Patent ID: 7094275

Claim:
A rotary module for implementing a pressure swing adsorption process having an operating pressure cycling between an upper pressure and a lower pressure for extracting a first gas fraction and a second gas fraction from a gas mixture including at least the first and second gas fractions, the rotary module comprising: a stator including a first stator valve surface, a second stator valve surface, a plurality of first function compartments opening into the first stator valve surface, and a plurality of second function compartments opening into the second stator valve surface; a rotor rotatably coupled to the stator and including a first rotor valve surface in communication with the first stator valve surface, a second rotor valve surface in communication with the second stator valve surface, a plurality of flow paths for receiving adsorbent material therein, each said flow path including a pair of opposite ends, and a plurality of apertures provided in the rotor valve surfaces and in communication with the flow path ends and the function compartments for cyclically exposing each said flow path to a plurality of discrete pressure levels between the upper and lower pressures for the pressure swing adsorption process; and a gas mixing means in communication with at least two function compartments for mixing a relatively higher pressure gas flow with a relatively lower pressure gas flow to effect a let-down of pressure in the relatively higher pressure gas flow, while providing a source of reduced pressure or vacuum to the relatively lower pressure gas flow.