Claims
- 1. An integrated method for providing a controlled atmosphere in a food storage facility by automatically and simultaneously maintaining predetermined concentrations of component gas species carbon dioxide oxygen and nitrogen and total gas pressure in the facility relative to the atmosphere, by removing carbon dioxide by enriching and venting in a first stage membrane and by generating an appropriate quantity and composition in a second stage membrane, which process comprises:
- a) feeding a portion of the atmosphere from a food storage facility, said facility having carbon dioxide, oxygen and differential pressure sensors, said atmosphere containing carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen, to a feed side of a semi-permeable gas membrane on a first carbon dioxide removal skid to remove carbon dioxide and to recycle oxygen and nitrogen, said membrane having higher permeability to carbon dioxide than to nitrogen, and being fluidly connected to a second skid, said second skid taking air and making a nitrogen and oxygen stream whose flow and composition when added to a recycle stream from the carbon dioxide removal skid maintains total gas pressure and concentrations of each of carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen in the storage facility, each skid having one or more differential pressure sensors, said carbon dioxide skid and said make-up skid being activated to remove the majority of the carbon dioxide when the level of carbon dioxide in the storage facility is above a predetermined first carbon dioxide set point, and both of said skids being inactivated when the level of carbon dioxide in the storage facility is below a predetermined second carbon dioxide set point, said second carbon dioxide set point being lower than said first carbon dioxide set point, and wherein the carbon dioxide skid and the make-up skid are capable of being automatically and independently operated;
- b) recycling the carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen not permeating the membrane of the carbon dioxide skid to the storage facility and venting the carbon dioxide gas permeating the membrane to the atmosphere; and
- c) adding the oxygen and nitrogen through said second skid as needed to maintain the concentrations of each gas species and total gas pressure in the storage facility atmosphere.
- 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said membrane further has a higher permeability to oxygen than to nitrogen.
- 3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises a second membrane parallel to said semi-permeable gas membrane having a greater permeability to carbon dioxide than nitrogen, said second membrane system having a higher permeability to oxygen than to nitrogen.
- 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said second membrane parallel to said semi-permeable gas is a membrane selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polysulfone, silicone rubber, natural rubber, butyl rubber, low density polyethylene, polycarbonate, poly(phenylene) oxide, nylon-6,6, polystyrene and cellulose acetate.
- 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said semi-permeable gas membrane having a greater permeability to carbon dioxide than to nitrogen has a permeability for carbon dioxide such that greater than about 90% of the carbon dioxide present permeates the membrane, while substantially minimizing loss of oxygen and nitrogen through the membrane so that the non-permeated gas mixtures can be recycled.
- 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said semi-permeable gas membrane is a membrane selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polysulfone, silicone rubber, natural rubber, butyl rubber, low density polyethylene, polycarbonate, poly(phenylene) oxide, nylon-6,6, polystyrene and cellulose acetate.
- 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storage facility is maintained within a differential pressure range of -0.25 to +0.25" W.C.
- 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second skid operates by a semi-permeable gas membrane or other means able to generate oxygen and nitrogen.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 413,225, filed on Sep. 27, 1989, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0294036 |
Dec 1988 |
EPX |
0209117 |
Apr 1984 |
DDX |
60-137806 |
Jul 1985 |
JPX |
63-123418 |
May 1988 |
JPX |
63-151332 |
Jun 1988 |
JPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Chemical & Engineering News, "Nitrogen for Blanketing Seen As Growth Area for Gas Separations", pp. 27-29 (Apr. 13, 1989). |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
413225 |
Sep 1989 |
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