Patent ID: 7018447

Claim:
A method of cleaning in-situ adsorbent media of a rotary concentrator, said rotary concentrator including a plurality of sectors, each sector containing adsorbent media, said plurality of sectors supported on a rotatable support, a waste gas stream containing contaminants directed through a majority of said sectors, removing contaminants from said waste stream, a desorb supply plenum receiving at least one of said sectors, a clean gas stream directing clean gas through said at least one sector in said desorb supply plenum removing contaminants from adsorbent media in said at least one sector, and a spray nozzle in said desorb supply plenum connected to a source of washing liquid adapted to direct washing liquid into said at least one sector to remove further contaminants from adsorbent media in said at least one sector, said method comprising the following steps: (a) directing washing liquid into a first of said at least one sector located in said desorb supply plenum, removing contaminants from adsorbent media in said first at least one sector in said desorb supply plenum while directing said waste gas stream through a majority of said sectors located outside of said desorb supply plenum; (b) rotating said rotatable support through one full revolution plus at least one sector to bring a second at least one sector into said desorb supply plenum; (c) directing washing liquid into said second at least one sector in said desorb supply plenum, removing contaminants from adsorbent media in said second at least one sector, while continuing to direct said waste gas stream through a majority of sectors located outside said desorb supply plenum; and (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) to direct washing liquid into all of said sectors, thereby washing adsorbent media in all of said sectors while continuing to direct said waste gas stream through a majority of said sectors.