Absorption process for producing oxygen and nitrogen and solution therefor

Patent · Tue Sep 25 04:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:1176689

Roman, Ian C.; Baker, Richard W.

Process for the separation and purification of oxygen and nitrogen is disclosed which utilizes solutions of oxygen carriers to selectively absorb oxygen from a gaseous stream, leaving nitrogen as a byproduct. In the process, an oxygen carrier capable of reversibly binding molecular oxygen is dissolved in a solvent solution, which absorbs oxygen from an oxygen-containing gaseous feed stream such as atmospheric air and desorbs oxygen to a gaseous product stream. The feed stream is maintained at a sufficiently high oxygen pressure to keep the oxygen carrier in its oxygenated form during absorption, while the product stream is maintained at a sufficiently low oxygen pressure to keep the carrier in its deoxygenated form during desorption. In an alternate mode of operation, the carrier solution is maintained at a sufficiently low temperature and high oxygen pressure to keep the oxygen carrier in its oxygenated form during absorption, and at a sufficiently high temperature to keep the carrier in its deoxygenated form during desorption. Under such conditions, exceptionally high oxygen concentrations on the order of 95% to 99% are obtained, as well as a long carrier lifetime in excess of 3 months, making the process commercially feasible.

• Research Organization: Bend Research, Inc., Bend, OR (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-79ER10337
• Assignee: Bend Research, Inc. (Bend, OR)
• Patent Number(s): RE33352
• Application Number: 06/848,032; 4,451,270
• OSTI ID: 1176689
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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