Patent ID: 9708188
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: B01D,C01B,F25J

Claim:
1. A method for producing a purified argon product, the method comprising: providing a pressurized crude argon vapor stream at a temperature from −186° C. to −20° C.; introducing the pressurized crude argon vapor stream into a pressure swing adsorption apparatus containing an oxygen-selective zeolite adsorbent and operating the pressure swing adsorption apparatus at a temperature from −186° C. to −20° C.; withdrawing an argon enriched product from the pressure swing adsorption apparatus; and regenerating the oxygen-selective zeolite at a pressure greater than prevailing ambient pressure; wherein the operating temperature of the pressure swing adsorption apparatus during operation is not increased except as a function of pressure change or adsorption/desorption.