Patent ID: 6451095
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A rotary module for implementing a pressure swing adsorption process having an operating pressure cycling between an upper pressure and a lower pressure for extracting a first gas fraction and a second gas fraction from a gas mixture including the first and second fractions, the rotary module comprising:a stator including a first stator valve surface, a second stator valve surface, a plurality of first function compartments opening into the first stator valve surface, and a plurality of second function compartments opening into the second stator valve surface; and a rotor rotatably coupled to the stator and including a first rotor valve surface in communication with the first stator valve surface, a second rotor valve surface in communication with the second stator valve surface, a plurality of flow paths for receiving adsorbent material therein, each said flow path including a pair of opposite ends, and a plurality of apertures provided in the rotor valve surfaces and in communication with the flow path ends and the function compartments for cyclically exposing each said flow path to a plurality of discrete pressure levels between the upper and lower pressures to provide substantially uniform gas flow through the first and second function compartments; wherein the second function compartments include a plurality of cocurrent blowdown compartments for subjecting the flow paths to a plurality of incremental pressure drops, and a plurality of light reflux return compartments communicating with the cocurrent blowdown compartments for subjecting the flow paths to a plurality of incremental pressure increases, and the stator includes pressure let-down means coupled between the cocurrent blowdown compartments and the light reflux return compartments for delivering gas removed from the cocurrent blowdown compartments at reduced pressure to the light reflux return compartments.