Patent ID: 7883571
Filing Date: 2011-02-08
Classification: B03C

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for purifying a gas stream by removing oxygen from the gas stream to produce a purified gas stream, said apparatus comprising: a primary separation zone comprising primary oxygen separation elements of tubular form to separate a primary portion of the oxygen from the gas stream and thereby to produce a partly purified gas stream, the primary oxygen separation elements connected between an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold such that the gas stream is divided into subsidiary streams, the subsidiary streams are introduced to the primary oxygen separation elements in parallel and are collected therefrom to produce the partly purified gas stream; a secondary separation zone connected to the outlet manifold, the secondary separation zone comprising a secondary oxygen separation element of tubular form connected to the primary separation zone to separate a secondary portion of the oxygen from the partly purified gas stream, thereby to produce the purified gas stream; the primary oxygen separation elements and the secondary oxygen separation element separating the primary portion of the oxygen and the secondary portion of the oxygen, respectively, through electrically driven oxygen ion transport; a first electrical power supply connected to the primary oxygen separation elements to apply a first electric potential to the primary oxygen separation elements, thereby to drive the oxygen ion transport occurring within the primary oxygen separation elements, the primary oxygen separation elements electrically connected to one another in series; a second electrical power supply connected to the secondary oxygen separation element to apply the second electric potential to the secondary oxygen separation element, thereby to drive the oxygen ion transport occurring within the secondary oxygen separation element; and an insulated enclosure to contain the primary separation zone and the secondary separation zone, the insulated enclosure having a heater to heat the primary and secondary oxygen separation elements to an operational temperature at which oxygen ion transport can occur.