IP Library Patent Application 11977583
Patent Application
App. No. 11/977,583

Process and apparatus for adsorptive separation of substances

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
11/977,583
Abstract

The present invention relates to a process which can be carried out continuously for the adsorption separation of substances in liquid media, in which process a flat adsorbent is loaded with an adsorbate by contacting the adsorbate-containing medium with the entire adsorbing outer surface of the adsorbent without forced flow through, and to an apparatus for carrying out the inventive process.

Claims (41)

1 . A process for the adsorption separation of substances in liquid media, comprising the steps:

(a) providing an adsorber having a flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) wound around a fluid tight core ( 6 ) which is disposed fixed in position in a housing ( 3 ) and has at least one adsorbing surface which is designed for binding an adsorbate, the housing ( 3 ) having at least one intake ( 1 ) and only one outlet ( 2 ) for liquid medium,

(b) equilibrating the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) with a liquid medium and

(c) contacting the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) in the housing ( 3 ) with the liquid medium which comprises at least one adsorbate by applying a pressure difference between intake ( 1 ) and outlet ( 2 ), the at least one adsorbate-containing medium flowing tangentially over the entire outer adsorbing surface of the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ).

2 . The process as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises the step (d) contacting with an eluent the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) which has at least one adsorbate adsorbed thereto in step (c).

3 . The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the liquid medium comprising at least one adsorbate additionally contains particles.

4 . The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the liquid medium which leaves the outlet ( 2 ) in step (c) is recirculated to the intake ( 1 ).

5 . The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the liquid medium, after being contacted with the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) in step (c) is filtered through a final adsorption membrane.

6 . The process as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the final adsorption membrane is also disposed in the housing ( 3 ) in the direction of flow upstream of the outlet ( 2 ).

7 . The process as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the final adsorption membrane is disposed downstream of the outlet ( 2 ).

8 . The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flat adsorption film ( 5 ) is disposed in multiple layers in the housing ( 3 ).

9 . (canceled)

10 . The process as claimed in claim 8 , wherein devices ( 4 ) which produce a spacing between the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film layers and through which flow can pass tangentially are disposed between the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film layers.

11 . The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) is constructed in capillary form.

12 . The process as claimed in claim 1 , comprising the steps:

(a′) providing two adsorbers each having a flat non-continuously porous adsorption films ( 5 ) disposed fixed at a point in a housing ( 3 ), which adsorbers are connected by lines ( 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 ) having valves ( 102 A- 107 A, 102 B- 107 B) in series in such a manner that each adsorber can as desired be triggered first and independently from the other,

(b′) equilibrating the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) with a liquid medium,

(c′) sequentially and continuously contacting the two flat non-continuously porous adsorption films ( 5 ) disposed in the adsorbers with a liquid medium,

(d′) eluting the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) of the adsorber which is connected in the first position,

(e′) sequentially and continuously, but in reverse sequence, contacting the two flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) disposed in the adsorbers,

(f′) eluting the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) of the adsorber connected in the second position, and

(g′) repeating the steps (c′)-(f′).

13 . The process as claimed in claim 12 , wherein at least one further adsorber is disposed between the two adsorbers, and in the step (d′) or (f′) in each case only the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) is eluted which is connected at the first position or the last position of the series-connected adsorbers, and the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) of the other adsorber in the respective following step (e′) or (c′) is successively and continuously brought into contact with the liquid medium.

14 . An apparatus for the adsorption separation of substances in liquid media comprising:

an adsorber comprising

a housing ( 3 ) having at least one intake ( 1 ) and only one outlet ( 2 ) for liquid medium and

a flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) wound around a fluid tight core ( 6 ) having at least one adsorbing surface side which is designed for binding at least one adsorbate and is disposed fixed in position in the housing ( 3 ), the medium flowing only tangentially over the entire adsorbing outer surface of the adsorbent ( 5 ).

15 . The apparatus for the adsorption separation of substances in liquid media comprising:

an adsorber comprising

a housing ( 3 ) having at least one intake ( 1 ) and only one outlet ( 2 ) for liquid medium and

a flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) which has two adsorbing surface sides, is designed for binding at least one adsorbate, and is disposed in a fixed position in the housing ( 3 ), the medium flowing tangentially over the entire adsorbing outer surface of the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) in such a manner that the velocity of the medium at points of the surface sides which are opposite in each case is the same averaged over time.

16 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) is disposed in multiple layers in the housing ( 3 ).

17 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) is disposed in multiple layers in the housing ( 3 ).

18 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) being disposed in the housing ( 3 ) coiled in a spiral form around a fluid-tight core ( 6 ).

19 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein devices ( 4 ) which produce a spacing between the adsorbent layers and through which flow can pass tangentially are disposed between the adsorbent layers.

20 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) is constructed in capillary form.

21 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 which further comprises a final adsorption membrane which is dispersed in such a manner that the medium, after being contacted with the flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) is filtered through the final adsorption membrane.

22 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the final adsorption membrane is disposed in the housing ( 3 ).

23 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the final adsorption membrane is disposed downstream of the outlet ( 2 ).

24 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein two adsorbers in each case comprising a housing ( 3 ) having a flat non-continuously porous adsorption films ( 5 ) disposed therein are connected in series and are connected via lines ( 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 ) to valves ( 102 A- 107 A, 102 B- 107 B) in such a manner that each adsorber can as desired be triggered first and each flat non-continuously porous adsorption film ( 5 ) which is disposed in a housing ( 3 ) can be loaded and eluted independently of the other.

25 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 23 , wherein at least one further adsorber is disposed between the two adsorbers.