Importance

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Abstract

The present invention is a method for separating a gaseous mixture to produce an enriched gas having a predetermined purity which comprises the steps of (a) passing the gaseous mixture into a first adsorption bed at an adsorption pressure in the range from about 15 psig to about 500 psig, (b) withdrawing enriched gas from the first adsorption bed and passing the enriched gas into a product reservoir, (c) when the purity of the enriched gas from the first adsorption bed drops below the predetermined purity thereby becoming lean gas, passing the lean gas from the first adsorption bed into a second adsorption bed to substantially equalize the pressure of the bed, (d) stopping the flow of lean gas from the first adsorption bed and evacuating the first adsorption bed while purging the first adsorption bed by passing enriched gas from the product reservior into the first adsorption bed, (e) further pressurizing the second adsorption bed by passing enriched gas from the product reservoir into the second adsorption bed to back fill the second adsorption bed, (f) further pressurizing the second adsorption bed by passing the gaseous mixture into the second asdorption bed at an adsorption pressure in the range from about 15 psig to about 500 psig, and (g) repeating the above steps in a continuous cycle treating the second adsorption bed like the first adsorption bed and the first adsorption bed like the second adsorption bed.

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First Claim