Oxygen enrichment of air using semipermeable membranes in a magnetic field. Final report, January 15, 1983-January 14, 1985

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5452965

The use of semipermeable membranes to enrich oxygen from air has recently drawn a great deal of interest, particularly for combustion and medical applications. The maximum possible oxygen enrichment of air using silicone membranes is approximately 50%. By applying a nonuniform magnetic field to the membrane system, the paramagnetic properties of oxygen in theory may be used to achieve increased enrichment. Four magnetic test cells were developed to induce nonuniformity in a magnetic field of 15 Kilogauss. Three membranes were evaluated on these test cells: dimethyl silicone, dimethyl silicone/polycarbonate copolymer (MEM-213), and cellulose acetate. The evaluation consisted of determining the oxygen flux at various pressure differences across the membrane. The tests were run at room temperature and pressure, both in and out of the magnetic field. The 15 Kilogauss magnetic field currently available to us produced negligible increases in the oxygen concentration with all pole pieces. A mathematical model was developed which showed that fields of 200-400 Kilogauss are needed to get enrichments of 0.5% and to overcome the reverse polarization (concentration diffusion) of oxygen built up next to the membrane. Fluxes in this range have been experimentally achieved but are not currently commercially available. This additional oxygen would cost 800 times more than currently available pure oxygen.

• Research Organization: Connecticut Univ., Storrs (USA). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: FC07-83ID12430
• OSTI ID: 5452965
• Report Number(s): DOE/ID/12430-T1; ON: DE85017032
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
MEMBRANES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PERMEABILITY
OXYGEN
SEPARATION PROCESSES
ACETATES
AIR
CELLULOSE
GASEOUS DIFFUSION
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MEMBRANE TRANSPORT
POLYMERS
QUANTITY RATIO
SILICONES
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
DIFFUSION
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SILICON COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLYSACCHARIDES
SACCHARIDES
SILOXANES
400105* - Separation Procedures
360404 - Materials- Polymers & Plastics- Physical Properties- (-1987)