fluid, said first and third vessels being maintained at a first temperature during said removing of one or more said impurities; (d) at least partially concurrently with the removing of said one or more of said impurities, regenerating said second and fourth vessels by flowing a portion of said purified process fluid output from said third vessel, said second and fourth vessels being maintained at a second temperature higher than the first temperature during regeneration. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said process fluid is a hydride, a hydrocarbon, halocarbon, an oxide of nitrogen, a halogenated fluid, a sulfur-containing fluid or an amine. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of said purifier materials is an oxide of vanadium, molybdenum, antimony, bismuth, tin, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, tungsten, iron, manganese, nickel, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, technetium, osmium, rhodium, iridium, silver, cadmium, mercury, or mixtures thereof. 10. The method of claim 7, wherein said impurities comprise moisture, carbon dioxide, siloxanes, germane, silane, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen, carbon monoxide and tetraethoxysilane. 11. The method of claim 7, wherein said second temperature is at least 50째 C. but below a temperature that degrades said purifier materials. 12. A method of regenerating a process fluid purifier material contained in first vessel, said method comprising flowing (i) a portion of said process fluid that has been purified by flowing through a second vessel having purifier material having substantially similar composition to the process fluid purifier material contained in the first vessel or (ii) an unpurified portion of said process fluid through said purifier material while heating said purifier material to a temperature of at least 50째 C. but below a temperature that degrades said purifier material by using a heater contacting the first vessel, wherein said purifier material is an oxide of vanadium, molybdenum, antimony, bismuth, tin, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, tungsten, iron, manganese, nickel, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, technetium, osmium, rhodium, iridium, silver, cadmium, mercury, or mixtures thereof. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein said process fluid is a hydride, a hydrocarbon, halocarbon, an oxide of nitrogen, a halogenated fluid, a sulfur-containing fluid or an amine. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said hydride is ammonia. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said temperature used during said regeneration is a temperature that will decompose less than 4% or greater that 11% of ammonia within said vessel containing said purifier material being regenerated. 16. The method of claim 12, wherein said purified portion of said process fluid or said unpurified portion of said process fluid regenerates said purifier material by desorbing physisorbed impurities from said purifier material. 17. A method of producing a purified process fluid other than hydrogen from a feed stream comprising said process fluid and one or more impurities, said method comprising: (a) providing a first and second vessel, each vessel containing at least one regenerable purifier material for removing at least one of said impurities from said feed stream; (b) providing a third vessel in flow communication with both said first vessel and said second vessel, said third vessel containing a non-regenerable purifier material; (c) removing at least one of said impurities by passing said feed stream through said first and third vessels or said second and third vessels to provide said purified process fluid, said vessels being maintained at a first temperature during said removing of said at least one of said impurities; and (d) regenerating said one or more purifier materials in each of said first or second vessel at a second temperature and during a time when it is not purifying said feed stream by flowing (i) a portion of said purified process fluid or (ii) said feed stream or (iii) a separate source of said process fluid therethrough. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said process fluid is a hydride, a hydrocarbon, halocarbon, an oxide of nitrogen, a halogenated fluid, a sulfur-containing fluid or an amine. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein said impurities comprise moisture, carbon dioxide, siloxanes, germane, silane, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen, carbon monoxide and tetraethoxysilane. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of said purifier materials is an oxide of vanadium, molybdenum, antimony, bismuth, tin, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, tungsten, iron, manganese, nickel, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, technetium, osmium, rhodium, iridium, silver, cadmium, mercury, or mixtures thereof. 21. The method of claim 17, wherein said second temperature is at least 50째 C. but below a temperature that degrades said purifier materials. 22. A continuous method of producing a purified process fluid other than hydrogen from a feed stream comprising said process fluid and one or more impurities, said method comprising: (a) providing a first and second vessel, each vessel containing at least one regenerable purifier material for removing at least one of said impurities from said feed stream; (b) removing at least one of said impurities by passing said feed stream through one or the other of said vessels to provide said purified process fluid, said vessel being maintained at a first temperature during said removing of said at least one of said impurities; and (c) regenerating said one or more purifier materials in each of said vessels at a second temperature and during a time when it is not purifying said feed stream by flowing (i) a portion of said purified process fluid or (ii) said feed stream or (iii) a separate source of said process fluid therethrough, provided that when said process fluid is ammonia, said second temperature used during said regeneration is a temperature that will decompose less than 4% or greater that 11% of ammonia in the purified process fluid within said vessel containing said purifier material being regenerated. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein said process fluid is a hydride, a hydrocarbon, halocarbon, an oxide of nitrogen, a halogenated fluid, a sulfur-containing fluid, or an amine. 24. The method of claim 22, wherein said impurities comprise moisture, carbon dioxide, siloxanes, germane, silane, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen, carbon monoxide and tetraethoxysilane. 25. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of said purifier materials is an oxide of vanadium, molybdenum, antimony, bismuth, tin, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, tungsten, iron, manganese, nickel, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, technetium, osmium, rhodium, iridium, silver, cadmium, mercury, or mixtures thereof. 26. The method of claim 23, wherein said second temperature is at least 50째 C. but below a temperature that degrades said purifier materials. 27. The method of claim 23, wherein said halogenated fluid is selected from the group of fluids consisting of HCl, HBr, Hl, Cl2 , BCl3, WF6, BF3, NF3, DCS, TCS, HF, and derivatives thereof. 28. The method of claim 5, wherein said halogenated fluid is selected from the group of fluids consisting of HCl, HBr, Hl, Cl2 , BCl3, WF6, BF3, NF3, DCS, TCS, HF, and derivatives thereof. 29. The method of claim 13, wherein said halogenated fluid is selected from the group of fluids consisting of HCl, HBr, Hl, Cl2 , BCl3, WF6, BF3, NF3, DCS, TCS, HF, and derivatives thereof. 30. A continuous method of producing a purified process fluid other than hydrogen or ammonia from a feed stream comprising said process fluid and one or more impurities, said method comprising: (a) providing first and second vessels, each of said vessels containing regenerable purifier material for removing at least one of said impurities from said feed stream; (b) removing at least one of said impurities by passing said feed stream through one or the other of said vessels to provide said purified process fluid, said vessel operating for said removing being maintained at a first temperature during said removing of said at least one of said impurities; and (c) regenerating said purifier material in one of said vessels at a second temperature and during a time when it is not purifying said feed stream and when the other one of said vessels is at least partially concurrently operating to perform said removing, the regenerating including flowing (i) a portion of said purified process fluid from an outlet of said other one of said vessels or (ii) a portion of said feed stream or (iii) a separate source of said process fluid therethrough, wherein said regenerable purifier material comprises first and second purifier materials, wherein said first purifier material is capable of removing one or more of moisture, carbon dioxide, siloxanes, germane or silane impurities, and said second purifier material is capable of removing at least one of oxygen, carbon monoxide or tetraethoxysilane impurities. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein said process fluid is a hydride, a hydrocarbon, halocarbon, an oxide of nitrogen, a halogenated fluid, a sulfur-containing fluid, or an amine. 32. A continuous method of producing a purified process fluid other than hydrogen or ammonia from a feed stream comprising said process fluid and one or more impurities, said method comprising: (a) providing first and second vessels, each of said vessels containing regenerable purifier material for removing at least one of said impurities from said feed stream; (b) removing at least one of said impurities by passing said feed stream through one or the other of said vessels to provide said purified process fluid, said vessel operating for said removing being maintained at a first temperature during said removing of said at least one of said impurities; and (c) regenerating said purifier material in one of said vessels at a second temperature and during a time when it is not purifying said feed stream and when the other one of said vessels is at least partially concurrently operating to perform said removing, the regenerating including flowing (i) a portion of said purified process fluid from an outlet of said other one of said vessels or (ii) a portion of said feed stream or (iii) a separate source of said process fluid therethrough, wherein said process fluid is a hydride, a hydrocarbon, halocarbon, an oxide of nitrogen, a halogenated fluid, a sulfur-containing fluid, or an amine. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein said second temperature is at least 50째 C. but below a temperature that degrades said purifier material and wherein said purifier material is an alloy or an oxide of vanadium, molybdenum, antimony, bismuth, tin, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, tungsten, iron, manganese, nickel, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, technetium, osmium, rhodium, iridium, silver, cadmium, mercury, or mixtures thereof. 34. A continuous method of producing a purified process fluid other than hydrogen or ammonia from a feed stream comprising said process fluid and one or more impurities, said method comprising: (a) providing first and second vessels, each of said vessels containing regenerable purifier material for removing at least one of said impurities from said feed stream; (b) removing at least one of said impurities by passing said feed stream through one or the other of said vessels to provide said purified process fluid, said vessel operating for said removing being maintained at a first temperature during said removing of said at least one of said impurities; and (c) regenerating said purifier material in one of said vessels at a second temperature and during a time when it is not purifying said feed stream and when the other one of said vessels is at least partially concurrently operating to perform said removing, the regenerating including flowing (i) a portion of said purified process fluid from an outlet of said other one of said vessels or (ii) a portion of said feed stream or (iii) a separate source of said process fluid therethrough, wherein said purifier material is an alloy or an oxide of vanadium, molybdenum, antimony, bismuth, tin, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, tungsten, iron, manganese, nickel, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, technetium, osmium, rhodium, iridium, silver, cadmium, mercury, or mixtures thereof. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein said impurities comprise moisture, carbon dioxide, siloxanes, germane, silane, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen, carbon monoxide and tetraethoxysilane and wherein said second temperature is at least 50째 C. but below a temperature that degrades said purifier material. 36. A method of regenerating a process fluid purifier material contained in first vessel, said method comprising flowing (i) a portion of said process fluid that has been purified by flowing through a second vessel having purifier material having substantially similar composition to the process fluid purifier material contained in the first vessel or (ii) an unpurified portion of said process fluid through said purifier material while heating said purifier material to a temperature of at least 50째 C. but below a temperature that degrades said purifier material by using a heater contacting the first vessel, wherein said process fluid is a hydride, a hydrocarbon, halocarbon, an oxide of nitrogen, a halogenated fluid, a sulfur-containing fluid or an amine. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein said hydride is ammonia and wherein said temperature used during said regeneration is a temperature that will decompose less than 4% or greater that 11% of ammonia within said vessel containing said purifier material being regenerated.