CA2203533A1 - Pressure and temperature swing adsorption and temperature swing adsorption - Google Patents

Pressure and temperature swing adsorption and temperature swing adsorption

Info

Publication number
CA2203533A1
CA2203533A1 CA 2203533 CA2203533A CA2203533A1 CA 2203533 A1 CA2203533 A1 CA 2203533A1 CA 2203533 CA2203533 CA 2203533 CA 2203533 A CA2203533 A CA 2203533A CA 2203533 A1 CA2203533 A1 CA 2203533A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
unit
gas
heaters
filter
bed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA 2203533
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Richard James Holmes
David Clive Francis
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
UK Secretary of State for Defence
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB9422835A external-priority patent/GB9422835D0/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of CA2203533A1 publication Critical patent/CA2203533A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Abstract

A method of heating a pressure and temperature swing adsorption gas filtration bed unit is provided comprising locating a heating means upstream of the adsorbent material within the filtration bed characterised in that the heating means acts to heat gas passing into the bed or a layer thereof in the purge direction and uses the heated air to heat the adsorbent material.

Description

P~FSSURE AND Tl~MPERATUT~F SWrNG ADSORPTION AND T~ PERATURE
SWING ~DSORPTION.

The present invention relates to a method of sep~d~ g cornponents from a gaseous mixture by use of temperature swing adsorption and, more particularly, ples~ule and temperature swing adsorption. and to an improved method and ~p~dllls for enabling regeneration of adsorbent m~tt?ri~l.s in one or more beds for use in gas filtration. Particularly the present invention is concerned with filtering volatile cont~min~nt.s from oxygen and/or nitrogen co~ i"g gas mixtures such as air.

Pressure swing adsorption processes are suited to air sep~d~ions involving light gases~ but not those involving high boiling point components which are strongly adsorbed to the filter bed (see applicant's copending application reference UK 94 22833.5). This limitation can be overcome by using a combination of ~ule~u~c; and tenl~;ldlule swing, as provided using a S:~Ule and tt:lllp~ldLu,e swing adsorber (PTSA) bed, using an a~roplldle adsorbent inventory. where the temperature swing serves to desorb the high boiling point collll~ol~lll~.

The use of a combined pressure and tell,p~ u~e adsorption stage will minimi.~e the size of the filter bed. A temperature swing adsorption system is however feasible when power and other limitations prevent the use of a colllpl~s~or device. A filter bed based on lelnl.e~dLu~e swing adsorption (TSA) alone will however be larger than one based on a combination of ~l~s~e and t~ d~

The present hlvt;lllC~li have rletPrmin~cl that heating systems to be employed in a PTSA bed or TSA bed for use in such method should possess most or all of the following characteristics: compactness to allow ,nin;...~l size of adsorber bed; non-intrusiveness in the bed interior giving it the ability to be snow-storm filled; axial positioning to enable layered adsorbents to be used in a single bed whilst preventing fluidisation; intrinsic safety for prevention of bed ovPrhP~ting and therm~l ageing; the ability l:o heat and cool in consi~tçnt and reproducible manner to give long term stability;

wo 96/14917 pcrlGss5lo2624 low thermal mass allowing rapid and efficient heating and cooling- efficient andhomogeneous axial and radial. transfer to minimi~e regeneration period such as to generate a rectangular heating and cooling profile and economical power consumption allowing flexible deployment of the system in mobile equipments.

There are a number of methods available for generating the telnl)eldlul~ swing but many of these suffer from one or more limitations. Fx~mples of methods excluded from practical study include microwave systems and direct electrical heating of the adsorber bed.
Microwave systems would require a generator and waveguide and would heat the bed in a highly localised fashion. j~tt?ri~l.c of construction, including the adsorber beds and the adsorbents would be limited by the constraints associated with the use of microwaves resulting in the risk of thermal degradation and combustion of the adsorbents being high.
Heat transfer within the bed would rely on h~ ,d"icle conduction and would therefore be inefficient.

Direct electrical heating would suffer from some of the above limitations including combustion hazards associated with the use of live electrical currents, including current leakage, and the need for stringent electrical isolation of the adsorber beds would increase the complexity of the equipment. In addition the use of this system would limit the choice of adsorbent.

Although both techniques are non-intrusive their use would constrain adsorbent choice. The present inventors have now provided a method for heating such PTSA beds that allows use of commercially available heaters and does not limit the adsorbent in this manner.

Thus in a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of heating a prt;S~Ulc: and telllpt;ldLule swing adsorption gas filtration bed unit, or tellll~eldlule swing adsorption gas filtration bed unit, compri~inp locating a heating means within the bed housing characterised in that the heating means acts to heat gas passing into the bed or a layer thereof in the purge direction and uses the heated air to heat the adsorbent material.

CA 02203~33 1997-04-23 Wo 96tl4917 I ~~ ,9~/02624 The purge direction will be understood to be the direction of gas flow used when the bed is being regenerated and will conventionally be counter to the flow direction when the bed is being used to separate cont~min~nt or other components desired to be separated from a gas to be treated.

In a l~lcÇ~ d embodiment of this aspect of the present invention the method employs a number of layers of adsorbent m~terial within the filtration bed housing and positions a heating means U~ ,dlll, with respect to the purge flow direction, of each of these layers.
Most preferably the heating means are used to separate different adsorbent layers positioned within a single plcs~ufe and temperature swing adsorber bed unit, or lenlpcldLulc swing adsorber bed unit, such as the multilayer bed units that are the subject matter of the applicant's copending application UK 94 22833.5).

In this manner the ~ ucld~llre selected for regeneration of a particular adsorbent material may be m~tchPcl more closely to its particular characteristics, particularly with regard to its thPrm~i degradation characteristics and the amount of heat required to purge a particular colllpol1ent from a particular layer at a given ~llCS:iUlC.
.

Particularly ~rcf~llcd heaters for the purpose of hPating the gas as it enters each layer of a bed are provided in the form of disc shaped heater units located within divider elements which may be used for ~up~o~ g and in turn being supported by the adsorbent of an cent adsorbent m~tPri~l layers. Suitable such heater units are Curie point heaters such as those provided by Domnick Hunter Filters UK, (these being collv~;lliently located in batteries of three heater elements each) or any other arrangement including batteries co~ i"g six or more such discs, or elements of dirrelclll shape.

r~ The heaters are controlled, in the ~ulci~,llcd design, using a microprocessor device (there being no need to monitor bed t~lllp~ldLulc). The microprocessor device allows rapid control of the bed heaters including the provision of sequential shutdown in order to minimi~e cooling periods required and thus return the bed to operational condition as soon as possible.

CA 02203~33 1997-04-23 The electrical connections to the heater batteries and sensors may conveniently be provided entering through the ends of the bed, as will be seen in the Example below. The electrical connections can also be made through the walls of the housing, the housing may also be of different configuration, e.g. circular, and may use a different heater battery construction containing six or more curie point elements, which themselves may be of different shape.
The particular use of batteries of air heaters placed within transverse elements to divide a bed into layers allows placement of heaters at any desired position within the bed. The preferred Curie point heaters are of honeycomb construction and provide direct gas heating during passage of gas through the bed with gas temperature controlled by the composition of the heater element.
In US-A-3 193 985 a regenerable dehumidifier and operal:ing process therefor aredescribed. A vapour laden gas is dehumidified by passage through a bed of granular adsorbent material and the bed is then regenerated by passing first hot then cold moisture containing gas through the bed. The gas is heated by heating means mounted near the outlet side of the bed.
The present invention will now be described further by way of illustration only by reference to the following non-limiting Figures and Example. Further embodiments falling within the scope of the claims will occur to those skilled in the art in the light of these.

FIGURES
Figure 1: shows a section view of (1a) a conductive coil heated bed and (1b) the coil used as a comparative example.
Figure 2: shows temperature profiles obtained using the heater coil of Figure 1 from thermocouples placed in the bed core or adjacent the housing wall.
Figure 3: shows (3a) elevation section and cross section (3b) through a comparative example rod and vane heated bed.
Figure 4: shows temperature profiles obtained using the rod and vane heater of Figure 2 obtained from lower manifold temperature.

AMENDED Sf~EET
IPE~/EP

CA 02203~33 1997-04-23 Figure ~a shows a plan view and an elevation of a 3 element Curie point heater showing its dimensions. Figure 5b shows a divider element in which the heater of figure 5a is placed during operation.

Figure 6 shows the arrangement of four heater units of Figure ~ within a vertically oriented bed such as to divide it into four layers.

Figure 7 shows te~llp~ldLLIre profiles obtained within a bed of zeolite using a 38.5 dm3 fill at airflow rate 3120 dm3 min~l at the thermocouples Al to A6 of Figure 6.

EXAMPL}~ l: Curie point air heater ~ressure and temperature swin~ adsorber unit.

Curie point heaters (three elements per battery, see figure 5) and housings were supplied by Domnick Hunter Filters Ltd, UK. Referring to figure 6, four b~tt~rie~ l - 4, each independently controlled via a microprocessor keypad timing device, were located axially within a 3 8.5dm3 bed of zeolite, electrical connection being nnade by thin (2mm) in~ terl wires which passed along the adsorber bed to corulectors introduced into an upper manifold via gas tight ducts. The upper and lower manifolds, which formed an integr~l part of the bed housing, also contained the valving arrangement. Each e~em~71t was of honeycomb construction and provided direct air heating during passage oi`gas along the column of the bed unit. Gas temperature was controlled by the composition of the heating element and was approximately 180-210C. Power consumption was ap~lvx;...~tely 2kW (eight three element blocks occupying 10% ofthe housing volume). Typical in-bed t~ ~c profiles duringheating and cooling measured using thermocouples shown at positions Al to A6 are shown in Figure 7 with a gas flow of air at 3120 dm3 min~~. In obtain;ng these the heater b~ttt?~ies were ~vitched offsequentially.

Countercurrent puf~e flow applied during regeneration was varied with higher flowrates reducing bed telll~ ldlules and thus c~ ing more power to be consumed. The te~ e~
profile for the Curie point air heater bed of the invention should be colllpaled with those obtained using a conductive coil heater (Figure l) and a rod and vane heater (Figure 3).

CA 02203~33 l997-04-23 The conductive coil heated bed use.d a conductive coil electrically connected through the bed housing base with a thermocouple placed close to the element. The element occupied 13%
of the housing interior v olume and the heater provided 0.6kW to the adsorbent v ariable by increasing or decreasing applied current. The valving arrangement for process control was positioned remote from the housing and typical in-bed tempt;laLulcs measured using thermocouples placed radially and axially are shown in Figure 2 (0.5 dm3 activated carbon fill product airflow 55 dm3 min~'.

The conductive rod and vane heaters and housings utilise vane heating via an electric rod inserted centrally along the bed length with t~ eldlu~e control achieved via a remote current control device. Power consurnption did not exceed 4.4kW. The rod and vane arrangement occupied approx. 22% of the housing volume. Typical in-bed telllpeld~UlC
profiles during heating and cooling obtained using thermocouples at sampling points SP0-SP5 shown in Figure 3 are shown in Figure 4 (6.8 dm3 zeolite fill, airflow rate 1400 dm3 min~'). The valving arrangement for process control was positioned remote from the housing.

Claims (16)

1. A temperature swing adsorption gas filtration unit having a plurality of filter layers in series array and heaters located across the unit, adjacent at least some of the filter layers and in supports therefor, the heaters being adapted and arranged so as to heat to between approximately 180 and 210°C purging gas passing therethrough and entering the filter beds during a filter regeneration portion of the cycle of operation of the unit, wherein in the said filter regeneration portion of the operation cycle the purging gas flow is in a sense opposed to that of a subject gas being filtered in a filtration portion of the operation cycle.
2. A unit as claimed in claim 1 and which is a pressure and temperature swing gas adsorption unit.
3. A unit as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 and wherein the heaters are Curie point heaters.
4. A unit as claimed in claim 3 and wherein the heaters are of honeycomb construction.
5. A unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 and wherein the heaters are mounted in supports for the filter beds.
6. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having a heater control device arranged for shutting the heaters down sequentially.
7. A unit as claimed in claim 6 and wherein the heater control device is a microprocessor device.
8. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and adapted for the filtering of volatile contaminants from air.
9. A unit as claimed in claim 8 and adapted for the filtering of high boiling point contaminants in air.
10. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the filter beds comprise zeolite.
11. A unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and adapted for filtering toxic contaminants.
12. A method of regenerating a temperature swing adsorption filtration bed unit having a plurality of filter layers in series array and heaters located across the unit and adjacent at least some of the filter layers in supports therefor, the heaters being arranged so as to heat to approximately 180 to 210°C gas passing therethrough and entering the filter beds during a filter regeneration portion of the cycle of operation of the unit, the method comprising, with the heaters on, passing gas through the unit in a direction opposite to that in which, during a filtration portion of the operation cycle the subject gas being filtered passes, whereby contaminants evaporate from the filter beds and are borne away by the regeneration gas.
13. A method of filtering volatile contaminants from a gas and comprising the steps of passing the gas to be decontaminated through a temperature swing adsorption filtration bed unit having a plurality of filter layers in series array and heaters located across the unit adjacent at least some of the filter layers and in supports therefor, the heaters being arranged so as to heat to approximately 180 to 210°C gas passing therethrough and entering the filter beds during a filter regeneration portion of the operation cycle of the unit, closing off the cleaned gas exit from the unit, switching the heaters on and passing regeneration gas through the unit in a direction opposite to that of the gas being decontaminated to remove the contaminants from the filters, switching the heaters off, closing off the regeneration gas supply and opening the cleaned gas exit.
14. A method as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 and wherein the unit is a pressure and temperature swing adsorption filtration unit.
15. A method as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14 and wherein the heaters are shut down sequentially.
16. A method as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15 and adapted for the filtration of toxic contaminants.
CA 2203533 1994-11-11 1995-11-10 Pressure and temperature swing adsorption and temperature swing adsorption Abandoned CA2203533A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9422835A GB9422835D0 (en) 1994-11-11 1994-11-11 Pressure and temperature swing absorption
GB9422835.0 1994-11-11
PCT/GB1995/002624 WO1996014917A1 (en) 1994-11-11 1995-11-10 Pressure and temperature swing adsorption and temperature swing adsorption

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2203533A1 true CA2203533A1 (en) 1996-05-23

Family

ID=29404350

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2203533 Abandoned CA2203533A1 (en) 1994-11-11 1995-11-10 Pressure and temperature swing adsorption and temperature swing adsorption

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2203533A1 (en)

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