Patent ID: 7645324

Claim:
A multi-layer parallel passage adsorbent structure for use in an adsorptive separation between at least a first more rapidly adsorbed gas component and a second less rapidly adsorbed gas component comprising: an adsorbent structure having a tortuosity of 2.5>t>1.0, the adsorbent structure comprising a plurality of adsorbent sheets comprising at least one adsorbent material, the adsorbent material being coated on each of the plurality of sheets and having an adsorbent layer thickness X, the at least one adsorbent material comprising particles having a radius r c , micropores of from about 0.0002 μm to about 0.0005 μm, and an ideal kinetic selectivity S 0 between the first and second components, wherein the thickness X and the adsorbent particle radius r c are selected to maximize the value of an effective kinetic selectivity S of the adsorbent structure, the adsorptive separation having a cycle period T, such that T is in the range between about 10 t cA <T<2 t cB with t cA and t cB being time constants for diffusion of the first more rapidly adsorbed gas component and the second less rapidly adsorbed gas component, respectively; and spacing means between the multiplicity of adsorbent sheets to define flow channels between adjacent adsorbent sheets.