GB572677A - Improvements relating to circuits for controlling the flow of gases - Google Patents

Abstract

572,677. Purifying gases. NEWTON, CHAMBERS, & CO., Ltd., SHEARD, K., and LEAVER, W. A. Sept. 6, 1943, No. 14572. [Class 1 (i)] [Also in Group XII] Plant for adsorbing vapours from gases comprises two adsorbers, separate means for supplying gas and steam, two four-way valves of the type defined below, circuit connections forming two circuits each of which contains both the fourway valves through either of which the gas can flow from the gas inlet to the outlet of the plant through one or other adsorber alone, connection between the two valves such that by operating the four-way valves alone the gas leaving either adsorber can be directed through the other on its way to the outlet to effect cooling and drying of that other adsorber and a discharge pipe connected to the connection between the two valves so that when gas is flowing through only one adsorber steam can be passed through the other and will flow through both valves to this discharge pipe. Each four-way valve is of the type having two positions and four ports arranged so that in one position the first and third ports communicate with the second and fourth, respectively and in the other position, with the fourth and second respectively. In an example, illustrated in Fig 2, the plant comprises two adsorbers 10 and 11, a gas inlet 12, a gas outlet 13 leading to a gas cooler 14 and two four-way valves 15 (with ports 1, 2, 3 and 4) and 16 (with ports 5, 6, 7 and 8). In the first phase of these valves, with gas passing through the adsorber 10 and ports 6 and 7 of the valve 16 to the outlet 13, steam passes through the adsorber 11 and through the ports 3 and 5 to the connection 20 and condenser 21. The steam inlet to each adsorber is placed between two layers 24 of activated carbon or other adsorbent to divide the flow of steam. which is shut off before the second phase begins wherein the valves are in the position shown in Fig 2 with the valve 16 connecting port 5 with port 6 and port 7 with port 8; the stripped gas arriving at port 6 from the adsorber 10 is thus passed through the valve 15 and through adsorber 11, which it cools, thence through ports 8 and 7 to the outlet 13. In the third phase, the valve 15 connects port 1 to port 4 and port 3 to port 2 and the gas is directed through the adsorber 11 and ports 8 and 7 to the outlet 13 and steam is simultaneously passed through adsorber 10 and ports 2, 3, 6 and 5 to the condenser 21. In the fourth phase the valve 16 is restored to its initial position after shutting off the steam, thus placing the adsorbers again in series as in the second, but the gas flows first through adsorber 11, then through adsorber 10 and thence to the outlet 13.