Patent ID: 6183537
Filing Date: 2001-02-06
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A two-bed pressure swing adsorption process for the separation of a less adsorbable component from a gas mixture comprising said less adsorbable component and a more adsorbable component, said process comprising an adsorption/desorption cycle having the following steps:a) introducing said gas mixture into a feed end of a vessel which contains a bed of material capable of selectively adsorbing said more adsorbable component, whereby pressure in said vessel increases;b) an adsorption step comprising adsorbing at least a portion of said more adsorbable component and recovering at least a portion of said less adsorbable component;c) a desorption step comprising desorbing said more adsorbable component from said adsorbent material by evacuation of gas from said vessel, wherein said process uses a rotary blower having a rated temperature that is less than or equal to .DELTA.Tmax, where:.DELTA.T.sub.max.ltoreq..DELTA.T.sub.rise /t*(t.sub.ALLOWED -t.sub.TOTAL +t.sub.HEAT)+.DELTA.T.sub.risewherein:.DELTA.T.sub.max =Rated temperature tolerance of said rotary blower;t=Time in seconds;.DELTA.T.sub.rise =Rise in temperature associated with the average .DELTA.P (inlet pressure of said rotary blower-outlet pressure of said rotary blower) of said cycle;t.sub.HEAT =Time said rotary blower is heated during said desorption step;t.sub.TOTAL =Total time of said desorption step;t.sub.allowed =Total cycle time for said cyclewherein operation of said blower at steady state conditions at the maximum .DELTA.P (inlet pressure of said rotary blower-outlet pressure of said rotary blower) would result in blower temperatures in excess of .DELTA.T.sub.max.