Importance

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Abstract

A continuous pressure driven adsorption process for separating a multi-component gaseous mixture. In accordance with the method, the multi-component gaseous mixture is passed through a first portion of the adsorbent to adsorb one or more preferentially adsorbed components while a second portion of the adsorbent is regenerated. The multi-component mixture is passed through the first portion of the adsorbent in sections and the second portion of the adsorbent is regenerated in sections. The sections forming the first portion of the adsorbent become successively less saturated and the sections forming the second portion of the adsorbent becomes successively more concentrated in the more preferentially adsorbed component. A product stream is expelled from the less saturated section of the first portion of the adsorbent. The product stream is enriched in the less preferentially adsorbed component(s). Masses of adsorbent are continually being shifted between the first and second portions of the adsorbent so that the mass of adsorbent forming the regenerated section is shifted to the first portion of the adsorbent and used to form the least saturated section. The mass of adsorbent forming the most saturated of the sections is shifted to the second portion of the adsorbent and used to form the non-regenerated section. The masses are shifted at a sufficiently high frequency to maintain the sections forming the first and second portions of the adsorbent in their successively less saturated and successively more concentrated states.

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First Claim