Flow regulated pressure swing adsorption system

Abstract

Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) separation of a gas mixture is performed in an apparatus with a plurality of adsorbent beds. The invention provides rotary multiport distributor valves to control the timing sequence of the PSA cycle steps between the beds, with flow controls cooperating with the rotary distributor valves to control the volume rates of gas flows to and from the adsorbent beds in blowdown, purge, equalization and repressurization steps.

Description

[0001]The present application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. Reissue patent application No. 10 / 150,784, entitled “Flow Regulated Pressure Swing Adsorption System,” filed on May 16, 2002, and to be issued as U.S. Pat. No. RE38,493 on Apr. 13, 2004, which is a reissue of U.S. patent application No. 08 / 637,176, entitled “Flow Regulated Pressure Swing Adsorption System,” filed Apr. 24, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,161, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.<?insert-end id="INS-S-00001" ?>TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The invention relates to separations conducted by pressure swing adsorption (PSA). The present invention provides simplified controls, with enhanced flexibility of control adjustment through flow regulation under changing operating conditions.BACKGROUND ART[0003]Gas separation by pressure swing adsorption is achieved by coordinated pressure cycling and flow reversals over adsorbent beds which preferentially adsorb a more readily adsorbed componen...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0031]The present invention achieves pressurization and depressurization steps primarily by gas exchanges between the adsorbent beds. Steps entailing exchange of gas enriched in the second component between adsorbent beds will be described as light reflux steps. A predetermined logical sequence of the process steps will be established by rotary distributor valves, while flow regulation controls will enable satisfactory operation under varied process conditions and under varied cycle frequencies so that required product purity, recovery and output can be achieved by a simple control strategy.

[0038](B) withdrawing a flow of gas enriched in the second component (light reflux gas) from the second end of the adsorbent bed through the second distributor valve, so as to depressurize the adsorbent bed from the higher pressure toward an equalization pressure less than the higher pressure, while controlling the flow so that the pressure in the bed approaches the equalization pressure within an equalization time interval, and also controlling the flow so as to limit the peak flow velocity exiting the second end of the adsorbent bed in that time interval so as to avoid damaging the adsorbent,

[0039](C) withdrawing a flow of gas enriched in the second component (light reflux gas) from the second end of the adsorbent bed through the second distributor valve, so as to depressurize the adsorbent bed from approximately the equalization pressure to an intermediate pressure less than the equalization pressure and greater than the lower pressure, while controlling the flow so that the pressure in the bed reaches approximately the intermediate pressure within a cocurrent blowdown time interval, and also controlling the flow so as to limit the peak flow velocity exiting the second end of the adsorbent bed in that time interval so as to avoid damaging the adsorbent,

[0040](D) withdrawing a flow of gas enriched in the first component (countercurrent blowdown gas) from the first end of the adsorbent bed through the first distributor valve, so as to depressurize the adsorbent bed from approximately the intermediate pressure to approach the lower pressure, while controlling the flow so that the pressure in the bed approaches the lower pressure within a countercurrent blowdown time interval, and also controlling the flow so as to limit the peak flow velocity adjacent the first end of the adsorbent bed in that time interval so as to avoid damaging the adsorbent,

[0042](F) supplying a flow of gas enriched in the second component (light reflux gas) from the second distributor valve to the bed, so as to repressurize the adsorbent bed from approximately the lower pressure to approach the equalization pressure, while controlling the flow so that the pressure in the bed approaches the equalization pressure within an equalization time interval, and also controlling the flow so as to limit the peak flow velocity entering the first end of the adsorbent bed in that time interval so as to avoid damaging the adsorbent, the flow of gas enriched in the second component from the second distributor valve being withdrawn from another of the adsorbent beds which is undergoing equalization step (B) of the process,

[0043](G) supplying a flow of gas enriched in the second component (light reflux gas) from the second distributor valve to the bed, so as to repressurize the adsorbent bed from the equalization pressure to approach the higher pressure, while controlling the flow so that the pressure in the bed approaches the higher pressure within a repressurization time interval, and also controlling the flow so as to limit the peak flow velocity entering the second end of the adsorbent bed in that time interval so as to avoid damaging the adsorbent, the flow of gas enriched in the second component from the second distributor valve being withdrawn from another of the adsorbent beds which is undergoing feed step (A) of the process,

Problems solved by technology

With a greater number of beds, multiple pressure equalization steps can be achieved, although the valve logic and controls are then greatly complicated.

For large industrial PSA systems, mechanical immobilization of the adsorbent beds has not been practicable.

However, a rotary adsorbent bed assembly may be impracticable for large PSA units, owing to the weight of the rotating assembly.

Also, when separating gas components which are highly inflammable or toxic, the rotary adsorbent bed assembly would need to be completely enclosed in a containment shroud to capture any leakage from large diameter rotary seals.

However, these prior art devices have limited utility except in small scale applications, owing to their lack of control flexibility.

Since valve timing logic and port orifice sizing of the multiport valves are fixed rigidly in these prior art inventions, there is no provision for flow control to provide operational adjustment under changing feed conditions or during intervals of reduced product demand, or for performance optimization.

This inflexibility of control is most limiting for those of the cited prior art inventions which use multiport valves to exchange gas between a pair of beds, and across a pressure difference between that pair of beds.

Once the internal orifice apertures of the rotary valves and piping connections have been fixed, the prior art PSA cycle using multiport valves could only operate correctly between given high and low pressures at one cycle frequency with a given feed composition, and would have no means for operational adjustment to optimize cycle performance.

Hence, prior art PSA devices with multiport valves would be unable to operate at much reduced cycle frequency during periods of reduced demand for purified product.

If the cycle frequency is moderately too high, the apparatus will release a larger exhaust flow, achieving higher than desired purity and lower than desired recovery of the light product.

If the cycle frequency is much too high, mass transfer effects may degrade performance to result in unsatisfactory light product purity as well as low recovery.

None of the cited prior art for pressure swing adsorption with multiport valves addresses the combined need for adjustable cycle frequency control and adjustable flow controls for gas exchanges between pairs of adsorbent beds.

Hence, these devices as disclosed have the operational limitation that they cannot be operated at significantly varied conditions of cycle frequency and pressure.

The above cited PSA devices with multiport distributor valves lack any control means for making adjustments between the pressure intervals taken up by the different steps of the cycle.

A further limitation of the prior art for PSA devices using multiport valves is the lack of control means to establish relatively smooth and constant flow over each step.

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