AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.

An apparatus and process for low temperature regeneration that can be utilized in adsorption systems can include feeding low temperature regeneration gas to at least one off-line adsorber for regeneration of the adsorbent material within the vessel of the off-line adsorber(s). The regeneration time period can be set to facilitate regeneration of the adsorbent material without a need for a high temperature regeneration to occur. Some embodiments can be configured so a post-cooling operation while the regeneration gas is fed to the adsorber(s) can be avoided to permit embodiments to more effectively utilize heating time.

An adsorber for utilization in purification systems for cryogenic fluid processing can include a first layer of adsorbent material and a second layer of adsorbent material within a bed of adsorbent material within the adsorber. The first layer can include alumina or other water removal adsorbent material while the second layer can include NaMSX or other suitable molecular sieve adsorbent material. The first layer can be sized to be substantially smaller than the second layer to facilitate a pre-selected ratio of water adsorption to molecular sieve adsorption so that water can break through the first layer to the second layer during purification operations while the volume of the adsorber can be provided in a much smaller size with much less adsorbent material utilized in the bed as compared to conventional designs. Embodiments can provide an increased purification operational capacity with reduced need for adsorbent material.

Adsorbent material for use in pressure swing adsorption (PSA) related processing can provide improved purification processing with reduced temperature differentials between adsorption and desorption processing of the bed of adsorbent material. Embodiments can be configured so that adsorbent material has occluded micropores or macropores. The occlusion of the micropores or macropores can be up to 42% of the micropores the adsorbent material in some embodiments. At least one metal acetate can be utilized for the occlusion of the micropores or macropores. Utilization of the adsorbent material having occluded micropores or macropores was surprisingly found to increase the yield for purification of a product gas in spite of the occlusion of the micropores or macropores.

A method and apparatus for purifying air via a pre-purification unit (PPU) of an air separation unit (ASU) system can include passing air through a first adsorber of the PPU to purify the air for operation of the ASU system while it is at or below a first pre-selected operational capacity. In response to the operational capacity of the ASU system needing to be increased to a level above the first pre-selected operational capacity threshold, a second adsorber can be brought on-line in parallel with the first adsorber or in series with the first adsorber to provide improved purification capacity to account for the increased demand for purification capacity resulting from the increased operational capacity of the ASU system. This second adsorber can be different from the first adsorber (e.g. different in size, adsorption capacity for impurities within air, and/or configuration, etc.).

An adsorber for utilization in purification systems for cryogenic fluid processing can include a first layer of adsorbent material and a second layer of adsorbent material within a bed of adsorbent material within the adsorber. The first layer can include alumina or other water removal adsorbent material while the second layer can include NaMSX or other suitable molecular sieve adsorbent material. The first layer can be sized to be substantially smaller than the second layer to facilitate a pre-selected ratio of water adsorption to molecular sieve adsorption so that water can break through the first layer to the second layer during purification operations while the volume of the adsorber can be provided in a much smaller size with much less adsorbent material utilized in the bed as compared to conventional designs. Embodiments can provide an increased purification operational capacity with reduced need for adsorbent material.

A method and apparatus for purifying air via a pre-purification unit (PPU) of an air separation unit (ASU) system can include passing air through a first adsorber of the PPU to purify the air for operation of the ASU system while it is at or below a first pre-selected operational capacity. In response to the operational capacity of the ASU system needing to be increased to a level above the first pre-selected operational capacity threshold, a second adsorber can be brought on-line in parallel with the first adsorber or in series with the first adsorber to provide improved purification capacity to account for the increased demand for purification capacity resulting from the increased operational capacity of the ASU system. This second adsorber can be different from the first adsorber (e.g. different in size, adsorption capacity for impurities within air, and/or configuration, etc.).

A radial adsorber can be configured to facilitate utilization of different layers of material. The radial adsorber, system using at least one radial adsorber, and methods of utilizing embodiments of the radial adsorber can help permit improved efficient operation of fluid purification processing while also being configured to minimize, if not fully avoid, being susceptible to the effect of fluidization.

A radial flow adsorption vessel comprising a cylindrical outer shell having a top end and a bottom end, the top end is enclosed by a vessel head that provides a centrical opening usable as a port to introduce or remove adsorbent particles into or from the vessel; at least one annular adsorption space disposed inside the shell, the at least one annular adsorption space defined by an outer and inner cylindrical porous wall, both co-axially disposed inside the shell; and a loading device for the adsorbent particles positioned above the at least one annular adsorption space at the top end of the vessel, the loading device comprises at least one conical element that extends radially to the outer cylindrical porous wall, the at least one conical element provides a plurality of orifices arranged at least in a region sitting above the at least one annular adsorption space.

An adsorbent vessel for removing contaminants from a feed gas upstream from a cryogenic distillation process using pressure swing adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, or thermal-pressure swing adsorption. The adsorbent vessel having an adsorbent bed comprised of multiple layers of adsorbent material, including two layers of adsorbent material that selective adsorbs carbon dioxide. Each of the two layers is formed from an adsorbent material having a different capacity for adsorbing carbon dioxide.

An adsorbent vessel for removing contaminants from a feed gas upstream from a cryogenic distillation process using pressure swing adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, or thermal-pressure swing adsorption. The adsorbent vessel having an adsorbent bed comprised of multiple layers of adsorbent material, including two layers of adsorbent material that selective adsorbs carbon dioxide. Each of the two layers is formed from an adsorbent material having a different capacity for adsorbing carbon dioxide.