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:
Jan. 30, 2018
Filed:
Jan. 06, 2015
Anna Nakano, Albany, OR (US);
Jinichiro Nakano, Albany, OR (US);
James P. Bennett, Salem, OR (US);
U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a method for enriching an inlet air stream utilizing a number of enrichment sub-units connected in series, where each enrichment sub-unit conducts both a dissolution and degasification cycle. Each enrichment sub-unit comprises a compressor, an aeration unit, a deaeration unit, and a pump for the recirculation of water between the aeration and deaeration units. The methodology provides a manner in which the relationship between the respective Henry's coefficients of the oxygen and nitrogen in water may be exploited to enrich the Ovolume percent and diminish the Nvolume percent over repeated dissolution and degasification cycles. By utilizing a number of enrichment sub-units connected in series, the water contained in each enrichment sub-unit acts to progressively increase the Ovolume percent. Additional enrichment sub-units may be added and utilized until the Ovolume percent equals or exceeds a target Ovolume percent. In a particular embodiment, air having a general composition of about 78 vol. % Nand 21 vol. % Ois progressively enriched to provide a final mixture of about 92% vol. % Oand 8% vol. % N.