PSA Gas Drying Chambers With Blower-Assisted Adsorbent Regeneration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas drying methods, such as Thermal Swing Adsorption (TSA) and Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA), face inefficiencies and high costs when used for high-pressure, high-flow-rate gas drying, particularly due to the need for large, expensive vessels and the use of humid air for regeneration, and there is a need to improve the drying capacity and efficiency of PSA dryers.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a series of chambers with regenerable adsorbents and a blower to regenerate adsorbents by blowing heated air into chambers undergoing regeneration, alternating drying and regeneration phases, and using pre-heated air for enhanced efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Thermal Swing Adsorption (TSA) method is used to regenerate desiccant, then moisture desorption is achieved, but the process requires high temperature heating and cooling which increases energy consumption and time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the regeneration parameter from temperature-based (TSA) to pressure-based (PSA). By switching to pressure swing adsorption, the desiccant is regenerated through pressure reduction rather than thermal heating, eliminating the need for high temperature cycles and associated energy consumption while maintaining effective moisture desorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal field-based regeneration mechanism with a pressure field-based mechanism. Instead of using thermal energy to desorb moisture, the system uses pressure differential changes, substituting thermal processes with mechanical pressure changes to achieve regeneration.
2Reliability
If TSA method is used for desiccant regeneration, then moisture desorption is achieved, but the process requires large vessels with thick walls to withstand high pressure, increasing manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameter from high temperature/pressure (TSA) to near-ambient temperature and pressure (PSA). This parameter change allows the use of smaller vessels with standard wall thickness, eliminating the need for expensive thick-walled pressure vessels while maintaining regeneration effectiveness.
3Productivity
If PSA method is used to regenerate adsorbent, then drying capacity is improved, but the process uses humid air for regeneration which reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the humid air component from the regeneration process. By using a blower to introduce fresh, dry air into the regeneration chamber, the system separates the regeneration function from the humid compressed air, allowing efficient regeneration without the energy loss associated with using humid air.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a blower as an intermediary device to facilitate the regeneration process. The blower acts as a mediator that supplies fresh air to the regeneration chamber, enabling efficient gas transfer and regeneration while preventing the direct use of humid air that would reduce efficiency.
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
The method achieves efficient gas drying at high pressure and flow rates with improved adsorbent regeneration, reducing the need for large vessels and external heating/cooling, thus enhancing drying capacity and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A known method consists in adsorbing the water vapour of the compressed gas on a desiccant
Implementation Method 2
the heat of this interstage gas is used to desorb the moisture previously adsorbed from the compressor output
Implementation Method 3
the desiccant must be cooled down, preferably with dry cooling air, in order to be able to efficiently adsorb the water vapour again
Data Source
AI summary
Method for drying a gas by feeding the gas into a series of at least two chambers containing each a regenerable adsorbent for drying said gas and meanwhile to feed a part of the dried gas into a series of at least two other chambers while those other chambers are vented, in order to regenerate the adsorbent contained into these two other chambers. Meanwhile, a blower feeds air from an air intake into at least one of the at least two other chambers in order to improve the regeneration of their adsorbent. An apparatus that is adapted to implement the method, is also disclosed.