[54] MULTIPLE VESSEL CASCADE GAS ENRICHMENT SYSTEM
[76] Inventor: Robert A. Ritter, 5108 Varscliff Rd.
NW., Calgary, Alberta, Canada
[21] Appl. No.: 107,860
[22] Filed: Dec. 28, 1979
[30] Foreign Application Priority Data
Oct. 26, 1979 [CA] Canada 338533
[51] Int. CU B01D 53/04
[52] U.S. CI 55/161; 55/179;
55/387
[58] Field of Search 55/160-163,
55/179-181, 387, 389, 390, 474
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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3,849,089 11/1974 Ritter et al 55/179 X
3,923,477 12/1975 Armond et al 55/25
3,957,463 5/1976 Drissel et al 55/25
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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
986424 3/1976 Canada 55/179
453887 12/1927 Fed. Rep. of Germany .
578485 6/1933 Fed. Rep. of Germany .
831093 2/1952 Fed. Rep. of Germany 55/390
877445 5/1953 Fed. Rep. of Germany 55/390
883743 7/1953 Fed. Rep. of Germany 55/390
Primary Examiner—Robert H. Spitzer
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Birch, Stewart, Kolasch and
Birch
[57] ABSTRACT
A multiple vessel cascade gas enrichment adsorber is provided herein. Two sets of adsorption chambers are provided, each comprising one primary vessel and one secondary vessel, and optionally also a tertiary or further vessel, and each containing a suitable adsorbent, e.g., 5 A molecular sieve adsorbent for air separation, the vessels being connected in a cascading connection through an interstage loop line. Specially designed collector means is provided within each vessel. The individual volumetric size of the subsequent stage vessel or vessels must be smaller than the volumetric size of the first stage vessel. While one adsorber set is engaged in the production of, e.g., oxygen-enriched air, the other is experiencing regeneration through removal of the various adsorbed gases and vapors, including, e.g., nitrogen. The cascading of the adsorbers significantly decreases the time required for regeneration by increasing the tolerance for residual adsorbate on the major portion of the adsorbent. Despite the cyclic nature of the process, the flow of product, e.g., oxygen, is continuous.
35 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures
