Hybrid membrane—PSA system for separating oxygen from air
| DWPI Title: Producing oxygen gas from air involves compressing input air stream to high pressure, followed by feeding to membrane separation unit, feeding permeate stream to turbine, then to pressure swing adsorption unit, forming purge and vent stream |
| Abstract: A portable, non-cryogenic, oxygen generation system capable of delivering oxygen gas at purities greater than 98% and flow rates of 15 L/min or more is described. The system consists of two major components. The first component is a high efficiency membrane capable of separating argon and a portion of the nitrogen content from air, yielding an oxygen-enriched permeate flow. This is then fed to the second component, a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit utilizing a commercially available, but specifically formulated zeolite compound to remove the remainder of the nitrogen from the flow. The system is a unique gas separation system that can operate at ambient temperatures, for producing high purity oxygen for various applications (medical, refining, chemical production, enhanced combustion, fuel cells, etc . . . ) and represents a significant advance compared to current technologies. |
| Use: For generating high-purity oxygen gas from air containing oxygen, nitrogen, and argon gas (claimed). |
| Advantage: The method provides oxygen at purities greater than 98%. The method using pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system is portable, non-cryogenic; is a unique gas separation system that is operate at ambient temperatures, which produces high purity oxygen for various applications (medical, refining, chemical production, enhanced combustion, fuel cells). |
| Novelty: Generating high-purity oxygen gas from air involves compressing input air stream (1) to high pressure with compressor; feeding compressed air to membrane separation unit, by generating oxygen-rich permeate stream of enriched oxygen with most of argon removed, and generating nitrogen-rich retentate stream of enriched nitrogen and argon; feeding permeate stream to turbine, then to pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit (16); generating purge and vent stream from PSA unit; and using nitrogen-rich retentate stream to power the turbine (14). |
| Filed: 11/12/2008 |
| Application Number: US2008269540A |
| Tech ID: SD 10351.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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