Patent ID: 6368383
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: B01D,C01B

Abstract:
A method of separating oxygen from an oxygen containing gas with a composite membrane capable of conducting oxygen ions and electrons, said method comprising:subjecting said composite membrane to an operational temperature and said oxygen containing gas with a higher oxygen partial pressure at a cathode side thereof and establishing a lower oxygen partial pressure at an anode side thereof; said composite membrane having a dense layer, at least one active porous layer contiguous to said dense layer, and at least one porous support layer; the active porous layer having a thickness and a distribution of pore radii, the distribution of pore radii having a standard deviation in the distribution of the log of pore radii, the standard deviation being equal to a product of 1.45 and a shape factor, the shape factor being greater than 0.0 and no greater than about 0.5, said thickness being equal to about the product of a constant and the square root of the area weighted average pore radius, and the constant being a function of the material used to fabricate said active porous layer, said operational temperature, an oxygen partial pressure within said active porous layer, and a porosity and a tortuosity produced by an arrangement of the pores.