The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 29, 2011
Filed:
Jun. 30, 2010
Dali Yang, Los Alamos, NM (US);
David Devlin, Santa Fe, NM (US);
Robert S. Barbero, Santa Cruz, NM (US);
Martin E. Carrera, Naperville, IL (US);
Craig W. Colling, Warrenville, IL (US);
Dali Yang, Los Alamos, NM (US);
David Devlin, Santa Fe, NM (US);
Robert S. Barbero, Santa Cruz, NM (US);
Martin E. Carrera, Naperville, IL (US);
Craig W. Colling, Warrenville, IL (US);
Los Alamos National Security, LLC, Los Alamos, NM (US);
Abstract
Light hydrocarbon enrichment is accomplished using a vertically oriented distillation column having a plurality of vertically oriented, nonselective micro/mesoporous hollow fibers. Vapor having, for example, both propylene and propane is sent upward through the distillation column in between the hollow fibers. Vapor exits neat the top of the column and is condensed to form a liquid phase that is directed back downward through the lumen of the hollow fibers. As vapor continues to ascend and liquid continues to countercurrently descend, the liquid at the bottom of the column becomes enriched in a higher boiling point, light hydrocarbon (propane, for example) and the vapor at the top becomes enriched in a lower boiling point light hydrocarbon (propylene, for example). The hollow fiber becomes wetted with liquid during the process.