Fluid clathrate system for continuous removal of heavy noble gases from mixtures of lighter gases

Patent · Tue Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 1998

OSTI ID:871500

Gross, Kenneth C ^[1]; Markun, Francis ^[2]; Zawadzki, Mary T ^[3]

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1. Bolingbrook, IL
2. Joliet, IL
3. South Bend, IN

An apparatus and method for separation of heavy noble gas in a gas volume. An apparatus and method have been devised which includes a reservoir containing an oil exhibiting a clathrate effect for heavy noble gases with a reservoir input port and the reservoir is designed to enable the input gas volume to bubble through the oil with the heavy noble gas being absorbed by the oil exhibiting a clathrate effect. The gas having reduced amounts of heavy noble gas is output from the oil reservoir, and the oil having absorbed heavy noble gas can be treated by mechanical agitation and/or heating to desorb the heavy noble gas for analysis and/or containment and allow recycling of the oil to the reservoir.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
• Patent Number(s): US 5743944
• OSTI ID: 871500
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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