초록 ▼

The present invention concerns the application of adsorption gas separation technologies to anaesthesia equipment and falls within the technical domains of adsorption separation units and medical devices. The invention concerns a device and processes for recovering xenon from gas mixtures released f

The present invention concerns the application of adsorption gas separation technologies to anaesthesia equipment and falls within the technical domains of adsorption separation units and medical devices. The invention concerns a device and processes for recovering xenon from gas mixtures released from anaesthesia gas machines (1) using xenon as anaesthetic. The purged xenon is collected using a system which includes a shift valve (6), and then separated and purified (38-40). The recycled xenon is then pressurised (31) and reintroduced in the anaesthesia circuit (48) using a shift valve (12). The separation and purification process combines different adsorption separation/purification technologies. The device is external to the anaesthesia gas machine and is compatible with any standard anaesthesia circuit able of perform xenon anaesthesia.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A Xenon External Recycling Unit (XERU), for recycling xenon from a gas mixture released by an Anaesthesia Gas Machine (AGM) using xenon as anaesthetic gas, comprising: a) a Selective Recovery System (SRS) that is connected to a vent relief valve of the AGM through a gas

The invention claimed is: 1. A Xenon External Recycling Unit (XERU), for recycling xenon from a gas mixture released by an Anaesthesia Gas Machine (AGM) using xenon as anaesthetic gas, comprising: a) a Selective Recovery System (SRS) that is connected to a vent relief valve of the AGM through a gas line that is able to collect the released gas mixture, provided that it has a minimum flow, a minimum xenon composition, and a pressure variation below a threshold value; wherein the SRS comprises: a shifting system for directing the gas mixture either to a storage or conditioning system, if said gas mixture contains a minimum threshold of xenon concentration, or otherwise to an output line; and a safety system that can override the normal operation of said Selective Recovery System (SRS) purging the gas mixture to the outside; b) a condensation removal system; c) a gas sterilization system; d) an adsorption-based System of Purification (SP), wherein said SP comprises at least one stage able to separate the xenon in said gas mixture with a selective adsorbent; e) a composition detector for analyzing the recycled xenon; and f) a Recycled Xenon Introduction System (RXIS) that feeds the Anaesthesia Gas Machine (AGM), provided that the recycled xenon has a minimum xenon composition. 2. The XERU, according to claim 1, wherein the output line is selected from the group consisting of: a) a line connecting the gas to the outside; b) a line connecting the gas to an outside ventilation system; c) a line connecting the gas to a scavenger system; and d) a line connecting the gas to a recycling unit. 3. The XERU, according to claim 1, wherein said safety system is triggered by any one or more of the group consisting of: a) the maximum capacity of treatment/storage of the gas mixture is reached; b) the Xenon External Recycling Unit (XERU) is not active; c) the pressure variation in the gas line connecting the Anaesthesia Gas Machine (AGM) to the Selective Recovery System (SRS) is above a certain threshold; and d) a manual command is given. 4. The XERU, according to claim 1, wherein said System of Purification (SP) comprises: a) a packed column containing an adsorbent that selectively adsorbs xenon over oxygen and nitrogen; b) a mechanism for driving the gas mixture through the packed column; c) a system for detecting composition variations in the gas stream; and d) a heating device, associated with the packed column, to facilitate the removal of adsorbed xenon. 5. The XERU of claim 4, wherein the selective adsorbent included in the packed column is zeolite 5A or Li-X. 6. The XERU of claim 4, wherein the non-adsorbed gas stream, with a low xenon concentration, is directed to the atmosphere or to a device that disposes of the non-adsorbed stream. 7. The XERU, according to claim 1, wherein said System of Purification comprises a pair of packed columns, in an arrangement known as "Vacuum Pressure Swing Absorption", wherein: a) the packed columns contain an adsorbent for performing the kinetic separation of the xenon from oxygen and nitrogen, by not adsorbing xenon; b) the packed columns operate in a 180�� out of phase cycle; c) each cycle includes the stages: pressurization, production, equalization, and evacuation; and d) control is achieved using an automatic system, such as a logical control unit and electro-valves. 8. The XERU, according to claim 7, the use of which comprises the following four steps in a cyclic sequence: a) a pressurization step, lasting for 1 to 20 seconds, in which the pressure inside the packed column is increased from a sub-atmospheric pressure to a given pressure, first by using a gas stream from the other column and then using the gas stream to be recycled, keeping closed the column end opposite to the feed end; b) a production step, lasting less than 10 minutes, in which the gas stream is fed to one end of the packed column and a rich xenon concentration stream is produced on the other end of the column by retaining the non-xenon components in the adsorbent, finishing this step when the adsorbent has no more capacity to retain the non-xenon fed components; c) an equalization step, in which the gas mixture, containing xenon, present in the packed column inter-particular phase is recovered in the second column, by connecting the two columns and allowing the pressurized gas mixture to flow to the evacuated second column until pressure in both columns is partially or totally equalized; and d) an evacuation step, succeeding the equalization step, in which the packed column is regenerated by using a vacuum pump or other device, preparing the packed column for the next step. 9. The XERU according to claim 7, wherein the adsorbent included in the packed columns is a Carbon Molecular Sieve. 10. The XERU according to claim 7, wherein the gas stream produced during the evacuation stage, is directed to at least one of the group consisting of: a) a line connecting the gas stream to the outside; b) a line connecting the gas stream to an outside ventilation system; c) a line connecting the gas stream to a scavenger system; and d) a line connecting the gas stream to a recycling unit. 11. The Xenon External Recycling Unit (XERU) of claim 1, wherein said System of Purification comprises an arrangement of two or more purification stages. 12. The XERU according to claim 1, wherein the RXIS comprises: a) means of connecting the Recycled Xenon Introduction System (RXIS) to a xenon input channel of the Anaesthesia Gas Machine (AGM); b) a selection system for directing to the Anaesthesia Gas Machine (AGM) either the recycled xenon, if its purity is above a minimum threshold, or xenon supplied from an external source, otherwise, and c) a safety system which can override the normal operation of said Recycled Xenon Introduction System (RXIS), thereby interrupting the feeding of recycled xenon, allowing only the pure xenon from an external source to be fed to the Anaesthesia Gas Machine (AGM). 13. The XERU according to claim 12, wherein said xenon input channel is an anaesthetic gas feed valve. 14. The XERU according to claim 12, wherein said external source is a gas cylinder with pure xenon or a gas mixture containing xenon. 15. The XERU, according to claim 12, wherein the RXIS comprises a safety system, triggered by any one or more of the conditions selected from the group consisting of: a) the available amount of recycled xenon, or gas mixture containing xenon, is below a certain threshold; b) said Xenon External Recycling Unit (XERU) is not active; c) the pressure variation in the gas line connecting said Anaesthesia Gas Machine (AGM) to said Recycled Xenon Introduction System (RXIS) is above a certain threshold; and d) a manual command is given.