US Patent:
20030143129, Jul 31, 2003
Inventors:
Lawrence Rabellino - Atascadero CA, US
Charles Applegarth - San Luis Obispo CA, US
Matthew Schlotterbeck - Atascadero CA, US
Giorgio Vergani - Monza, IT
International Classification:
B01D053/56
B01D053/72
B01D053/62
US Classification:
422/171000, 423/245300, 422/172000, 422/173000, 422/177000, 422/178000, 422/180000
Abstract:
The invention teaches a purification system which uses a series of operations, in a single unit, to purify air, while extending the life of the purification units. Air is passed through a coarse water trap to remove liquid. The semi-dry air, which is usually less than 3000 ppm of water vapor, is then passed through adsorbers, which remove the remaining moisture and all the carbon dioxide in a purification process. The drying of the air before passing it through the adsorbers allows for greatly improved efficiency of air purification and extends the life of both the oxygen catalyst and the adsorption columns. The present invention also flows the air to be purified through adsorption columns twice, before and after passing the air through an oxygen catalyst unit. The oxidizing catalyst, which is heated to a temperature of approximately 300 degrees centigrade, converts carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons to HO and COThe newly converted HO and COare then removed by the second pass through a second adsorption column in the second flow direction or downstream. The flows of air are then rotated with a third column, which is thermally regenerating with the facilitation of a regeneration air supply from the purified air.