Crosslinked Elastomer Sorbent for Volatile Component Depletion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing volatile polyorganosiloxanes and VOCs from products, effluent process gas, and wastewater streams face challenges such as mass transfer limitations, fouling, and high regeneration energy costs, and require additional separation steps or equipment that increase costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the sorption of volatile components into the bulk of a nonporous crosslinked polyorganosiloxane elastomer, followed by desorption and regeneration, allowing for repeated use of the elastomer without the need for membrane separators or additional liquid separation steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If porous solid adsorbents (activated carbon or molecular sieves) are used for volatile species removal, then volatile components can be adsorbed, but mass transfer limitations occur and significant energy input is required for regeneration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses nonporous silicone elastomer instead of porous materials, allowing volatile species to dissolve directly into the bulk material without pore diffusion limitations, thereby reducing mass transfer resistance and enabling more efficient regeneration with lower energy input
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter from solid porous adsorbent to elastomeric material, and changes the sorption mechanism from surface adsorption to bulk dissolution, which fundamentally alters the regeneration energy requirements by eliminating capillary condensation and strong adsorbate-adsorbent interactions
2Quantity of substance
If porous solid adsorbents are used for volatile species removal, then volatile components can be adsorbed, but fouling and capillary condensation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent explicitly uses nonporous silicone elastomer to eliminate the pore structures that cause capillary condensation and fouling in traditional porous adsorbents, thereby improving reliability and resistance to fouling while maintaining volatile species removal capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses silicone elastomer, which combines the beneficial properties of silicone liquids (fouling resistance, fast dynamics) with the solid phase advantages (easy separation, no entrainment), creating a material that is less prone to fouling while maintaining effective volatile species removal
3Ease of operation
If silicone liquids are used for volatile species removal, then regeneration is easier and fouling is reduced, but additional liquid separation steps are required if silicone liquid is entrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses crosslinked silicone elastomer that combines the easy regeneration and fouling resistance of silicone liquids with the solid phase property of easy separation, eliminating the need for additional liquid separation steps while maintaining the operational advantages of silicone-based materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state from liquid to elastomeric solid through crosslinking, which fundamentally alters the separation requirement by allowing gravity-based solid-liquid separation instead of requiring complex liquid-liquid separation steps
4Reliability
If membrane separators are used to avoid liquid entrainment, then separation is improved, but equipment cost increases and fouling occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses crosslinked silicone elastomer that provides inherent separation between liquid phases while being a bulk solid material, eliminating the need for membrane separators and their associated costs and fouling problems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively reduces the concentration of volatile components in mixtures, minimizes fouling, and reduces energy costs by enabling efficient regeneration and reuse of the elastomer, thus overcoming the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
sorbing at least some of the volatile component into bulk of a nonporous crosslinked polyorganosiloxane elastomer
Implementation Method 2
enriching the nonporous crosslinked polyorganosiloxane elastomer with sorbed volatile component
Implementation Method 3
desorbing at least some of the sorbed volatile component from the enriched crosslinked polyorganosiloxane elastomer
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A method and apparatus for removing a volatile component from a mixture are disclosed. The method and apparatus employ a crosslinked elastomer with a glass transition temperature ≤ +25°C as the sorbent.