US 12,240,759 B2
Method and device for separating a gas mixture containing diborane and hydrogen
Friedhelm Herzog, Krefeld (DE); and Joachim Barbe, Tonisvorst (DE)
Assigned to Messer SE & Co. KGaA, Bad Soden (DE)
Appl. No. 17/434,929
Filed by MESSER SE & CO. KGAA, Bad Soden (DE)
PCT Filed Feb. 13, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/053702
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 30, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/177998, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 10, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 001 497.9 (DE), filed on Mar. 2, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0144633 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. C01B 3/50 (2006.01); C01B 6/10 (2006.01); F25J 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC C01B 3/506 (2013.01) [C01B 6/10 (2013.01); F25J 3/0223 (2013.01); F25J 3/0252 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for the separation of diborane from a diborane-hydrogen mixture, the method comprising:
supplying a gas mixture comprising diborane and hydrogen to a first heat exchanger in which the gas mixture comes into thermal contact with a liquefied gas;
maintaining the liquefied gas in the first heat exchanger at a first pressure at which a temperature of the liquefied gas is below a boiling point of diborane and above a freezing point of diborane such that the diborane at least to some extent condenses into liquefied diborane on heat-exchanger areas of the first heat exchanger and does not freeze;
discharging the liquefied diborane from the first heat exchanger to a storage container;
supplying the gas mixture that has passed through the first heat exchanger to a second heat exchanger in which the gas mixture comes into thermal contact with the liquefied gas;
providing the liquefied gas in the second heat exchanger at a second pressure, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure and being a pressure at which a temperature of the liquefied gas is below the freezing point of diborane such that diborane still present in the gas mixture freezes on heat-exchanger areas of the second heat exchanger; and
supplying the liquefied gas from one coolant tank to both the first and second heat exchangers, wherein an operating pressure in the coolant tank is at least the first pressure;
wherein supplying the liquefied gas from the coolant tank to the first heat exchanger comprises controlling a pressure-maintaining valve in a gas discharge line downstream of the first heat exchanger so as to maintain the liquefied gas in the first heat exchanger at the first pressure; and
wherein supplying the liquefied gas from the coolant tank to the second heat exchanger comprises controlling a pressure-reducing valve in a coolant supply line upstream of the second heat exchanger so as to provide the liquefied gas to the second heat exchanger at the second pressure.