Gas filtration and storage using activated carbon/graphite foam monoliths

1. An apparatus for separating a first gas from a mixture of the first gas and at least one second gas, the apparatus comprising:

a housing which comprises an inlet port and an outlet port;

an adsorbent which is positioned in the housing;

the adsorbent comprising a carbon based foam monolith that has an affinity for the first gas;

wherein as the gas mixture flows through the housing, the first gas will be adsorbed onto the adsorbent and the second gas will exit the housing through the outlet port;

whereby the first gas is separated from the second gas, wherein the adsorbent comprises a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/m-K.

2. An apparatus for separating a first gas from a mixture of the first gas and at least one second gas, the apparatus comprising:

a housing which comprises an inlet port and an outlet port;

an adsorbent which is positioned in the housing;

the adsorbent comprising a carbon based foam monolith that has an affinity for the first gas;

wherein as the gas mixture flows through the housing, the first gas will be adsorbed onto the adsorbent and the second gas will exit the housing through the outlet port;

whereby the first gas is separated from the second gas, wherein the carbon based foam monolith comprises a mesophase pitch-based graphite foam product.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the mesophase pitch-based graphite foam product comprises a mesophase pitch-based activated graphite foam product.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the adsorbent comprises a number of gas flow passages extending therethrough.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the passages are aligned with at least one of the inlet and outlet ports.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the adsorbent comprises at least one cross sectional dimension which is smaller than a corresponding cross sectional dimension of the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the adsorbent comprises two cross sectional dimensions which are each smaller than the corresponding cross sectional dimensions of the housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the adsorbent comprises means for supporting the adsorbent within the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the supporting means comprises a number of elongated fins which are each aligned with at least one of the inlet and outlet ports.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising means for desorbing the first gas from the adsorbent.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the desorbing means comprises:

a first electrical conductor which is positioned against a first surface of the adsorbent;

a second electrical conductor which is positioned against a second surface of the adsorbent; and

a power supply which is connected across the first and second conductors;

wherein upon activation of the power supply an electrical current is conducted across the adsorbent to desorb the first gas from the adsorbent in a desorption reaction.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the desorption reaction is substantially non-thermal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the housing comprises the first and second conductors.

14. An apparatus for separating a first gas from a mixture of the first gas and at least one second gas, the apparatus comprising:

a housing which comprises an inlet port and an outlet port;

an adsorbent which is positioned in the housing;

the adsorbent comprising a carbon based foam monolith that has an affinity for the first gas;

wherein as the gas mixture flows through the housing, the first gas will be adsorbed onto the adsorbent and the second gas will exit the housing through the outlet port;

whereby the first gas is separated from the second gas;

means for desorbing the first gas from the adsorbent; wherein the desorbing means comprises:

a first electrical conductor which is positioned against a first surface of the adsorbent;

a second electrical conductor which is positioned against a second surface of the adsorbent; and

a power supply which is connected across the first and second conductors;

wherein upon activation of the power supply an electrical current is conducted across the adsorbent to desorb the first gas from the adsorbent in a desorption reaction, further wherein;

the housing comprises the first and second conductors; and

a number of cooling fins attached to at least one of the first and second conductors.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the desorbing means comprises a heater.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the heater comprises an electrical resistance heater.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the heater comprises a cylindrical outer diameter and the adsorbent comprises a generally circular cross section having an inner diameter which is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the heater.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the housing comprises an annular inner diameter and the adsorbent comprises a generally circular cross section having an outer diameter which is less than the inner diameter of the housing.

19. An apparatus for separating a first gas from a mixture of the first gas and at least one second gas, the apparatus comprising:

a housing which comprises an inlet port and an outlet port;

an adsorbent which is positioned in the housing;

the adsorbent comprising a carbon based foam monolith that has an affinity for the first gas; and

means for desorbing the first gas from the adsorbent;

wherein during a first phase of operation of the apparatus the first gas is adsorbed onto the adsorbent to separate the first gas from the second gas, and during a second phase of operation of the apparatus the first gas is

desorbed from the adsorbent and expelled through the outlet port

wherein the desorbing means comprises:

a first electrical conductor which is positioned against a first surface of the adsorbent;

a second electrical conductor which is positioned against a second surface of the adsorbent; and

a power supply which is connected across the first and second conductors;

wherein upon activation of the power supply an electrical current is conducted across the adsorbent to desorb the first gas from the adsorbent in a desorption reaction;

further wherein the housing comprises the first and second conductors; and

a number of cooling fins attached to at least one of the first and second conductors.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the desorbing means comprises a heater.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the heater comprises an electrical resistance heater.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the heater comprises a cylindrical outer diameter and the adsorbent comprises a generally circular cross section having an inner diameter which is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the heater.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the housing comprises an annular inner diameter and the adsorbent comprises a generally circular cross section having an outer diameter which is less than the inner diameter of the housing.

24. An apparatus for separating a first gas from a mixture of the first gas and at least one second gas, the apparatus comprising:

a housing which comprises an inlet port and an outlet port;

an adsorbent which is positioned in the housing; the adsorbent comprising a carbon based foam monolith that

has an affinity for the first gas; and

means for desorbing the first gas from the adsorbent;

wherein during a first phase of operation of the apparatus the first gas is adsorbed onto the adsorbent to separate the first gas from the second gas, and during a second phase of operation of the apparatus the first gas is

desorbed from the adsorbent and expelled through the outlet port, wherein the adsorbent comprises a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/m-K.

25. An apparatus for separating a first gas from a mixture of the first gas and at least one second gas, the apparatus comprising:

a housing which comprises an inlet port and an outlet port;

an adsorbent which is positioned in the housing; the adsorbent comprising a carbon based foam monolith that has an affinity for the first gas; and

means for desorbing the first gas from the adsorbent;

wherein during a first phase of operation of the apparatus the first gas is adsorbed onto the adsorbent to separate the first gas from the second gas, and during a second phase of operation of the apparatus the first gas is

desorbed from the adsorbent and expelled through the outlet port, wherein the carbon based foam monolith comprises a mesophase pitch-based graphite foam product.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the mesophase pitch-based graphite foam product comprises a mesophase pitch-based activated graphite foam product.

27. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the adsorbent comprises a number of gas flow passages extending therethrough.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the passages are aligned with at least one of the inlet and outlet ports.

29. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the adsorbent comprises at least one cross sectional dimension which is smaller than a corresponding cross sectional dimension of the housing.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the adsorbent comprises two cross sectional dimensions which are each smaller than the corresponding cross sectional dimensions of the housing.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the adsorbent comprises means for supporting the adsorbent within the housing.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the supporting means comprises a number of elongated fins which are each aligned with at least one of the inlet and outlet ports.

33. A method for separating a first gas from a mixture of the first gas and at least one second gas, the method comprising:

flowing the gas mixture over or through an adsorbent which has an affinity for the first gas;

adsorbing the first gas onto the adsorbent;

stopping the flow of the gas mixture; and

desorbing the first gas from the adsorbent;

wherein the adsorbent comprises a carbon based foam monolith, further wherein the adsorbent comprises a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/m-K.

34. The method of claim 33 , wherein the carbon based foam monolith comprises a mesophase pitch-based graphite foam product.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the mesophase pitch-based graphite foam product comprises a mesophase pitch-based activated graphite foam product.

36. The method of claim 33 , wherein the desorption step comprises using an electrical current to desorb the first gas from the adsorbent.

37. The method of claim 36 , wherein the desorption step is substantially non-thermal.