Mechanical membrane for the separation of a paramagnetic constituent from a fluid
The disclosure provides an apparatus and method for the separation of a paramagnetic component from a mixture using a mechanical membrane apparatus. The mechanical membrane comprises a supporting material having a plurality of pores where each pore is surrounded by a plurality of magnetic regions. The magnetic regions augment a magnetic field on one side of the supporting material while mitigating the field to near zero on the opposite side. In operation, a flow of fluid such as air comprising a paramagnetic component such as O.sub.2 is directed toward the mechanical membrane, and the paramagnetic component is typically attracted toward a magnetic field surrounding a pore while dimagnetic components such as N.sub.2 are generally repelled. As some portion of the fluid passes through the plurality of magnetic apertures to the opposite side of the mechanical membrane, the mechanical membrane generates a fluid enriched in the paramagnetic component. Alternately, the magnetic field may act to repel the paramagnetic component while diamagnetic components such as N.sub.2 are generally unaffected and pass to the opposite side of the mechanical membrane.
- Research Organization:
- National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- Assignee:
- U.S. Department of Energy
- Patent Number(s):
- 9,636,631
- Application Number:
- 14/684,475
- OSTI ID:
- 1354819
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 2015 Apr 13
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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