INVESTIGATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF CRYOGENIC ADSORPTION PURIFICATION OF ARGON FROM OXYGEN

The intensification of argon purification from oxygen by cryoadsorption is feasible by cooling the adsorbent in an argon medium and by dehydration under decreased temperature. A modified NaA zeolite is used as an adsorbent. The argon purification process has been investigated at an oxygen concentration of 3% at 90 K and at a degree of purification of 1 ppm. The conditions of the occurrence of argon capillary condensation have been considered. The zeolite modification with the best adsorption performance has been defined and an improved method of argon purification from oxygen has been developed. The calculated relations for defining the value of the adsorbent dynamic capacitance as a function of the rate of flow, and the argon preadsorption as a function of the adsorbent cooling time have been obtained and a plot has been constructed for defining the coefficient of dynamic capacitance decrease under decreased temperature of dehydration. As a result, a calculation formula is proposed for defining the adsorber protective action time under argon purification from oxygen with allowance for the rate of flow, the argon preadsorption value and the temperature of dehydration.