Gas separation apparatus and methods using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10646813-B2
Application number	US-201715714515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2017
Priority date	Sep 23, 2016
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

The present invention includes apparatuses and methods to separate a gas from a gaseous mixture using supercapacitive swing adsorption.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An apparatus for separating a first gas at least partially from a gaseous mixture, the apparatus comprising a gas permeable layer transporting the gaseous mixture comprising the first gas, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator comprising an electrolyte,
wherein:
the gas permeable layer is adapted and configured to allow for flow of the gaseous mixture and the gas permeable layer comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to one another;
the first electrode comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to one another;
the second electrode comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to one another; and
wherein:
the second surface of the gas permeable layer abuts the first surface of the first electrode;
the separator is disposed between, and in physical contact with, the second surface of the first electrode and the first surface of the second electrode;
wherein,
when the first and second electrodes are capacitively charged by applying a voltage to the apparatus, the first gas is preferentially adsorbed in the apparatus from the gaseous mixture, and
when the first and the second electrodes are capacitively discharged, the first gas is desorbed from the apparatus and vented from the apparatus via the gas permeable layer,
whereby the first gas and the gaseous mixture do not undergo any electrochemical redox process, and whereby the first gas is at least partially separated from the gaseous mixture.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable layer further comprises an electrically conducting material that is permeable to the gaseous mixture.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable layer comprises at least one selected from a carbon cloth, carbon mesh, carbon felt, carbon paper, metallic foam, metallic mesh, and metallic paper.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the gas permeable layer comprises at least one selected from titanium foam and titanium mesh.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable layer further comprises a solid electrically conducting material defining one or more fluidic channels that allow for gaseous flow between the gas permeable layer and the first surface of the first electrode.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrodes independently comprise at least one selected from high surface area carbon, porous metals, electrically conducting porous metal-organic frameworks, and electrically conducting porous polymers.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first and second electrodes independently comprise at least one selected from activated carbon, titanium, copper, silver, gold, steel, aluminum and TP-COF.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first and second electrodes do not comprise any compounds capable of catalytically oxidizing or reducing a gas contained within the gaseous mixture.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet wherein the at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet are in fluidic communication with the gas permeable layer.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first current collector and a second current collector, wherein the first current collector abuts and spans the first surface of the gas permeable layer, and wherein the second current collector abuts and spans the second surface of the second electrode.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet wherein the at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet are in fluidic communication with the gas permeable layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a gasket with a thickness that is approximately the sum of the thicknesses of the gas permeable layer, first electrode, second electrode and separator, wherein the gasket is in physical contact with the first current collector and second current collector, and surrounds the length and width dimensions of the gas permeable layer, the first and second electrodes and the separator, whereby a system formed by the gasket and first and second current collectors is sealed against liquid and/or gas exchange, except through the at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first corrosion resistant layer, a second corrosion resistant layer, a first current collector and a second current collector,
wherein:
the first corrosion resistant layer comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to one another;
the second corrosion resistant layer comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to one another; and
wherein the first current collector abuts and spans the first surface of the first corrosion resistant layer, the second surface of the first corrosion resistant layer abuts and spans the first surface of the gas permeable layer, the first surface of the second corrosion resistant layer abuts and spans the second surface of the second electrode and the second current collector abuts and spans the second surface of the second electrode.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first and second current collectors independently further comprise a metal layer, plate and/or sheet.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet wherein the at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet are in fluidic communication with the gas permeable layer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a gasket with a thickness that is approximately the sum of the thicknesses of the gas permeable layer, first electrode, second electrode and separator, wherein the gasket is in physical contact with the second surface of the first corrosion resistant layer and the first surface of the second corrosion resistant layer, and surrounds the length and width dimensions of the gas permeable layer, the first and second electrodes and the separator, whereby a system formed by the gasket and first and second corrosion resistant layers is sealed against liquid and/or gas exchange, except through the at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is incorporated into a device configuration selected from a linear flow design, a serpentine flow design, a radial flow design, a spirally-wound design, and a pouch design.

18. An apparatus for separating a first gas at least partially from a first gaseous mixture and a second gas from a second gaseous mixture, the apparatus comprising a first gas permeable layer transporting the first gaseous mixture comprising the first gas, a second gas permeable layer transporting the second gaseous mixture comprising the second gas, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator comprising an electrolyte,
wherein:
the first gas permeable layer is adapted and configured to allow for flow of the first gaseous mixture and the first gas permeable layer comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to one another;
the second gas permeable layer is adapted and configured to allow for flow of the second gaseous mixture and the second gas permeable layer comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to one another;
the first electrode comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to one another;
the second electrode comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to one another; and
wherein:
the second surface of the gas permeable layer abuts the first surface of the first electrode;

Assignees

• Univ Lehigh

Inventors

• Landskron Kai

Classifications

• B01D2259/40083

  Regeneration of adsorbents in processes other than pressure or temperature swing adsorption · CPC title

• B01D53/326

  in electrochemical cells · CPC title

• B01D2257/504

  Carbon dioxide · CPC title

• B01D53/323

  by electrostatic effects or by high-voltage electric fields · CPC title

• B01D53/04 Primary

  with stationary adsorbents {(B01D53/025 takes precedence)} · CPC title