Premium
Possible air separations with superconducting membranes
Author(s) -
Gordon Ryan D.,
Cussler E. L.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.690451107
Subject(s) - membrane , superconductivity , knudsen number , knudsen diffusion , hagen–poiseuille equation , diffusion , helium , chemistry , materials science , chemical physics , condensed matter physics , flow (mathematics) , mechanics , thermodynamics , physics , organic chemistry , biochemistry
Permeabilities of oxygen, nitrogen and helium across porous, superconducting membranes with 5‐μm pores are consistent with those across nonsuperconducting membranes with well‐defined pores of similar sizes. This is true both at ambient and superconducting temperatures. Transport can occur by Knudsen diffusion, Poiseuille flow, capillary condensation, and turbulent flow. There is no evidence of surface diffusion. Theoretical considerations of superconducting membranes are consistent with these results, indicating when superconductivity might play a role. However, past reports concerning air separation with superconducting membranes with these micrometer‐sized pores are questionable.