Abstract
A model gas separator composed of two Knudsen pumps is fabricated. The only energy source of the gas separator is the temperature difference up to 100 K. The temperature difference induces the thermal transpiration flow of the rarefied gas in the micro-pores of the mixed cellulose ester (MCE) membrane in the Knudsen pump. The gas flow and the resultant pressure variation are used to separate the feed mixture of helium and neon gases into two gases having different gas compositions. The fabricated model gas separator, which has 27 cm2 total membrane area, induces 5–6% difference of mole percentage between two product gases under the flow rate 5 sccm of the feed gas. The operation of the gas separator is continuous since the present device as well as the Knudsen pump requires no moving parts.
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