Patent ID: 7938886
Filing Date: 2011-05-10
Classification: B01D,C10L,Y02C

Abstract:
1. A process for selectively removing a first target gas component from a gas mixture containing said first target gas component and a product gas component, said process comprising: a) providing a temperature swing adsorption gas separation unit containing at least one adsorbent contactor at an initial temperature, wherein the adsorbent contactor is comprised of a plurality of substantially parallel open flow channels, and wherein the channel surface of at least a portion of said flow channels is comprised of an adsorbent material that has a selectivity for said first target gas component over said product gas component of greater than 1; b) passing said gas mixture through at least a fraction of said flow channels thereby resulting in the adsorption of at least a portion of said first target gas component from the gas mixture onto said adsorbent material, thereby producing a first product gas stream, that has a lower mol % of the first target gas component than said gas mixture; c) collecting said product gas stream; d) heating said at least one adsorbent contactor having said first target gas component adsorbed thereon with a heat transfer fluid to an effective temperature that will result in the desorption of at least a fraction of said first target gas component from said adsorbent material, thereby resulting in a first waste gas stream that has a higher mol % concentration of the first target gas component than said gas mixture; e) collecting said first waste gas stream; and f) cooling said at least one adsorbent contactor to the initial temperature; wherein a thermal wave is generated in the adsorbent contactor in the desorption step d) thereby creating a thermal wave temperature gradient, which thermal wave temperature gradient moves along the length of the at least one adsorbent contactor and which adsorbent contactor has a ΔT