Adsorption device and adsorption element for gas treatment.

Abstract

The invention relates to a gas treatment adsorption device comprising one or more vessels in which an adsorption element is installed. The adsorption element comprises plates with flow perforations in which multiple adsorption columns are enclosed between the plates, each column comprising at least one adsorption block. The columns are arranged side-by-side parallel along the direction of flow of the gas, such that all flow perforations of the respective plates between which the columns are enclosed overlap the corresponding end surfaces of the columns.

Description

2 dryinggas,forexamplecompressedgasgeneratedbya compressor,whichdryerscompriseoneormorevesselsin whichanadsorptionagentintheformofaregeneratable dryingagentisplaced.Theoneormorevesselsconcerned areequippedwithaninletandanoutletandcanbe5 operatedinadryingorinaregeneratingmodusorbeused forcyclicaldryingandregenerating.Inthecaseofbeing operatedinthedryingmodus,thecompressedgastobe driedissuppliedviatheinletanddriedgasisdischarged viatheoutlet.Inthecaseofbeingoperatedinthe10 regeneratingmodus,the(saturated)dryingagentisexposed toaregenerationgasflowthatextractsthemoisturefrom thedryingagent.Sucharegenerationgasflowcanconsist ofafractionofthedriedgasand / orhotgasforexample whoserelativehumidityissufficientlylowtobeableto15 realisetheregenerationofthedryingagent. Theadsorptionagentarrangedinavesselofanadsorption devicecantakeonvariousformssuchasforinstancea granularformoranotherextrudedform.Itisalsoknownto20 provideanadsorptionblockinthevessel,whichis preferablyfittinglyarrangedinthevesseltomaximize adsorptioncapacity.Dimensionsofavesselofan adsorptiondeviceareamongothersdeterminedbythe desiredadsorptioncapacity.25 Knownadsorptionblocksmaybeformedbyanopensupporting structurewhichisatleastpartiallycoatedwithan adsorptionagent.Theopensupportingstructurepreferably includeschannels,passages,openingsand / orporesthat30 facilitatetheflowofgasthroughthestructureinthe BE2024 / 5873 3 vesselfromtheinlettotheoutletbutalsoallowthegas toflowlaterallyintheopensupportingstructureto obtainmaximumeffectivenessoftheadsorptionagent.The examplesofsuchopensupportingstructuresarecorrugated orhoneycomborotherstructurescomprisingoneormoreof5 thefollowingmaterials:aceramicmaterial,ametalfoil, afibrestructurecomposedofaglassfibre,aceramic fibreoramixtureofdifferenttypesoffibresanda polymer. 10 Adsorptionblockscanbemadeindifferentshapesand sizes.However,duetolimitationsintheproduction process,forcostreasons,andinordertomeetthe requiredqualityinpractice,theyareonlyavailableina fewshapesandinafewlimitedstandarddimensions.Asa15 consequenceavailableadsorptionblockscannotbeusedin largervesselsastheycannotbefittinglyarrangedtherein and / ortheycannotbearrangedinthevesselinawayagas flowisdefinedfromtheinlettotheoutletthroughthe adsorptionblockswithoutbypassflow.20 Asolutioncouldbetoconstructanadsorptionelement havingdimensionsandshapeallowingtheadsorptionelement tobefittinglyarrangedbyassemblingpluraladsorption blocks,positioningthemsidebyside,glueingadjacent25 adsorptionblocksattheiradjacentsidestooneanother, andshapingtheperimeteroftheresultingadsorption elemente.g.bycutting,sawingand / orlaseringsuchthat theadsorptionelementfitsinthevessel.Thisisvery laboriousandhencetootime-consumingandtoocostly.30 Moreover,theprecisionshapingisverydifficultin BE2024 / 5873 4 particularincasetheadsorptionblockscompriseanopen supportingstructurecomposedofaceramicmaterial. Furthermoretheglueingispronetoerrors,maycause reliabilityissues,andcouldintroduceanundesiredbypass flowattheinterfacesbetweentheadsorptionblocks.5 SUMMARYOFTHEINVENTION Itisanobjectiveofthepresentinventiontoprovidean10 alternativeadsorptiondevicehavingavesselwithplural adsorptionblocksarrangedthereinsuchthattheadsorption capacityismaximizedwhilepreventingbypassflow. Alsoanobjectiveoftheinventionistoprovidean15 adsorptionelementwhichcanbeeasilyadaptedtomatchthe dimensionsofavesseloftheadsorptiondeviceenvisaged suchthatitcanbefittinglyarrangedtherein. Onemoreobjectiveofthepresentinventionistoprovide20 anadsorptiondeviceandanadsorptionelementmaking optimaluseofadsorptionblocksreadilyavailableinthe market. Toatleastpartiallyaddressoneormoreofthementioned25 orotherchallengesand / ortoatleastpartiallymeetone ormoreofthementionedorotherobjectives,thepresent inventionconcernsanadsorptiondevicefortreatinggasor compressedgas. 30 Theadsorptiondevicecomprisesavesselwithaninletfor BE2024 / 5873 5 thesupplyofgastobetreated,andanoutletfor dischargingtreatedgas,whereintheinletandoutletare fluidlyconnectedallowingthegastoflowinaflow directioninthevesselfromtheinlettotheoutlet. 5 Inthevesselafirstplatewithfirstflow-through perforationsispositionedbetweentheinletandthe outlet,andasecondplatewithsecondflow-through perforationsispositionedbetweenthefirstplateandthe outlet,whereinpluraladsorptionpillarsareconfined10 betweenthefirstplateandthesecondplate,eachofthe adsorptionpillarscomprisingatleastoneadsorption block,eachoftheadsorptionpillarshavingafirstend surfaceandanopposingsecondendsurface,eachofthe adsorptionpillarsbeingorientedwiththefirstend15 surfacefacingthefirstplateoverlappingwithatleast oneofthefirstflow-throughperforationsandwiththe secondendsurfacefacingthesecondplateoverlappingwith atleastoneofthesecondflow-throughperforations,and whereintheadsorptionpillarsarearrangedsidebyside,20 orinotherwordsinparallelalongtheflowdirectionof thegas,suchthateachofthefirstflow-through perforationsandeachofthesecondflow-through perforationscompletelyoverlapsrespectivelywiththe firstendsurfaceofatleastonecorrespondingadsorption25 pillaroftheadsorptionpillarsandthesecondendsurface ofatleastonecorrespondingadsorptionpillarofthe adsorptionpillars. Theadsorptionpillarstypicallyhaveageneralformofa30 cylinderorabeam,butobviouslyalsoothershapescanbe BE2024 / 5873 6 used. Thisconfigurationoftheadsorptiondeviceensuresthat thegasisdirectedtoflowfromtheinlettotheoutlet successivelythroughthefirstflow-throughperforations,5 inparallelthroughtheadsorptionpillars,andthesecond flow-throughperforations.Assuchbypassflow,beinggas flowingfromtheinlettotheoutletwithoutpassing throughtheadsorptionpillars,isavoidedoratleast limited.Furthermoretheparallelpositioningofthe10 adsorptionpillarsensuresthatthespaceavailableinthe vesseliswellexploitedsuchthatadsorptioncapacityis maximized,whileusecanbemadeofadsorptionblocks havingdimensionsreadilyavailableinthemarket. 15 Inanembodimentoftheinvention,eachoftheadsorption pillarsoftheadsorptiondevicecomprisestwoormore adsorptionblocksstackedontopofeachother,wherein differentadsorptionblocksofasameadsorptionpillar compriseadifferentadsorptionagent.Thisallowsto20 combinedifferenttreatmentofthegastobetreatedsuch asforinstanceacombineddryingandseparationtreatment. Anexampleofacombineddryingandseparationtreatment usingcompressedairasthetobetreatedgasistoprovide adsorptionblockswithadryingagenttoremovemoisture25 outoftheairandadsorptionblockswithanadsorption agentsuitableforadsorbingnitrogeninordertoseparate nitrogenfromoxygenintheair. Thevesseloftheadsorptiondeviceaccordingtothe30 inventiontypicallyhasageneralcylindricalshape.The BE2024 / 5873 7 inventionishowevernotlimitedtheretobutequally applicabletovesselswithothershapessuchase.g.a beam,aprism,oranyothershape,suchase.g.ashape withacross-sectionintheformofaregularorirregular polygon.Onemayopttoprovideasupportelementonthe5 innersurfaceofthevesselwhereonorwheretothefirst platecanberespectivelypositionedormountedangledwith respecttotheflowdirection.Incaseofacylindrically shapedvesselthesupportelementcouldforexamplebean annularprotrusion.Aseal,forexamplearubberseal,may10 beprovidedattheedgeofthefirstplateorbetweenthe supportelementandthefirstplatetoavoidorsuppress anypotentialbypassflow. Inafurtherembodimentoftheinvention,spacersare15 providedbetweenthefirstandsecondplateofthe adsorptiondeviceconnectingthefirstplatewiththe secondplatesuchthattheadsorptionpillarsareconfined therebetween.Thefirstandsecondplatearetypicallymade ofarigidmaterialsuchase.g.metal.Thespacers20 distancethefirstplatefromthesecondplateand preferablyhaveanequallengthsuchthatthefirstand secondplateareorientedsubstantiallyparallelwhile confiningtheadsorptionpillars.Incasetheflow directionisupwardorientedbytuningthelengthofthe25 spacerstothelengthoftheadsorptionpillars,pressure maybeexertedbythesecondplatebymeansof gravitationalforcesuchthattheadsorptionpillarsare clampedbetweenthefirstplateandsecondplatehence preventingunwanteddisplacementoftheadsorptionpillars.30 Amongotherstoallowotherorientationsofthevessel,the BE2024 / 5873 8 clampingforcemayalsobeappliedotherwise.Forinstance,eachspacermaycomprisearodwiththreadedendsand correspondingnutssuchthatinmountedconditionofthe rodthethreadedendsextendthroughcorrespondingholesin thefirstandsecondplatewiththecorrespondingnuts5 screwedontheextendingpartsofthethreadedendsfor clampingtheadsorptionpillarsbetweenthefirstand secondplate.Thisallowstoregulatetheclampingforceby tighteningorlooseningthenuts. 10 Inonemoreembodimentoftheinvention,anendsealis providedateachendofeachoftheadsorptionpillars.One mayalsoopttoprovideforeachadsorptionblockor adsorptionpillaranenclosuresurroundingtheadsorption blockorpillarsuchthatasidesurfaceoftheadsorption15 blockorpillarareatleastpartiallyenclosed.The enclosureispreferablyimpermeableorhaslimited permeabilityforthegastobetreated.Anexampleofsuch anenclosureisashrinksleevingofanelasticmaterial, butobviouslyotherinelasticorelasticenclosuresmaybe20 used.Theendsealsandtheenclosuresassistinavoiding oratleastsuppressingabypassflow. Inyetonemoreembodimentoftheinvention,eachofthe adsorptionpillarscomprisestwoormoreadsorptionblocks25 stackedontopofeachother,wherebyconsecutivestacked adsorptionblocksareseparatedfromoneanotherbya furtherplatewithfurtherflow-throughperforations, wherebyopposingendsurfacesofconsecutivestacked adsorptionblocksfacingthefurtherplatearepositioned30 overlappingwithatleastoneofthefurtherflowflow- BE2024 / 5873 9 throughperforations.Onemayopttoprovideasealatthe endsoftheadsorptionblocksfacingthefurtherplateto avoidoratleastlimitpotentialbypassflow.Anadvantage ofthisconfigurationisthat,inviewofthelayered structureoftheadsorptionpillarsprovidedbythefurther5 plate,itallowsforaneasyassemblyordisassemblyofthe adsorptionpillarsdirectlyinsidethevessel. Inanotherembodimentoftheinvention,anadsorptionagent ingranulateformisprovidedinthevesselbetweenthe10 inletandthefirstplateorbetweenthesecondplateand theoutlet. Theinventionalsoconcernsanadsorptionelementforan adsorptiondevicefortreatinggas,theadsorptionelement15 comprising: afirstplatewithfirstflow-throughperforations, asecondplatewithsecondflow-throughperforations, spacersarrangedbetweenthefirstandsecondplate connectingthefirstplatewiththesecondplate,and20 pluraladsorptionpillarsconfinedinparallelbetweenthe firstplateandthesecondplate, whereineachoftheadsorptionpillarscomprisesatleast oneadsorptionblock, whereineachoftheadsorptionpillarshasafirstend25 surfaceandanopposingsecondendsurface,eachofthe adsorptionpillarsbeingorientedwiththefirstend surfacefacingthefirstplateoverlappingwithatleast oneofthefirstflow-throughperforationsandwiththe secondendsurfacefacingthesecondplateoverlappingwith30 atleastoneofthesecondflow-throughperforations,and BE2024 / 5873 10 whereinthepillarsarearrangedsidebysidesuchthat eachofthefirstflow-throughperforationsandeachofthe secondflow-throughperforationscompletelyoverlaps respectivelywiththefirstendsurfacesofatleastone correspondingadsorptionpillaroftheadsorptionpillars5 andthesecondendsurfacesofatleastonecorresponding adsorptionpillaroftheadsorptionpillars.Preferablyan endsealisprovidedateachendofeachadsorptionpillar. Inanembodimentoftheinvention,eachspacerofthe10 adsorptionelementcomprisesarodwiththreadedendsand correspondingnutssuchthatinmountedconditionofthe rodthethreadedendsextendthroughcorrespondingholesin thefirstandsecondplatewiththecorrespondingnuts screwedontheextendingpartsofthethreadedendsfor15 clampingtheadsorptionpillarsbetweenthefirstand secondplate. Inonemoreembodimentoftheinvention,eachadsorption pillaroftheadsorptionelementcomprisestwoormore20 adsorptionblocksstackedontopofeachother,wherein differentadsorptionblocksofasameadsorptionpillar compriseadifferentadsorptionagent. Inonemoreembodimentoftheinvention,eachadsorption25 pillaroftheadsorptionelementcomprisestwoormore adsorptionblocksstackedontopofeachother,whereby consecutivestackedadsorptionblocksareseparatedfrom oneanotherbyafurtherplatewithfurtherflow-through perforations,wherebyopposingendsurfacesofconsecutive30 stackedadsorptionblocksfacingthefurtherplateare BE2024 / 5873 11 positionedoverlappingwithatleastoneofthefurther flowflow-throughperforations.Preferablyasealis providedattheendsoftheadsorptionblocksfacingthe furtherplateorplates. 5 BRIEFDESCRIPTIONOFTHEDRAWINGS Withtheintentionofbettershowingthecharacteristicsof theinvention,hereafter,asanexamplewithoutany limitativecharacter,somepreferredembodimentsare10 describedofanadsorptiondeviceaccordingtothe invention,withreferencetotheaccompanyingdrawings, wherein: figure1A,1B,and1Cschematicallydepict,15 respectively,aperspectiveview,alongitudinal section,andacrosssectionalongthelineA-Aofa vesselofanadsorptiondeviceaccordingtoan embodimentoftheinvention; figure2showsatopviewofthecomponentindicated20 infig.1BwithF2; figure3showsaperspectiveviewofthecomponent indicatedinfig.1BwithF3; figures4and5schematicallydepict,respectively,a longitudinalsectionofavesselofanadsorption25 deviceaccordingtodifferentembodimentsofthe invention. DETAILEDDESCRIPTIONOFAPREFERREDEMBODIMENT 30 Figures1to3depictanexampleofavessel1ofan BE2024 / 5873 12 adsorptiondeviceforthetreatmentofgas,forexamplefor drying,purifyingand / orseparatinggasorcompressedgas. Inthisexampletheadsorptiondeviceisadryerfor treatingcompressedairoriginatingfromacompressor.A singlevessel1isshownbutthedryermayalsocomprise5 twoormorevessels.Thevessel1hasageneralcylindrical shapeandisshowninanuprightorientation,althoughthe inventionisclearlynotlimitedtheretobutapplicable alsotoothershapesandorientationsofthevessel. 10 Thevessel1,whichisgenerallymadeofsteeloran alternativematerial,isprovidedatitsbottomwithan inlet2forthesupplyofcompressedairtobedried,and atitstopwithanoutlet3fordischargingdriedgas.The inletandoutletarefluidlyconnectedallowingtheairto15 flowinageneralverticalflowdirectionfromthebottom inlettothetopoutlet.Thetobedriedairenteringthe vessel1throughtheinlet2passesthroughawater separator4arrangedinthevesselneartheinlet2atthe bottomofthevessel.Alternativelyoradditionallyanair20 diffuser,afilter,oneormoreflapsorvalves,aseal, and / orasilencermaybeprovided.Atthetopofthevessel neartheoutlet3,afilter5isarrangedinthevesselfor filteringthedriedairpriortoleavingthevesselthrough theoutlet.Alternativelyoradditionallyanairdiffuser,25 oneormoreflapsorvalves,aseal,and / orasilencermay beprovided. Aflange6isprovidednearthetopofthevessel1for enablingopeningandairtightclosingofthevessel.In30 opencondition,apre-assembledadsorptionelementcanbe BE2024 / 5873 13 introducedinorremovedfromthevessel,ortheadsorption elementcanbeassembledordisassembledinwholeor partiallyintheopenedvessel. Thevessel1isshownwithanadsorptionelementarranged5 therein.Theshownadsorptionelementcomprisesafirst plate7andasecondplate8withfivefurtherplates9 arrangedtherebetween.Theplates7,8,9arearranged, orientedand / orangledwithrespecttotheflowdirection, inthiscasesubstantiallyperpendicularly,i.e.atan10 anglefrom80degreesto100degrees.Theplates7,8,9are madefromaluminum,butcanalsobemadeofanothermetal suchasforexamplesteelorarigidplastic. Inbetweenconsecutiveplates,adsorptionpillars11,each15 consistingofasingleadsorptionblock10,areconfined suchthatalayeredstructureofadsorptionblocksis formed,whereineachlayercomprisespluraladsorption blocks10arrangedinparallel.Theadsorptionblocks10 areorientedalongtheflowdirectionandhaveageneral20 cylindricalshape,butclearlyalsoothershapescanbe usedsuchasforexampleabeamshape. Theadsorptionblocks10usedallhavethesamedimensions,whichisadvantageousastheycanbeeasilyexchangedor25 replaced,andassemblyordisassemblyoftheadsorption elementissimplified.Thisconfigurationofadsorption blocksalsoallowstouseadsorptionblockshaving dimensionsreadilyavailableinthemarket.Theadsorption block10shownisastructureddesiccant,beinganopen30 structureformedofadryingagentoratleastpartially BE2024 / 5873 14 coatedwithadryingagent. Eachadsorptionblock10isprovidedatitsendswithan endseal12.Theendseal,whichistypicallymadeofan elasticmaterial,suchasforexamplerubber,isarranged5 ontheperimeteredgeoftheadsorptionblockattheend andaxiallyextendstowardsandabutsthecorresponding plate7,8,9facingsaidend.Theplates7,8,9areprovided withflow-throughperforations13.Theflow-through perforations13andtheadsorptionblocks10aremutually10 arrangedsuchthateachendsurfaceofeachadsorption blockoverlapswithflow-throughperforations13ofthe correspondingplatefacingsaidendsurface,andthatall flow-throughperforations13completelyoverlapwithend surfacesoftheadsorptionblocks.Henceitisensured15 thattheairisdirectedtoflowfromtheinlet2tothe outlet3alternatinglythroughtheflow-through perforations13andtheadsorptionblocks10positionedin parallelalongtheflowdirection,andthesecondflow- throughperforations.Attheendsoftheadsorptionblocks20 10leakageofairbetweentheadsorptionblocksandthe plates7,8,9ispreventedbytheendseals12. Theplates7,8,9withtheadsorptionblocks10confined therebetweenareconnectedtooneanotherbymeansofrods25 (notshown)withthreadedends.Intheplates7,8,9holes areprovidethroughwhichtherodsextendalongtheflow directionbetweentheadsorptionblocksfromthefirst plate7viathefurtherplates9tothesecondplate8.The threadedendsoftherodsatleastpartiallyextend30 outwardsrespectivelythroughcorrespondingholes14inthe BE2024 / 5873 15 firstplate7andsecondplate8.Correspondingnutsare screwedontheoutwardlyextendingpartsofthethreaded endsforclampingtheadsorptionblocksbetweenconsecutive plates.Theclampingforcemayberegulatedbytightening orlooseningthenuts.5 Thefirstplate7isarrangedonasupportelementinthe formofanannularprotrusionprotrudingradiallyinwards fromtheinnerperipheralsurfaceofthevessel1.Onthe outeredgeofthefirstplate7,asealisprovidedto10 preventbypassflow.Also,asimilarsealwillbeneededat thesecondplate8topreventbypassflowandtoisolatea drytopchamberinthevessel1betweenthesecondplate8 andtheoutlet3. 15 Thevesselshowninfig.4issimilartothevessel1shown infig.1anddescribedhereabove,exceptthatadifferent adsorptionelement,usingsimilaradsorptionblocks10and asimilarlyconnectedfirstplate7andsecondplate8,is arrangedinthevessel.Theadsorptionelementinthe20 vesselshowninfig.4comprisesafirstplate7anda secondplate8only.Inbetweenthefirstplate7andthe secondplate8,adsorptionpillars11areconfinedin parallelalongtheflowdirection.Eachadsorptionpillar 11consistsofsixadsorptionblocks10stackedontopof25 eachother.Eachadsorptionblock10isprovidedatits endswithanendseal12.Preferablyconsecutiveadsorption blocks10ofanadsorptionpillar11arespacedapartfrom eachothersuchthatoneadsorptionblockcannotclosethe channelsoftheadjacentadsorptionblock.Anenclosure1530 surroundstheadsorptionpillar11suchthatitsside BE2024 / 5873 16 surfacesareenclosed.Theenclosure15shownisashrink sleevingofanelasticmaterial.Theplates7,8withthe adsorptionpillars11confinedtherebetweenareconnected tooneanotherbymeansofrods(notshown)withthreaded endswhereoncorrespondingnutsarescrewed.5 Thevesselshowninfig.5issimilartothevessel1shown infig.1anddescribedhereabove,exceptthatadifferent adsorptionelement,usingsimilaradsorptionblocks10and asimilarlyconnectedfirstplate7andsecondplate8,is10 arrangedinthevessel.Theadsorptionelementinthe vesselshowninfig.5comprisesafirstplate7,asecond plate8,andaperforatedcoverplate15.Inbetweenthe firstplate7andthesecondplate8,adsorptionpillars11 areconfinedinparallelalongtheflowdirection.Each15 adsorptionpillar11consistsofasingleadsorptionblock 10whichisprovidedatitsendswithanendseal12.In betweenthesecondplate8andthecoverplate15, desiccantgranulate17isenclosed.Otherconfigurations combiningdesiccantinstructuredandgranulateformare20 alsopossiblesuchasforinstanceprovidingalternate layersofgranulateandadsorptionpillars11arrangedin parallel. Thepresentinventionisinnowaylimitedtotheformof25 embodimentdescribedbywayofanexampleandrepresented inth,