Method and apparatus for producing oxygen and nitrogen and membrane therefor
- Bend, OR
Process and apparatus for the separation and purification of oxygen and nitrogen as well as a novel membrane useful therein are disclosed. The process utilizes novel facilitated transport membranes to selectively transport oxygen from one gaseous stream to another, leaving nitrogen as a byproduct. In the method, an oxygen carrier capable of reversibly binding molecular oxygen is dissolved in a polar organic membrane which separates a gaseous feed stream such as atmospheric air and a gaseous product stream. The feed stream is maintained at a sufficiently high oxygen pressure to keep the oxygen carrier in its oxygenated form at the interface of the feed stream with the membrane, while the product stream is maintained at a sufficiently low oxygen pressure to keep the carrier in its deoxygenated form at the interface of the product stream with the membrane. In an alternate mode of operation, the feed stream is maintained at a sufficiently low temperature and high oxygen pressure to keep the oxygen carrier in its oxygenated form at the interface of the feed stream with the membrane and the product stream is maintained at a sufficiently high temperature to keep the carrier in its deoxygenated form at the interface of the product stream with the membrane. Under such conditions, the carrier acts as a shuttle, picking up oxygen at the feed side of the membrane, diffusing across the membrane as the oxygenated complex, releasing oxygen to the product stream, and then diffusing back to the feed side to repeat the process. Exceptionally and unexpectedly high O.sub.2 /N.sub.2 selectivity, on the order of 10 to 30, is obtained, as well as exceptionally high oxygen permeability, on the order of 6 to 15.times.10.sup.-8 cm.sup.3 -cm/cm.sup.2 -sec-cmHg, as well as a long membrane life of in excess of 3 months, making the process commercially feasible.
- Research Organization:
- Bend Research Inc
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-79ER10337
- Assignee:
- Bend Research, Inc. (Bend, OR)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4542010
- OSTI ID:
- 865595
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Absorption process for producing oxygen and nitrogen and solution therefor
Absorption process for producing oxygen and nitrogen and solution therefor
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apparatus
producing
oxygen
nitrogen
membrane
process
separation
purification
novel
useful
therein
disclosed
utilizes
facilitated
transport
membranes
selectively
gaseous
stream
leaving
byproduct
carrier
capable
reversibly
binding
molecular
dissolved
polar
organic
separates
feed
atmospheric
air
product
maintained
sufficiently
pressure
oxygenated
form
interface
deoxygenated
alternate
mode
operation
temperature
conditions
shuttle
picking
diffusing
complex
releasing
repeat
exceptionally
unexpectedly
selectivity
10
30
obtained
permeability
15
times
-8
cm
-cm
-sec-cmhg
life
excess
months
commercially
feasible
oxygenated form
atmospheric air
polar organic
deoxygenated form
process utilizes
gaseous stream
product stream
feed stream
gaseous product
gaseous feed
oxygen pressure
oxygen carrier
molecular oxygen
releasing oxygen
transport membrane
carrier capable
binding molecular
leaving nitrogen
process commercially
alternate mode
reversibly binding
membrane useful
facilitated transport
commercially feasible
producing oxygen
novel membrane
useful therein
organic membrane
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