Almost Complete Separation of a Fluid Component from a Mixture Using Burgers Networks of Microseparators

Abstract

Two ways of networking microseparators to almost completely separate, for example, hydrogen from a mixture are proposed. Each separator has two outlets for slightly higher and lower concentrations, whose difference is modeled by a quadratic map of the average concentration at its inlet. In the continuum, the networks are governed by the Burgers equation or its variant with no-flux boundary conditions. The initial boundary value problem is exactly solvable. A family of equilibria are global attractors. The target component is shown to be extracted from one side of a stationary shock. Microdevices for testing the idea are also proposed.