Patent ID: 7687044
Filing Date: 2010-03-30
Classification: B01D,Y02C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for conducting a chemical reaction which has a gas phase reactant component and a gas phase product component, one of the reactant and the product components being a more readily adsorbed component and the other being a less readily adsorbed component under pressure increase over an adsorbent material, the apparatus comprising: (a) a rotary module for pressure swing adsorption separation of a gas mixture containing the reactant and product components, the rotary module comprising a stator and a rotor with an axis of rotation, the stator and rotor being mutually engaged in fluid communication across a first rotary valve surface and a second rotary valve surface both centred on the axis of rotation; the stator having a plurality of first function compartments each opening into the first rotary valve surface in an angular sector thereof, and a plurality of second function compartments each opening into the second rotary valve surface in an angular sector thereof, the rotor having a plurality of angularly spaced adsorber elements wherein the adsorbent material contacts flow paths extending in a flow direction between a first end communicating by a first aperture to the first valve surface and a second end communicating by a second aperture to the second valve surface, and with means to rotate the rotor such that each of the first apertures is opened in fluid communication to the first function compartments by rotation of the rotor bringing apertures sequentially into the angular sector of each first function compartment, while each of the second apertures is opened in fluid communication to the second function compartments by rotation of the rotor bringing the apertures sequentially into the angular section of each second function compartment so as to achieve cycling of the pressure in each adsorber element between an upper pressure and a lower pressure, (b) compression and expansion means cooperating with a feed function compartment to generate flow in each flow path directed from the first end to the second end of the flow path at substantially the upper pressure, and cooperating with an exhaust function compartment to generate flow in each flow path directed from the second end to the first end of the flow path at substantially the lower pressure, (c) a reaction space in which the reaction is conducted, the reaction space communicating with the flow paths, and (d) means to provide the reactant component to the apparatus, and to deliver the product component from the apparatus.