Abstract: The present invention relates to cryogenic air separation processes and systems that employ a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) prepurification process. It is advantageous to operate the PSA process at a pressure comparable to or below the operating pressure of the highest pressure column in the cryogenic separation unit. Following PSA prepurification, the air can be split into at least two fractions, with at least a portion of the air being directed to the cryogenic separation unit and at least a portion of the remaining air being further pressurized in at least one stage of compression.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) processes and apparatus to recover carbon dioxide having a purity of approximately ?80 mole percent from streams containing at least carbon dioxide and hydrogen (e.g., syngas). The feed to the CO2 VPSA can be at super ambient pressure. The CO2 VPSA unit produces two streams, a H2-enriched stream and a CO2 product stream. The process cycle steps are selected such that there is minimal or no hydrogen losses from the process. The recovered CO2 can be further upgraded, sequestered or used in applications such as enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) processes and apparatus to recover carbon dioxide having a purity of approximately ?90 mole % from streams containing at least carbon dioxide and hydrogen (e.g., syngas). The feed to the CO2 VPSA unit can be at super ambient pressure. The CO2 VPSA unit produces three streams, a H2-enriched stream, a H2-depleted stream and a CO2 product stream. When the CO2 VPSA unit is installed between an SMR/shift reactor and a H2 PSA unit, hydrogen recovery is expected to be increased by extracting CO2, thereby increasing hydrogen partial pressure in the H2 PSA feed. The recovered CO2 can be further upgraded, sequestered or used in applications such as enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

Abstract: This invention discloses an optimum set of adsorbents for use in H2-PSA processes. Each adsorbent bed is divided into four regions; Region 1 contains adsorbent for removing water; Region 2 contains a mixture of strong and weak adsorbents to remove bulk impurities like CO2; Region 3 contains a high bulk density (>38 lbm/ft3) adsorbent to remove remaining CO2; and most of CH4 and CO present in H2 containing feed mixtures; and Region 4 contains adsorbent having high Henry's law constants for the final cleanup of N2 and residual impurities to produce hydrogen at the desired high purity.

Abstract: Air separation units are designed and constructed by selecting two or more modules from libraries containing different module designs. Each library comprises at least two modules with standardized interface point layouts. The standardization of interface points for each module in a given library allows for module interchangeabilty and flexibility in the design and construction of air separation units.

Abstract: A compound vacuum pump includes a regenerative section and a Holweck section. An annular abutment is formed on the radially innermost rotating cylinder of the Holweck section. The abutment acts to cause dust and foreign particles entering an inlet of the pump to be trapped before entering an inlet of the regenerative section. A circular barrier may be used with the abutment to assist with trapping the dust and foreign particles.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber used for processing articles, such as integrated circuit wafers, display panels, and the like, has a small load lock chamber formed at an opening in a wall of the chamber by a moveable article supporting surface within the chamber and a cover outside of the chamber. The supporting surface and cover are sealed to the chamber wall when urged against it. Articles placed into the load lock chamber, when the cover is opened, are moved into the vacuum chamber for processing by moving the supporting surface away from the wall after the cover has been closed and a vacuum established in the load lock chamber. Articles are removed from the vacuum chamber in a reverse manner. Various mechanisms are describe for moving the articles, including a particular robotic device that simultaneously swaps the positions of two articles between the supporting surface and a processing location within the vacuum chamber by first pulling the articles together and then rotating them in a half-circle.

Abstract: A method of forming a methane product by rejecting nitrogen from a feed gas stream comprising methane and nitrogen is disclosed. After being cooled in a main heat exchanger, the feed gas stream is rectified in a double rectification column comprising a higher pressure column and a lower pressure column. A gas flow is recycled from the lower pressure column to the higher pressure column. Part of the recycle flow is compressed in a compressor, cooled, liquefied in a condenser-reboiler and introduced into the higher pressure column. Another part of the recycle flow is also compressed in the compressor, cooled, liquefied in the main heat exchanger or by expansion, and introduced into the double rectification column in liquid state. At least part of the cooling of both parts of the recycle gas is performed in the main heat exchanger. A liquid methane product is withdrawn from the lower pressure column.

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying natural gas fuel to heat the boilers of an ocean-going tanker for the transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) comprises a compressor having an inlet communicating with the ullage space of at least one LNG storage tank and an outlet communicating with a conduit leading from the compressor to fuel burners associated with the boilers, and a forced LNG vaporiser having an inlet communicating with a liquid storage region of the said tank and an outlet communicating with the same or a different conduit leading to fuel burners associated with the boilers.

Abstract: Low silicon sodium X zeolite containing little or no sodium A zeolite as by-product, is prepared by direct synthesis from sodium ion-containing hydrogels, the crystallization step being carried out by maintaining the hydrogels at a temperature below about 70° C., and preferably in the range of about 50 to about 70° C. for the duration of the crystallization step. Preferably, the ratios of components in the solutions used to make the hydrogel are such that in the hydrogel the silica/alumina molar ratio will be in the range of about 2.25:1 to about 2.4:1; the sodium oxide to silica molar ratio will be in the range 1.6:1 to about 1.9:1; and the water to sodium oxide molar ratio will be greater than about 60:1.

Abstract: An improved method for preparing monolith adsorbents and activating the adsorbents therein is disclosed. A mixture of lower temperature and higher temperature binders is used in fabricating the paper used to form the monolith structure. The finished monolith structure is heated to a temperature sufficient to remove the lower temperature binder while leaving the higher temperature binder to maintain integrity in the monolith.

Abstract: A gas container is made from metal foam and the spaces defined by the open-celled structure are filled with a solid adsorbent material such as a zeolite or an activated carbon. The container may be made in the form of a panel.

Abstract: Nitrogen is rejected from a feed gas stream comprising methane and nitrogen so as to form a methane product. The feed gas stream is cooled in a main heat exchanger and rectified in a double rectification column comprising a higher pressure column, a lower pressure column and a condenser-reboiler placing the higher and lower pressure rectification columns in heat exchange relationship with each other. At least part of the feed gas stream is expanded through a valve into the higher pressure rectification column and the feed gas stream is partially liquefied upstream of the double rectification column. Over a period of time, the mole fraction of nitrogen in the feed gas stream may increase. The operating pressure of the lower pressure rectification column is periodically increased in response to increases in the mole fraction of nitrogen. A back pressure valve may be periodically adjusted to effect the increase in pressure.

Abstract: Zeolites exchanged with lithium, rubidium, cesium cations and trivalent cations are prepared by first partially, fully or excessively ion-exchanging a sodium-containing zeolite, a potassium-containing zeolite or a sodium- and potassium-containing zeolite with trivalent cations, then calcining the partially, fully or excessively trivalent cation-exchanged zeolite, and then ion exchanging the calcined zeolite with lithium rubidium, cesium cations, thereby replacing hydrogen and any sodium and/or potassium cations remaining in the zeolite with lithium, rubidium, cesium cations, whereby trivalent cations present in the zeolite will not be substantially replaced by the lithium ions.

Abstract: A process for regenerating a spent catalyst having coke deposits thereon in a catalyst regeneration vessel having a dense phase and a dilute phase, wherein the process comprises the steps of: (a) contacting the spent catalyst with a primary oxygen-containing gas in the dense phase, thereby combusting the coke, resulting in the formation of a combustion gas comprising nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide which further reacts, thus reducing a majority of the nitrogen oxides to form elemental nitrogen; and (b) contacting the combustion gas with a secondary oxygen-containing gas, and typically a shield gas, at a location just above the interface between the dense phase and the dilute phase and also in the dilute phase, thereby oxidizing the remaining CO to CO2 without significant temperature rise in the dilute phase due to the after burn.

Abstract: This invention relates to a burner and a method of combustion for producing a flame jet sheet or sheets for various applications in industrial furnaces. The burner has at least one linear or curvilinear flame nozzle having a ratio of width to height of greater than unity in order to produce high velocity and high temperature flame jet sheet or sheets with a well defined geometry. The burner is capable of being scaled to various sizes for various industrial furnace applications due to its geometry.

Abstract: A gas mixture comprised of nitric oxide and one or more impurities selected from nitrous oxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrous acid, sulfur dioxide, carbonyl sulfide, water vapor and carbon dioxide is purified by pressure swing adsorption or temperature swing adsorption using a porous, metal-free polymer adsorbent that does not promote the disproportionation of nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen or nitrous oxide. The adsorption step is preferably carried out at tempereatures in the range of about −120 to about 0° C.

Abstract: Methods for synthesizing extra low-k CVD precursors and forming extra low-k dielectric films on the surfaces of semiconductors wafers and integrated circuits are disclosed. An asymmetric organocyclosiloxane compound is applied to the surface where it will react with and form a film that will have a dielectric constant, k, from 2.0 to 2.5.

Abstract: A method for quenching a heated metallic object includes discharging a plurality of discrete gas streams from a plurality of nozzle outlets so that the gas streams impinge substantially uniformly over the outer surface of the object, the distance between each nozzle outlet and the outer surface of the object against which the associated gas stream impinges is less than or equal to half the diameter of the nozzle outlet.

Abstract: A process and a metal catalyst are provided for the partial oxidation of hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The process is conducted by contacting a mixture of a hydrocarbon-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a metal catalyst. The metal catalyst is a transition or noble metal supported on a ceria monolith substrate. Partial oxidation of hydrocarbons can be carried out at low initiation temperatures with high product yields.