Molecular sieve abstract
A container for carbon molecular-sieve material which is designed
to prevent contamination of carbon materials within the container.
The container includes a hollow section with a preferably circular
internal cross-section and a rectangular or square external cross-section.
Attached to each end of the hollow section are screened structures
designed to retain the molecular-sieve material within the hollow
section. These screened structures are preferably secured in place
by clamping rings. The hollow section can be hermetically sealed
for transport and can be sealed by cover plates and bolts.
Molecular sieve claims
We claim:
1. A portable container for receiving a carbon molecular sieve
material for use in a gas adsorption apparatus, said container comprising
a hollow section having two ends and extending substantially longitudinally
through said container, a screen positioned at each end of said
hollow section to maintain said sieve material in said hollow section,
a screen retainer to position said screen at each end of said hollow
section, a sealing arrangement at each end of said hollow section
adapted to hermetically seal said sieve material in said hollow
section and to secure said screen retainer to each end of said hollow
section, said sealing arrangement including a gas-tight metal material
bolted to each end of said hollow section and an adhesive positioned
between said metal material and each end of said hollow section.
2. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said hollow section
has a circular cross-sectional area.
3. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is a
low specific gravity, high strength material comprising of a material
selected from the group consisting of aluminum or plastic.
4. A container as defined in claim 2 wherein said housing is a
low specific gravity, high strength material comprising of a material
selected from the group consisting of aluminum or plastic.
5. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said screen means
includes a screen structure selected from the group consisting of
wire mesh, perforated sheeting, sintered metal and combinations
thereof.
6. A container as defined in claim 4 wherein said screen means
includes a screen structure selected from the group consisting of
wire mesh, perforated sheeting, sintered metal and combinations
thereof.
7. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said sealing means
includes a cover, said cover made of a material selected from the
group consisting of metal, plastic, paper, composite material and
combinations thereof.
8. A container as defined in claim 6 wherein said sealing means
includes a cover, said cover made of a material selected from the
group consisting of metal, plastic, paper, composite material and
combinations thereof.
9. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said container is
made of aluminum; said hollow section having a substantially circular
cross-sectional area; said screen including a wire mesh, perforated
sheeting, sintered metal and combinations thereof; said screen retainer
being a clamping ring; said sealing arrangement adapted to secure
said screen and screen retainer to each end of said hollow section.
10. A modular gas adsorption component for use in a gas adsorption
apparatus comprising at least two portable containers containing
a sieve material and a container mount; each of said portable containers
comprising a hollow section having two ends and extending substantially
longitudinally through said container for receiving a molecular
sieve material, a screen positioned at each end of said hollow section,
a screen retainer to position said screen at each end of said hollow
section; said container mount including two sealing surfaces, a
gas passageway and a mounting arrangement, said sealing surfaces
including a gas-tight metal material bolted to each end of said
hollow section and an adhesive positioned between said metal material
and each end of said hollow section to hermetically seal each end
of said hollow section to said container mount and to secure said
screen retainer to each end of said hollow section, said gas passageway
in fluid communication with each end of said hollow section, and
said mounting arrangement adapted to secure each container to said
container mount.
11. A modular gas adsorption component as defined in claim 10
wherein said container being made of aluminum, said hollow section
having a substantially circular cross-sectional area, said screen
including a wire mesh and said screen retainer being a clamping
ring.
12. A method of producing nitrogen in a pressure alternation adsorption
process comprising the steps of:
a) hermetically sealing a carbon molecular sieve material in a
container, said container including a housing having a hollow section
having two ends and extending substantially longitudinally therethrough
and designed to hold said carbon molecular sieve material, a screen
positioned at each end of said hollow section to maintain said sieve
material in said hollow section, a screen retainer to position said
screen at each end of said hollow section, a sealing arrangement
at each end of said hollow section adapted to hermetically seal
said sieve material in said hollow section and to secure said screen
retainer to each end of said hollow section, said sealing arrangement
including a gas-tight material covering each end of said hollow
section and bolted to each end of said hollow-section and an adhesive
positioned between said gas-tight material and each end of said
hollow section;
b) breaking said hermetic seal at least one end of said hollow
section;
c) mounting said container on a container support to hermetically
seal each end of said hollow section to said container support and
to secure said screen retainer to each end of said hollow section,
said container support including two passageways, said fist passageway
being in fluid communication with one end of said hollow section
and said second passageway being in fluid communication with said
other end of said hollow section; and,
d) supplying gas in one end of said hollow section and withdrawing
gas from said second end of said hollow section during a pressure
adsorption process.
13. A method as defined in claim 12 wherein at least two of said
containers are modularly connected to said container support, said
gas supply to said two containers is controlled such that when one
of said containers is used in the adsorption phase, the other of
said container regenerated.
14. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein said container is
made of aluminum; said hollow section having a substantially circular
cross-sectional area; said screen including a wire mesh, perforated
sheeting, sintered metal and combinations thereon; said screen retainer
being a clamping ring; and said sealing arrangement adapted to secure
said screen and screen retainer to each end of said hollow section.
15. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein said container is
made of aluminum; said hollow section having a substantially circular
cross-sectional area; said screen including a wire mesh, perforated
sheeting, sintered metal and combinations thereof; said screen retainer
being a clamping ring; and said sealing arrangement adapted to secure
said screen and screen retainer to each end of said hollow section.
16. A method as defined in claim 12 including the step of breaking
said hermetic seal at each end of said hollow section.
17. A method as defined in claim 15 including the step of breaking
said hermetic seal at each end of said hollow section.
Molecular sieve description
The invention relates to the art of containers for handling material
and, more particularly, a container for a carbon molecular sieve
material and a device comprising these containers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Containers for a carbon molecular sieve material are known from
DE-PS 26 52 486 and are used in a pressure alternation adsorption
plant for the production of nitrogen.
A disadvantageous feature of prior containers for carbon molecular
sieve material is that the carbon molecular sieve material initially
has to be introduced into a special pack for transportation and
then it has to be transferred into the containers of the pressure
alternation adsorption plant. As a rule, the emptied disposable
transportation containers cannot be used again but have to be disposed
of since these contain residual quantities of the carbon molecular
sieve material or, as the case may be, dust from the carbon molecular
sieve material. Because of the high sensitivity of the carbon molecular
sieve material to moisture, the transportation containers must be
constructed in a hermetically sealed manner. The transfer of the
carbon molecular sieve material has to be carried out with great
care using appropriate special equipment. In this regard, contamination
of the carbon molecular sieve material has to be prevented on transferring
it or, as the case may be, introducing it into the container. In
addition, one must ensure that a packing density is achieved on
filling that is as high as possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The task that forms the basis of the invention is to provide a
container that simultaneously serves as a transportation container
and that can be used in an adsorption apparatus, that is assembled
in a modular fashion, without the carbon molecular sieve material
that is located therein, having to be transferred.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a container
for a carbon molecular sieve material which is designed to permit
transportation of the carbon material. The container preferably
includes a hollow section that can be sealed such that gases are
prevented or reduced from transversing the seal. The container preferably
has a rectangular or square cross-section and the hollow section
preferably has a circular cross-section. The hollow section of the
container may be formed from a cast, an extrusion casting process,
or some other means. For an extrusion casting process, the material
of the container preferably consists of a metal such as aluminum
which can be processed relatively simply by using an extrusion casting
process. Metals such as aluminum have a low specific gravity and
a high strength such that such metals can be easily machined and
retained their rigidity and form during transportation. However,
it is appreciated that other similar types of metals which have
similar properties can also be used. Alternatively, the hollow section
can be manufactured from a plastic material. Such plastic should
have a relatively high strength to resist damage during transportation
of the carbon materials.
In accordance with another feature of the preferred embodiment,
the container includes screen structures for fixing or retaining
the carbon material within the hollow section of the container.
The screen structures are preferably located at the head end and
the foot end of the hollow section. Preferably, the screen structures
consist of a wire mesh, perforated sheeting, sintered metal or combinations
thereof. The screen structures can be maintained at the two ends
of the hollow section by bolts, adhesives, screws or the like. Preferably,
the screens are maintained at the two ends of the hollow section
by a clamping ring which rigidly affixes the screen between the
clamping ring and the two ends of the hollow section.
In accordance with still another feature of the present invention,
the container includes a covering structure which seals materials
within the hollow section. The seal is designed to hermetically
seal the hollow section and to prevent and reduce gasses from penetrating
the seal. The seal is also designed to affix the clamping rings
and/or the wire mesh, when used, to the ends of the hollow section.
The covering devices are preferably bolted to the ends of the hollow
section; however, other means for securing the covering device to
the hollow section may be used. The covering devices may be made
of a number of materials such as metal, plastic, paper, composite
materials or combinations thereof. Preferably, the covering material
consists of a gas-tight metal foil which is glued and bolted to
the two ends of the hollow section.
In accordance with still another feature of the present invention,
the carbon molecular sieve material is introduced into the containers
directly from the production plant, that is used for the carbon
molecular sieve material by means of a special filling device. In
this connection, the lower end is first sealed with the screen structure
with the clamping ring together with a covering device consisting
either of a lid, that is bolted on, that is made of plastic, paper,
metal or a composite material or a gas-tight foil that is glued
on. The carbon molecular sieve material is then introduced into
the container and the upper end of the hollow section is sealed
in a hermetic manner after positioning the screen structure under
tension in the same way as at the lower end of the hollow section.
In accordance with yet another feature of the present invention,
the container with the carbon molecular sieve material is then transported
to the usage location and is inserted into an adsorption apparatus,
that has ben assembled in a modular manner, for the production of
nitrogen in accordance with the pressure alternation process.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the
apparatus is assembled in such a way that the containers can be
exchanged simply and rapidly. The adsorption apparatus, that has
been assembled in a modular fashion, consists of upper and lower
hollow sections for the supply of gas and the withdrawal of gas
between which one has incorporated the containers in accordance
with the invention. The hollow sections for the supply of gas and
for the withdrawal of gas are equipped at their ends with valve
connection pieces or, as the case may be, holes for the passage
of gas. Holes are present at appropriate positions within the hollow
section for the accommodation of bolts in order to attach the containers.
In accordance with still yet another feature of the present invention,
the containers are inserted pair-wise inside the adsorption apparatus,
that has been assembled in a modular fashion, in order to produce
nitrogen in accordance with the pressure alternation adsorption
process, whereby up to 20 pairs can be inserted one behind the other.
The upper and lower hollow sections for the supply of gas and the
withdrawal of gas are constructed in accordance with the number
of pairs of containers. The pair-wise arrangement permits continuous
operation of the apparatus.
In accordance with yet another feature of the present invention,
the containers are designed such that while one side is located
in the adsorption phase, the other side is being regenerated. After
a defined adsorption time/regeneration time, switching over takes
place from one side to the other side so that the previously regenerated
side is then located in the adsorption phase and the side that was
previously located in the adsorption phase is being regenerated.
In accordance with still yet another feature of the present invention,
the pressure alternation adsorption process for the production of
nitrogen that is carried out with the containers in an adsorption
apparatus, that has been constructed in a modular fashion, has at
least the same efficiency as the types of adsorption apparatus that
are usually used in accordance with the two-container system that
is known from the prior art. Because of the modular method of construction,
the adsorption apparatus can be adapted well to the demand for gas
in each case.
These and other advantages will become apparent to those skilled
in the art upon reading the following description taken together
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference may now be made to the drawings, which illustrate various
embodiments that the invention may take in physical form and in
certain parts and arrangements of parts wherein:
FIG. 1 is an exploded plane view of the container in accordance
with the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is a plane view of the arrangement of the containers of
the present invention which are mounted in an adsorption apparatus
that has been assembled in a modular fashion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purpose
of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the invention only
and not for the purpose of limiting the same, FIG. 1 illustrates
an exploded view of the container of the present invention wherein
the container includes a hollows section 1 having a circular cross
section 1a internally and a square cross section 1b externally.
Screen structures 2 2a, that are fixed by means of clamping rings
3 3a and that are used for fixing the carbon molecular sieve material,
are attached at both ends of the hollow section 1. The hollow section
1 is sealed in a hermetic manner with covering devices 4 4a using
bolts 5 5a that are bolted into the holes 6 6a that have screw
threads.
A pressure alternation adsorption plant is illustrated in FIG.
2 from which the arrangement of the containers, in accordance with
the invention, is seen in an adsorption apparatus, that has been
constructed in a modular fashion, for the production of nitrogen.
The containers 11 11a are arranged pair-wise in any desired number.
They are sealed at both ends by hollow sections 12 12a, for the
supply of gas and the withdrawal of gas, with valve connection pieces
14 14a and holes 15. In this regard, use can be made of bolts 5
5a (FIG. 1) for fixing the containers in the pressure alteration
adsorption apparatus. The pressure alternation adsorption plant
can be operated in the form of a known two-container plant.
The invention has been described with reference to a preferred
embodiment and alternates thereof. It is believed that many modifications
and alterations to the embodiment disclosed will readily suggest
themselves to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding
the detailed description of the invention. It is intended to include
all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within
the scope of the present invention. |