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Reverse PSA Engine

Reverse Pressure Swing Adsorption Engine
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Background: An osmotic power engine [link] is powered by the salinity gradient between salt water and fresh water.

I propose an engine which works on the potential energy difference between a pure gas (oxygen, for example), and atmospheric air.

The mechanism of the engine would be exactly identical to a pressure swing adsorption oxygen separator, except that it would operate in reverse.

goldbb, Feb 03 2010

Osmotic Power http://en.wikipedia.../wiki/Osmotic_power
[goldbb, Feb 03 2010]

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       Isn't your O2/Air engine working off a concentration gradient just as the osmotic power engine? Your use of “potential energy difference” is a bit to nebulas – However, Delta G, Gibbs free energy, difference between pure O2 and O2/N2 (read - air) mixture is still zero as both are in their “standard states”. The more I think about this the less potential I give it of doing any real work.   

       I like the idea. There is something here but not clear what.
halb gekocht, Feb 06 2010
  

       where are you getting he pure gas? Since this will inevitably yield less energy than the process required to purify the gas...
WcW, Feb 06 2010
  

       halb gekocht, if there is no gradient between pure O2 and air, then it should take zero energy to separate O2 from air. Since it *does* take energy to separate O2 from air, then there should exist a process which recovers fraction of that energy whilst (re)combining them.   

       WcW, I'm not proposing that this would be "free energy." I realize that less energy can be derived from mixing pure O2 with air, than was consumed separating it. But, in certain circumstances, we might have a ready supply of nearly pure "waste" O2... for example, when performing electrolysis of hydrogen.
goldbb, Feb 09 2010
  


 

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