Development of novel devices driven by molecular exchange through micro-channels

• Project/Area Number: 15K05794
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Fluid engineering
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Sugimoto Hiroshi 京都大学, 工学研究科, 講師 (50222055)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2017)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,810,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,110,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
• Keywords: 気体膜分離 / Knudsenポンプ / マイクロ流体 / 廃熱利用 / 分子気体力学 / 濾過 / 熱遷移流 / 省エネルギー / 分子流体力学 / 膜分離 / マイクロ流 / 希薄気体力学 / クヌーセンポンプ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A novel gas/isotope separator is devised by using "molecular exchange" phenomena in micro-pores found in my previous JSPS grant-in-aid (23560196). The "molecular exchange in micro-pores" means that light and heavy molecules in the gaseous mixture permeate through the micro-channels in porous membrane in the opposite direction. This study shows that it enables efficient gas mixture separation devices. The device works for any gas components since this device does not make use of chemical properties of specific gas species. The variation of the molar fraction is about 1 % per 1 cm of the membrane for gas mixture with substantial molar mass ratio. This means that a desktop gas/isotope separator that works for any gas mixture is possible by the molecular exchange phenomena. Large production rate is possible by increasing the width of the membrane. Various energy is available for the device since small temperature difference of order of 10 K is the only energy source of this device.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Fabrication of Stackable Knudsen Pump Driven by Hot Water (2017)
  • Author(s): 田村 翔太、杉元 宏
  • Journal Title: Journal of the Vacuum Society of Japan Volume: 60 Issue: 12 Pages: 481-483
  • DOI: 10.3131/jvsj2.60.481
  • NAID: 130006252424
  • ISSN: 1882-2398, 1882-4749
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Experiment on Gas Mixture Separation by the Molecular Exchange Flow (2017)
  • Author(s): 松本理彰，杉元宏
  • Journal Title: Journal of the Vacuum Society of Japan Volume: 60 Issue: 4 Pages: 142-144
  • DOI: 10.3131/jvsj2.60.142
  • NAID: 130006900192
  • ISSN: 1882-2398, 1882-4749
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Gas separation by the molecular exchange flow through micropores of the membrane (2016)
  • Author(s): Michiaki Matsumoto, Shoeji Nakaye, and Hiroshi Sugimoto
  • Journal Title: AIP Conference Proceedings 1786 Volume: 1-
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.4967604
  • Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Demonstration of a gas separator composed of Knudsen pumps (2016)
  • Author(s): Shoeji Nakaye, Hiroshi Sugimoto
  • Journal Title: Vacuum Volume: 125 Pages: 154-164
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.vacuum.2015.12.015
  • Peer Reviewed / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] Desktop Gas Isotope Separation by Knudsen Pump (2018)
  • Author(s): S. Tamura, H. Sugimoto, M. Yashima
  • Organizer: 31st International Symposium on Rarefied Gas Dynamics
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 温水駆動による積層式Knudsenポンプの試作 (2017)
  • Author(s): 田村 翔太、杉元 宏
  • Organizer: 第58回真空に関する連合講演会
• [Presentation] Gas Separation by the Molecular Exchange Flow through Micropores of the Membrane (2016)
  • Author(s): M. Matsumoto, S. Nakaye, H. Sugimoto
  • Organizer: 30th International Symposium on Rarefied Gas Dynamics
  • Place of Presentation: University of Victoria, Canada
  • Year and Date: 2016-07-10
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 分子交換流を用いた混合気体の分離実験 (2016)
  • Author(s): 松本理彰，杉元宏
  • Organizer: 2016 年真空・表面科学合同講演会（第 57 回真空に関する連合講演会）
  • Place of Presentation: 名古屋国際会議場(愛知県・名古屋市)
• [Remarks] 混合気体分離法の研究
  • URL: http://fd.kuaero.kyoto-u.ac.jp/ja/research/rgd/separator
• [Remarks] Research Gate (著作権で許される限り研究成果を公開中)
  • URL: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hiroshi_Sugimoto2