Abstract: The invention relates to the use of adsorbent materials that have been selected on the basis of their relationship between that material's intrinsic rate and equilibrium properties.

Abstract: The invention relates to adsorbent materials having comparatively high intrinsic adsorption rates. Methods are disclosed whereby such rates can be achieved. In preferred embodiments, the adsorbent is a LiX zeolite material.

Abstract: A low silica AFI zeolite and a high purity gmelinite zeolite that have a SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of about 10 or less are provided.

Abstract: A distributor apparatus arrangement distributes a gas within a vessel that includes an adsorbent bed, the gas distribution occurring with a minimum of gas mal-distribution. The distributor apparatus includes an inlet gas coupler that feeds gas to a conduit oriented adjacent a surface of the bed. A slit opening is positioned in a wall of the conduit and extends along a length of the conduit. The slit has an opening extent near the inlet fluid coupler that is larger than an opening extent of the slit near the distal end of the conduit. The slit opening is oriented towards a wall of the vessel and away from the bed so as to enable gas flow that exits therefrom to impact upon the wall and be deflected thereby to the bed. In a preferred arrangement, the slit is defined by perforations that exhibit a 50% aperture ratio.

Abstract: A process and system for producing a high purity argon product with high argon recovery from an air feed stream utilizing a low ratio argon distillation column, a high ratio argon distillation column and a vacuum pressure swing adsorption. unit in combination with a cryogenic air separation plant. The process and system avoids the necessity for an ultrastaged upper column in the cryogenic air separator plant.

Abstract: A VPSA apparatus includes a first adsorbent bed and a second adsorbent bed, a feed blower for providing a flow of a gas mixture at about atmospheric pressure to the beds, and a vacuum blower for removing a flow of gas therefrom and venting the gas to a space at atmospheric pressure. The VPSA process causes the first adsorbent bed to be poised for evacuation by the vacuum blower and concurrently, the second adsorbent bed is under vacuum conditions and is poised for pressurization by the feed blower. A single motor is coupled by a common shaft to both the feed blower and the vacuum blower and operates both. A conduit/valve arrangement is operative during at least a portion of a process time when the adsorbent beds are in pressurizing/evacuation states, respectively, to couple the feed blower to the second adsorbent bed when at vacuum and for concurrently coupling the vacuum blower to the first adsorbent bed which is to be evacuated.

Abstract: This invention provides a pressure swing adsorption process for purifying a synthesis gas stream containing from 60 to 90 mole % hydrogen and impurities such as CO2, CH4, N2, and CO. The PSA process of the invention further provides a method of adsorbing substantially all of the nitrogen and other contaminants from the feed gas stream; wherein the feed stream is passed at superatmospheric pressure through a plurality of adsorbent beds and each adsorbent bed contains at least a CaX, LiA, LiX or calcium containing mixed cation zeolite having a SiO2/Al2O3 mole ratio of 2.0-2.5. Such process involves sequentially pressurizing, depressurizing, purging and repressurizing the adsorbent beds with product hydrogen, and recovering product hydrogen in purities of 99.9% or greater from the beds.

Abstract: An axial flow adsorber apparatus includes a bed of adsorbent material, a barrier in the form of an open-cell material combined with a distribution screen or baffle, graded balls, and an inflatable bladder. The adsorbent bed is the active adsorbent required for a separation process. The barrier combines the open-cell material, which provides uniform retention of all adsorbent material, with the distribution screen, which provides uniform flow and pressure distribution across the bed. The barrier substantially covers a top surface of the adsorbent bed to prevent fluidization of the bed. Graded balls on the barrier uniformly distribute a downward pressure supplied by the inflatable bladder above the balls. The uniform pressure is transmitted through the balls to the barrier to further suppress fluidization. The balls also serve to direct gas flow in the upper end of the vessel and reduce void volume in the apparatus that would trap product gas.

Abstract: Multicomponent hollow fiber membrane tubesheets are disclosed that provide for improved membrane performance, particularly at high operating pressures. The multicomponent tubesheets have an epoxy resin having, when cured, different degrees of hardness in different portions of the tubesheet. Methods for producing such multicomponent tubesheets are also provided.

Abstract: The invention maintains a nearly constant cycle pressure ratio along with a balancing of the adsorbent vessel effluents in a pressure swing adsorption process. The invention monitors cycle pressure ratio and subsequently alters the cycle step times and flows to sustain its value, thereby maximizing plant performance and avoiding unnecessary shutdowns. Maintaining a nearly constant pressure ratio assures that the plant production is optimized and that power consumption is minimized. The balancing of the adsorbent vessel effluents, using the corresponding waste purities, is used to further improve plant production.

Abstract: The invention comprises a rotary valve having first and second inlet/outlet flow passages, as well as one or more (preferably between 6 and 8) flow ports. The valve has a plurality of positions simultaneously interconnecting the first and second flow passage to selected flow ports. In a preferred embodiment, the valve has a housing and the flow ports are disposed on outer peripheral walls of the housing. The valve may further include an internal rotary plug that is rotatable about a longitudinal axis to move between the positions, and containing openings to connect the flow passages to the flow ports. The plug may be divided into two chambers in the valve which may or may not be moved independently of each other. The valve may further include a movable seal between the housing and the internal plug member which is retractable to permit freer movement of the plug.

Abstract: Separation of one or more fluidic components from a feed fluid containing a plurality of components is accomplished by adsorbent powder entrained in a stream of fluid, such as gas, and preferably is operated as a temperature swing adsorption process using waste thermal energy from a plant.

Abstract: A low pressure swing adsorption process and apparatus for the recovery of carbon dioxide from multi-component gas mixtures, utilizing the simultaneous purge and evacuation of opposite ends of the adsorber(s) to effect controlled depressurization in the adsorber bed(s) to maintain the constant purity of a carbon dioxide-enriched product stream recovered from the adsorber inlet(s).

Abstract: An improved process for production of mixed cation-exchanged adsorbents that involves a single pass ion exchange. The precursor (non-exchanged) zeolite is treated with a combined essentially stoichiometric and excess solution of desirable weakly held and strongly held cations so that the resultant zeolite has the required mixed cation composition, while consuming smaller amounts of weakly held cation. Ion exchange post-treatment includes an optional equilibration step to ensure a uniform adsorbent and an optional washing step.

Abstract: The invention comprises a pressure swing adsorption process for the separation of a less adsorbable component from a mixture comprising the less adsorbable component and a more adsorbable component, the process comprising a cyclic adsorption/desorption process wherein the desorption step is at a selected pressure and occurs for a selected time such that a pressure reducing apparatus utilized to evacuate the gas does not require extraneous cooling.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the separation of oxygen from an oxygen containing gas using an oxygen selective material comprising a transition element complex comprising a first transition element ion and one or more chelating ligands, wherein: i) said first transition element ion is capable of accepting intermolecular donation; ii) said chelating ligand or ligands provides up to four intramolecular donor sites to said transition element ion; iii) said chelating ligand or ligands provides an intermolecular donor site to a second transition element ion which is contained in second discrete transition element complex; and iv) said chelating ligand or ligands contains at least one substituent that inhibits &mgr;-peroxo dimer formation on said sorbent; wherein when said material is in deoxy form, the total number of donor sites to said first transition element ion is five.

Abstract: The invention comprises a PSA process and apparatus wherein the fixed adsorbent bed comprises an equilibrium zone and a mass transfer zone. Further, the equilibrium and mass transfer zones each comprise at least one adsorbent material, selective for the adsorption of a more selectively adsorbable component, that is selected on the basis of the performance of that adsorbent material under the process conditions applicable to either the equilibrium or mass transfer zones.

Abstract: A dual-chambered, four-ported rotary valve with a rotatable drum having peripheral openings is used to selectively connect vacuum and/or air sources and a vent to absorption chambers in a two-bed VPSA (vacuum presssure swing absorption) system to replace separate valves and produce low cost enriched oxygen, via reduced power, increased reliability, and reduced complexity and cost.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the recovery of low purity oxygen gas from the top of an adsorber vessel into a receiver tank to be used as a purge reflux gas. Recovery of void gas results in improved process efficiency. The invention may also employ a simultaneous evacuation from the top of the adsorber to remove the lower purity void gas while the main waste evacuation step is conducted. This simultaneous co-current top void gas recovery and counter-current waste evacuation from both ends of the adsorber allows for an overall increase in product recovery of between 3-5% over conventional processes.

Abstract: The invention comprises a PSA apparatus for the separation of a heavy component from a light component in a feed stream. The apparatus includes an adsorbent bed comprising either a mixture of adsorbents or composite adsorbent particles wherein each particle comprises two or more adsorbents. At least one of the adsorbents is comparatively weak and the other is comparatively strong. Another embodiment of the invention is a PSA prepurifier having a bed of adsorbent material which comprises a mixture of, or composite adsorbent particles wherein each particle comprises at least two adsorbents, at least one of the adsorbents being comparatively strong and at least another of the adsorbents being comparatively weak.