Regenerable adsorption unit

Abstract

An adsorption unit comprising an adsorbent hollow fibre in which the fibre includes an active component and means for transmitting heat.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A multi-layer hollow fibre comprising:
 an internal layer comprising
 an organic polymer; and 
 an inorganic adsorbent; 
   an external layer comprising an electrically conductive component.   
     
     
         33 . The hollow fibre of  claim 32 , wherein the organic polymer is selected from the group consisting of PESF, polysulfone, polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF), polyethylene, polypropylene, poly(phenylene oxide), polymethylmethacrylate, poly(vinyl chloride), Polysulfone, Poly(ether sulfone), Poly(vinylidene fluoride), Polyacrylonitrile, Cellulose acetate, Polymide Poly(ether imide), Polyamide (aromatic), Polyimide, Poly(ether imide) and poly(vinyl alcohol) co-polymers of Polylactide (PLA) and Polyglycolide (PGA), Polycaprolactone (PCL) and Poly(ethylene terephathalate) (PET). 
     
     
         34 . The hollow fibre of  claim 32 , wherein the adsorbent is selected from silicalite ZSM5, MCM41, MCM48, a silica adsorbent, an activated carbon powder, an ion exchange resin, and a combination of two or mere thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The hollow fibre of  claim 32 , wherein the electrically conductive component is selected from the group consisting of silver, a metal powder, carbon, a conducting polymer, conducting cement, a semiconductor material, and a combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The hollow fibre of  claim 32 , wherein the fibre has a flexibility of greater than 5° bending angle from the midpoint of the fibre. 
     
     
         37 . The hollow fibre of  claim 35 , wherein the electrically conductive component comprises a conductive polymer. 
     
     
         38 . The hollow fibre of  claim 37 , wherein the electrically conductive component further comprises a conductive powder. 
     
     
         39 . The hollow fibre of  claim 38 , wherein the conductive powder is selected from active carbon, carbon black, copper powder, and a combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         40 . The hollow fibre of  claim 32 , wherein the outer diameter of the fibre is from 400 microns to 2.5 cm. 
     
     
         41 . The hollow fibre of  claim 32 , wherein the fibre has a mechanical strength of greater than 200 g force at a crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/sec for a fibre with an effective surface porosity (ε/q 2 ) of 0.1-0.2, as calculated from Knudsen flow method. 
     
     
         42 . The hollow fibre of  claim 32 , wherein the fibre has an area to volume ratio greater than 1000 m 2 /m 3 . 
     
     
         43 . The hollow fibre of  claim 32 , wherein the inorganic adsorbent is a zeolite. 
     
     
         44 . The fibre of  claim 32 , wherein the external layer further comprises an additive selected from polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, calcium chloride, fumed silica and a combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         45 . The fibre of  claim 32 , wherein the fibre is substantially defect free. 
     
     
         46 . The fibre of  claim 32 , wherein the fibre has a graded pore structure. 
     
     
         47 . A gas adsorption unit comprising a plurality of fibred according to  claim 32 . 
     
     
         48 . The gas adsorption unit of  claim 47 , wherein the plurality of fibres are grouped together in a bundle. 
     
     
         49 . The gas adsorption unit of  claim 48 , wherein the bundle of fibres is coated with an electrically conductive paste. 
     
     
         50 . The gas adsorption unit of  claim 49 , further comprising a wire wrapped around the bundle of fibres. 
     
     
         51 . The gas adsorption unit of  claim 47 , further comprising a housing.