Abstract
This paper describes the development works of a SF6 reclaiming equipment with zeolite for gas separation from a mixture of low concentrations of SF6 in N2, especially from a viewpoint of reducing the residual SF6 in separated N2, which is exhausted into the atmosphere. A prototype SF6 gas separation and liquefaction equipment has been assembled selecting suitable types of zeolite. This equipment is about lm cube in size and 130kg in weight. The performance tests of the equipment have shown successful results. For example, the ability of the equipment to handle gas mixture is 13 lit. /min. in average and the SF, concentrations in separated N2 are realized to be zero (undetectable level by gas chromatography) by introducing an auxiliary adsorption system which adsorbs SF6 much more actively than N2. The effective renewal process of this auxiliary adsorption system has also been investigated. The investigation indicates that 2700 lit. of 5% SF6 mixture is treated by less than 10 kg zeolite and 400 lit. of 33% SF6 mixture is collected. This corresponds to the SF6 collecting rate of 97%. The rest 3% remains adsorbed by the zeolite.
