Recirculation regeneration

• Main Author: OLIKER; MICHAEL D
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.10.1984
• Subjects: PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; SEPARATION; TRANSPORTING

Disclosed are improved recirculating sorption bed systems of the type in which one sorption bed is in sorption duty while another is being regenerated thermally by a recirculating regeneration loop. The regeneration loop includes a cooler/condenser, a heater, and a tertiary sorption bed. The tertiary bed takes up sorbate from the coolant stream that may contain sorbate as a result of operating the system with the Four Front Method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,564. In some embodiments, the cooler/condenser is of the type which cools and removes sorbate from the recirculating regenerant stream by direct contact between a cooling fluid and the effluent. In other embodiments, the cooler/condenser retains condensed sorbate. In still other embodiments, the effect of the tertiary bed is improved by providing means for bypassing the bed with a portion of the stream from the heater, or by incorporating the heater into the tertiary bed.