Molecular separation method and apparatus

Patent · Sun Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:870367

Villa-Aleman, Eliel ^[1]

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1. 3108 Roses Run, Aiken, SC 29803

A method and apparatus for separating a gaseous mixture of chemically identical but physically different molecules based on their polarities. The gaseous mixture of molecules is introduced in discrete quantities into the proximal end of a porous glass molecular. The molecular sieve is exposed to microwaves to excite the molecules to a higher energy state from a lower energy state, those having a higher dipole moment being excited more than those with a lower energy state. The temperature of the sieve kept cold by a flow of liquid nitrogen through a cooling jacket so that the heat generated by the molecules colliding with the material is transferred away from the material. The molecules thus alternate between a higher energy state and a lower one, with the portion of molecules having the higher dipole moment favored over the others. The former portion can then be extracted separately from the distal end of the molecular sieve.

• Research Organization: WESTINGHOUSE SAVANNAH RIVER CO
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• Assignee: Villa-Aleman, Eliel (3108 Roses Run, Aiken, SC 29803)
• Patent Number(s): US 5505829
• OSTI ID: 870367
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/204/96/422/423/
alternate
apparatus
based
chemically
cold
colliding
cooling
cooling jacket
dipole
dipole moment
discrete
distal
energy
excite
excited
exposed
extracted
favored
flow
former
gaseous
gaseous mixture
generated
glass
heat
heat generated
identical
introduced
jacket
kept
liquid
liquid nitrogen
material
method
microwaves
mixture
molecular
molecular separation
molecular sieve
molecules
molecules based
moment
nitrogen
physically
polarities
porous
porous glass
portion
proximal
quantities
separately
separating
separation
separation method
sieve
temperature
transferred