Process and apparatus for separation of components of a gas stream
| DWPI Title: Gas separation apparatus for separating higher and lower density gas components, has slot that is skewed into parallelogram shape and skew angle is measured between sidewall and Y-axis that coincides with direction of gravity |
| Abstract: A process and apparatus for separating a gas mixture comprising providing a slot in a gas separation channel (conceptualized as a laterally elongated Clusius-Dickel column), having a length through which a net cross-flow of the gas mixture may be established; applying a higher temperature to one side of the channel and a lower temperature on an opposite side of the channel thereby causing thermal-diffusion and buoyant-convection flow to occur in the slot; and establishing a net cross-flow of a gas mixture comprising at least one higher density gas component and at least one lower density gas component along the length of the slot, wherein the cross-flow causes, in combination with the convection flow, a spiraling flow in the slot; and wherein the spiral flow causes an increasing amount of separation of the higher density gas from the lower density gas along the length of the channel. The process may use one or more slots and/or channels. |
| Use: Gas separation apparatus for separating higher and lower density gas components in gas stream used in large-scale industrial processes such as petroleum refining, air separation, recovery of carbon dioxide from power plant flue gases for geologic storage and removal of greenhouse gases from air and smaller-scale processes such as isotope separation and chemical analysis. |
| Advantage: Since the higher temperature is applied to one side of the slot and a lower temperature on an opposite side of the slot to cause thermal-diffusion and buoyant-convection flow to occur in the slot and the net cross-flow of a gas mixture along the length of the slot is established, the amount of separation of the higher density gas and the lower density gas along the length of the slot is increased due to spiraling flow in the slot. |
| Novelty: The apparatus has an elongated gas separation channel (16) with a length dimension L, a cross-sectional shape defining a slot (10) with a width dimension W, and a height dimension H. The slot comprises two opposing sidewalls defined by length and height dimensions. The top and bottom walls are defined by width and length dimensions. One of two opposing sidewalls is maintained at a temperature less than other one. The skew angle is measured between a sidewall and a Y-axis (12,14) that coincides with the direction of gravity. |
| Filed: 8/23/2013 |
| Application Number: US13974676A |
| Tech ID: SD 11634.3 |
| 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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