Abstract:
An argon purification system is provided which includes a cryogenic heat exchanger, a cryogenic distillation column. The cryogenic heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from a pre-treated argon waste stream to create a cold feed stream. The cryogenic distillation column includes packing, a reboiler, and an overhead condenser, as well as an upper portion and a lower portion and is configured to receive a liquid feed stream and to produce a bottoms argon product stream and a gas waste stream. The reboiler is positioned in the lower portion of the cryogenic distillation column and is configured to condense the cold feed stream to produce the liquid feed stream. The condenser is positioned in the upper portion of the cryogenic distillation column and is configured to heat the bottoms argon product stream such that the bottoms argon product stream evaporates to a purified vapor phase argon stream.
Abstract:
Method for purification of ammonia or mixtures of nitrogen and hydrogen, or nitrogen, hydrogen and ammonia, according to which: a) ammonia or a mixture of gases under pressure of from 0.1 to 25 MPa is passed through a column packed with aluminium oxide with a large specific surface area; b) the ammonia or mixture of gases is then passed through a column packed with CaO, NaOH, KOH or an NaOH/KOH melt, separately or in a mixture, at 20 to 70°C and under pressure of from 0.1 to 25 MPa; c) next, the ammonia or mixture of gases is passed through a column packed with activated carbon having a specific area of 100÷3000 m2 /g with sodium, potassium, caesium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium or cerium nitrates(V) or nitrates(III) deposited on its surface, separately or in a mixture; the aforementioned steps being realised in a serial process at a gas stream flow rate in the range of 100 dm3/h to 1000 m3/h.
Abstract:
A system provides a boiler (10) integrated with an oxygen producing device (12). Combustion heat generated in the boiler (10 is used to generate steam in the boiler and applied to at least one of a sweep gas stream (13) and a feed gas stream (15) to ensure sweep gas and feed gas streams (12, 15) are provided at the appropriate temperature to the oxygen producing device (12). Flue gas generated by fuel combustion within the combustion chamber (14) may be used as the sweep gas stream (13), in which case, the flue gas exiting the oxygen producing device (12) includes the oxygen removed from the feed gas stream. The flue gas/oxygen mixture may be used for fuel combustion within the combustion chamber, and may be provided to an oxygen separator (28) for removing oxygen from the flue gas. Sensible heat contained in the oxygen depleted feed gas from the oxygen producing device (12) may be recovered by the feed gas stream (15).
Abstract:
A portable oxygen concentrator (10) includes a pressure swing absorption system (12A, 12B) adapted to generate a flow of oxygen enriched gas and a battery (148) adapted to provide power to the pressure swing absorption system. The oxygen concentrator has a total weight of less than about 10 lbs, has a maximum flow of 100 % O 2 equivalent gas of about 0.9 lpm, has a total volume less than about 800 in 3 , and gas a battery life of at least about 8 hours. The present invention also using a liquefaction or transfill system in combination with such an oxygen concentrator.
Abstract:
A portable oxygen concentrator (10) includes a pressure swing absorption system (12A, 12B) adapted to generate a flow of oxygen enriched gas and a battery (148) adapted to provide power to the pressure swing absorption system. The oxygen concentrator has a total weight of less than about 10 lbs, has a maximum flow of 100 % O 2 equivalent gas of about 0.9 lpm, has a total volume less than about 800 in 3 , and gas a battery life of at least about 8 hours. The present invention also using a liquefaction or transfill system in combination with such an oxygen concentrator.
Abstract:
The invention provides a system and a method of eliminating interference for impurities measurement in noble gases based on emission spectroscopy which provide very stable, sensitive and interference free results. The method mainly relies on the use of a combination of particularly designed means serially connected for cancelling interferences and proper means for correcting linearity issues. The proposed method is particularly advantageous since it offers long- term stability while providing very accurate and reliable results, even at sub-ppb and up to 10,000 ppm levels, whatever the surrounding conditions and the additional impurities that could be present in the gas under analysis.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a removably attachable compact desiccant cartridge that is useful in lowering the dew point of a medically useful gas, which is liquefied by a cryogenic device. The desiccant cartridge of the present invention comprises a gas feedstream inlet, a dehumidifying zone which comprises a desiccant material, and a dehumidified gas feedstream outlet. The present invention also provides a method for using the same.
Abstract:
Disclosed embodiments address contaminant management challenges that arise during production of desirably contaminant free product fluid in the operation of PSA equipment, and further address the more serious challenges that arise under intermittent operation of PSA equipment. One embodiment includes a breather fluidly coupled to a feed end of an adsorber with a contaminant-sensitive adsorbent. The breather can be coupled to the feed end through a shutoff valve closed during production and open during shutdown. Other embodiments use particular sealing strategies for additional sealing of the apparatus, or at least components thereof, from contaminant ingress. For example, a buffer seal for receiving a buffer gas having a contaminant vapor content substantially the same as or less than a product gas produced by a pressure swing adsorption process over the adsorbers. As a second example, a parking seal can be used that typically is engaged when the apparatus is parked.
Abstract:
Composite materials of the invention, which include a gas-tight ceramic, a porous metallic support, and an interfacial zone therebetween eliminate the need for mechanical seals between two such dissimilar materials. Oxygen ion-conducting dense ceramic membranes are formed on a porous metallic alloy to provide an interfacial zone identifiable by a gradient of composition in at least one metallic element across the interfacial zone between the dense ceramic membrane and the porous support. Processes using composite materials in accordance with the invention are, for example, used for production of synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and molecular hydrogen, whereby the synthesis gas is, advantageously, free of deleterious and/or inert gaseous diluents such as nitrogen.
Abstract:
The compact oxygen production system (10) of the present invention provides an oxygen concentrator (14) and a cryocooling device (22) for liquefying the concentrated oxygen gas to provide liquid oxygen. The compact size of the system (10) permits the system (10) to be employed in home applications, especially for home oxygen patients.