Christopher M Cueman

US Patent:

20030075045, Apr 24, 2003

Filed:

Oct 22, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/040162

Inventors:

Harold Cowles - Scotia NY, US
William Stanley - Schagticoke NY, US
Christopher Cueman - SARATOGA SPRINGS NY, US

International Classification:

B01D053/02

US Classification:

095/148000, 096/143000

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for controlling the heating of adsorbent materials in a vessel including the utilization of electrodes in direct contact with the adsorbent material to induce a current in the material. The electrical contacts are spaced apart and receive a potential for inducing the electrical current; one of the electrodes is a different size to thereby induce a radial component in the electrical current to thus modify the current density flowing through the adsorbent material as the current traverses the distance between the electrodes. The resulting modified current density causes the temperature gradient across the transverse section of the vessel to decrease, thus rendering the temperature more uniform across the vessel. An alternative embodiment places a conductive element, not connected to any potential source, in the column of adsorbent material within the vessel between electrodes to thereby alter the current density as the current flow from one electrode to the other and to create a radial component to the electric current to thus modify the heating and thus temperature of the material to render the temperature gradient across the vessel more uniform.