Gas liquid separator and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018111062-A1
Application number	US-201715792418-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 24, 2017
Priority date	Oct 25, 2016
Publication date	Apr 26, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to a gas liquid separator that includes a chamber for receiving a fluid mixture, a fluid mixture inlet, a solvent outlet, and a gas outlet. The gas liquid separator can include a sensor disposed around or within the chamber for sensing at least one of a solvent level or a gas level. The gas liquid separator can include a regulator connected to at least one of the solvent outlet or the gas outlet for regulating at least one of the solvent level or the gas level within the chamber. Exemplary methods of regulating at least one of the solvent level or the gas level within a gas liquid separator of a CO 2 -based chromatography flow system are also provided.

First claim

1 . A gas liquid separator, comprising:
a chamber for receiving a fluid mixture, the fluid mixture being introduced into the chamber for separation into a gas and a liquid solvent, a fluid mixture inlet providing an inlet for the fluid mixture into the chamber, a solvent outlet for discharging the liquid solvent from the chamber after separation of the liquid solvent from the gas, a gas outlet for discharging the gas from the chamber after separation of the gas from the liquid solvent, a sensor for sensing at least one of a solvent level or a gas level in the chamber, and a regulator connected to at least one of the solvent outlet or the gas outlet for regulating at least one of the solvent level or the gas level within the chamber.

2 . The gas liquid separator of claim 1 , wherein the fluid mixture comprises CO 2 and the liquid solvent.

3 . The gas liquid separator of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a liquid level sensor for sensing the solvent level within the chamber.

4 . The gas liquid separator of claim 3 , wherein the sensor is at least one of an ultrasonic sensor or an optical sensor.

5 . The gas liquid separator of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is disposed on a top surface of the chamber for sensing a depth of the chamber to a surface of the liquid solvent.

6 . The gas liquid separator of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is disposed at or near the solvent outlet for sensing an amount of the liquid solvent and the gas received by the solvent outlet.

7 . The gas liquid separator of claim 1 , wherein the regulator is at least one of a pressure regulator or an on/off valve.

8 . The gas liquid separator of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the pressure regulator or the on/off valve is communicatively connected to the sensor.

9 . The gas liquid separator of claim 8 , wherein the pressure regulator automatically adjusts the pressure within at least one of the solvent outlet or the gas outlet based on a signal received from the sensor to regulate at least one of the solvent level or the gas level within the chamber.

10 . The gas liquid separator of claim 8 , wherein the on/off valve automatically adjusts a flow within at least one of the solvent outlet or the gas outlet based on a signal received from the sensor to regulate at least one of the solvent level or the gas level within the chamber.

11 . The gas liquid separator of claim 1 , wherein regulating at least one of the solvent level or the gas level within the chamber with the regulator maintains a separation and a balance of the liquid solvent and the gas within the chamber.

12 . The gas liquid separator of claim 11 , wherein the separation and the balance of the liquid solvent and the gas within the chamber prevents the gas from being discharged from the solvent outlet and the liquid solvent from being discharged from the gas outlet.

13 . The gas liquid separator of claim 7 , wherein the pressure regulator is a pressure control valve.

14 . The gas liquid separator of claim 7 , wherein the pressure regulator is an on/off valve.

15 . The gas liquid separator of claim 1 , wherein the solvent outlet comprises a fixed restriction outlet and the regulator is connected to the gas outlet.

16 . The gas liquid separator of claim 1 , wherein the gas outlet comprises a fixed restriction outlet and the regulator is connected to the solvent outlet.

17 . The gas liquid separator of claim 1 , comprising a capacitive gas chamber disposed along the gas outlet for introduction of gas into the gas outlet or removal of gas from the gas outlet to dampen a pressure response during regulation of at least one of the solvent level or the gas level within the chamber.

18 . The gas liquid separator of claim 1 , comprising a pressure sensor connected to the gas outlet for sensing a pressure within the gas outlet.

19 . The gas liquid separator of claim 1 , comprising a liquid level sensor connected to at least one of the gas outlet or the solvent outlet for sensing a flow within at least one of the gas outlet or the solvent outlet.

20 . A method of regulating at least one of a liquid solvent level or a gas level within a gas liquid separator, comprising:
providing a gas liquid separator that includes (i) a chamber, (ii) a fluid mixture inlet, (iii) a solvent outlet, (iv) a gas outlet, (v) a sensor disposed around or within the chamber, and (vi) a regulator connected to at least one of the solvent outlet or the gas outlet, introducing a fluid mixture into the chamber through the fluid mixture inlet for separation of the fluid mixture into a gas and a liquid solvent, separating the gas from the liquid solvent, discharging the liquid solvent from the chamber through the solvent outlet, discharging the gas from the chamber through the gas outlet, sensing at least one of a solvent level or a gas level with the sensor, and based on a signal received by the regulator from the sensor, adjusting at least one of a pressure or a flow within at least one of the solvent outlet or the gas outlet with the regulator to regulate at least one of the solvent level or the gas level within the chamber.

Assignees

• Shreve Joshua A
• Waters Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Shreve Joshua A

Classifications

• B01D15/24

  relating to the treatment of the fractions to be distributed · CPC title

• B01D15/40

  using supercritical fluid as mobile phase or eluent · CPC title

• G01N30/80

  Fraction collectors · CPC title

• G01N2001/4061

  Solvent extraction · CPC title

• B01D19/0063 Primary

  Regulation, control including valves and floats (for construction and details of valves F16K) · CPC title