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Title: Process and apparatus for separation of components of a gas stream

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1108962
; ; ; ;

A process and apparatus for separating a gas mixture comprising providing a slot in a gas separation channel (conceptualized as a laterally elongated Clusius-Dickel column), having a length through which a net cross-flow of the gas mixture may be established; applying a higher temperature to one side of the channel and a lower temperature on an opposite side of the channel thereby causing thermal-diffusion and buoyant-convection flow to occur in the slot; and establishing a net cross-flow of a gas mixture comprising at least one higher density gas component and at least one lower density gas component along the length of the slot, wherein the cross-flow causes, in combination with the convection flow, a spiraling flow in the slot; and wherein the spiral flow causes an increasing amount of separation of the higher density gas from the lower density gas along the length of the channel. The process may use one or more slots and/or channels.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Number(s):
8,585,801
Application Number:
13/972,187
OSTI ID:
1108962
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (13)

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The molecular fields of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide
  • Bastick, R. E.; Heath, H. R.; Ibbs, T. L.
  • Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Vol. 173, Issue 955, p. 543-554 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1939.0162
journal December 1939
Experimental Verification of the Thermal Diffusion Column Theory as Applied to the Separation of Isotopically Substituted Nitrogen and Isotopically Substituted Oxygen journal June 1969

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