Separating components of mixed fluid using a functionally graded material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10130899-B2
Application number	US-201313744270-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2013
Priority date	Jan 20, 2012
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A system for separating components of a fluid containing at least a first component and a second component includes a device having an inlet for introducing the fluid into the device, a first outlet for directing the first component of the fluid from the device, and a second outlet for directing the second component of the fluid from the device. A material that has a gradient in properties is located in the device between the inlet and the first and second outlets. The material has a first portion with an affinity for the first fluid component and a second portion with an affinity for the second fluid component. The first portion is positioned with relation to the first outlet such that the first component is directed from said device through the first outlet. The second portion is positioned with relation to the second outlet such that the second component is directed from the device through the second outlet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for separating components of a first fluid, components of a second fluid, and components of a third fluid wherein the first fluid, the second fluid, and the third fluid each contain at least a first component and a second component, consisting of:
a first device;
a second device;
a third device, wherein said first device, said second device, and said third device are parallel;
a first device inlet in said first device for flowing the first fluid containing the first component and the second component into said first device;
a second device inlet in said second device for flowing the second fluid containing the first component and the second component into said second device;
a third device inlet in said third device for flowing the third fluid containing the first component and the second component into said third device;
a first device first outlet in said first device;
a second device first outlet in said second device;
a third device first outlet in said third device;
a first component combining unit;
a first device second outlet in said first device;
a second device second outlet in said second device;
a third device second outlet in said third device;
a second component combining unit;
a first material that has a gradient in properties in said first device,
a second material that has a gradient in properties in said second device, and
a third material that has a gradient in properties in said third device,
wherein said first fluid has a direction of flow between said first device inlet and said first device first and second outlets with said gradient in properties of said first material being perpendicular to said direction of flow, said first material having a first portion with an affinity for the first component of the first fluid and a second portion with an affinity for the second component of the first fluid,
wherein said second fluid has a direction of flow between said second device inlet and said second device first and second outlets with said gradient in properties of said second material being perpendicular to said direction of flow, said second material having a first portion with an affinity for the first component of the second fluid and a second portion with an affinity for the second component of the second fluid, and
wherein said third fluid has a direction of flow between said third device inlet and said third device first and second outlets with said gradient in properties of said third material being perpendicular to said direction of flow, said third material having a first portion with an affinity for the first component of the third fluid and a second portion with an affinity for the second component of the third fluid;
wherein the first fluid containing the first component and the second component flow through said first material,
wherein the second fluid containing the first component and the second component flow through said second material,
wherein the third fluid containing the first component and the second component flow through said third material,
wherein said first device first outlet, said second device first outlet, and said third device first outlet are connected to said first component combining unit; and
wherein said first device a second outlet, said second device second outlet, and said third device second outlet are connected to said second component combining unit.

2. A system for separating components of a common stream of a fluid wherein said fluid in said common stream includes a first fluid portion, a second fluid portion, and a third fluid portion all of which contain at least a first component and a second component, consisting of:
an array of first, second, and third devices with said first, second, and third devices arranged in parallel,
said first device having a first device inlet for flowing the first fluid portion of said common stream into said first device,
said second device having a second device inlet for flowing the second fluid portion of said common stream into said second device,
said third device having a third device inlet for flowing the third fluid portion of said common stream into said third device,
said first device having a first device first outlet,
said second device having a second device first outlet,
said third device having a third device first outlet,
a first component combining unit;
said first device having a first device second outlet,
said second device having a second device second outlet,
said third device having a third device second outlet,
a second component combining unit; and
said first device having a first device material with a gradient in properties between said first device inlet and said first device first and said first device second outlets, said first device material having a first device first portion with an affinity for the first component and a first device second portion with an affinity for the second component;
said second device having a second device material with a gradient in properties between said second device inlet and said second device first and said second device second outlets, said second device material having a second device first portion with an affinity for the first component and a second device second portion with an affinity for the second component;
said third device having a third device material with a gradient in properties between said third device inlet and said third device first and said third device second outlets, said third device material having a third device first portion with an affinity for the first component and a third device second portion with an affinity for the second component;
wherein said first portion of said first device material is positioned with relation to said first device first outlet such that the first component of the first fluid portion is drawn into said first portion of said first device first material with an affinity for the first component and wherein the first component of the first fluid portion flows from said first portion of said first device material out of said first device through said first device first outlet,
wherein said first portion of said second device material is positioned with relation to said second device first outlet such that the first component of the second fluid portion is drawn into said first portion of said second device first material with an affinity for the first component and wherein the first component of the first fluid portion flows from said first portion of said second device material out of said second device through said second device first outlet,
wherein said first portion of said third device material is positioned with relation to said third device first outlet such that the first component of the third fluid portion is drawn into said first portion of said third device first material with an affinity for the first component and wherein the first component of the third fluid portion flows from said first portion of said third device material out of said third device through said third device first outlet,
wherein said second portion of said first device material is positioned with relation to said first device second outlet such that the second component of the first fluid portion is drawn into said second portion of said first device material with an affinity for the second component and wherein the second component of the first fluid portion flows from said second portion of said first device material out of said first device through said first device second outlet,
wherein said second portion of said second device material is positioned with relation to said second device second outlet such that the second component of the second fluid portion is drawn into said second portion of said second device material with an affinity for the second component and wherein the sec

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Pascall Andrew J
• Farquar George R
• Spadaccini Christopher M
• Chinn Sarah C

Classifications

• B01D15/1864

  using two or more columns · CPC title

• B01D15/1828

  characterised by process features · CPC title

• B01D15/22

  relating to the construction of the column · CPC title

• B01D15/1857

  Reactive simulated moving beds · CPC title

• B01D15/1821

  Simulated moving beds · CPC title