Abstract: A continuous pressure driven adsorption process for separating a multi-component gaseous mixture. In accordance with the method, the multi-component gaseous mixture is passed through a first portion of the adsorbent to adsorb one or more preferentially adsorbed components while a second portion of the adsorbent is regenerated. The multi-component mixture is passed through the first portion of the adsorbent in sections and the second portion of the adsorbent is regenerated in sections. The sections forming the first portion of the adsorbent become successively less saturated and the sections forming the second portion of the adsorbent becomes successively more concentrated in the more preferentially adsorbed component. A product stream is expelled from the less saturated section of the first portion of the adsorbent. The product stream is enriched in the less preferentially adsorbed component(s).

Abstract: A system for controlling the atmosphere of a container for use in the storage and/or transportation of perishable goods which includes adsorption apparatus for the selective adsorption in whole or in part and in a predeterminded order of any water vapor, carbon dioxide, oxygen or ethylene contained within the atmosphere, a blower for urging the atmosphere to the adsorption apparatus, and a conduiting for returning the controlled atmosphere to the container.

Abstract: Apparatus and a process for producing high purity oxygen containing not more than 1 ppm by volume of hydrocarbons. An oxygen stream containing up to about 100 ppm by volume of hydrocarbons is subjected to cryogenic temperature swing adsorption in an adsorption bed containing calcium-exchanged type X zeolite, type 5A zeolite or 13X zeolite, for the removal of the hydrocarbons and any nitrogen present in the oxygen stream.

Abstract: Oxygen is separated from air by pressure swing adsorption in plant 2. The oxygen is passed through an ozone generator 4. The resulting ozonated oxygen is passed upwardly through a contactor 6 countercurrently to the flow of a side stream of water to be treated with ozone. The side stream containing dissolved ozone flows from the contactor 6 to a mixer 8 in which it is mixed with a main stream of water. The effluent gas from the contactor 6 contains air displaced from the water and undissolved oxygen. It is divided into two parts. One part flows to the pressure swing adsorption plant 2 and is separated therein with the air. The other part is dried by temperature swing adsorption in drier 20 and the resulting dried gas is ozonated in the ozone generator 4 with the oxygen from the plant 2.

Abstract: A method of compressing oxygen includes passing the oxygen into a vessel 12 containing finely divided material. Next a driving gas, for example, air is compressed to a greater pressure than the oxygen and passed through the vessel 12 and the bed of material contained therein which creates a plug flow effect such that the oxygen is compressed by the air substantially without back-mixing.

Abstract: A process for producing a nitrogen-enriched product in improved yield and specific product comprising passing air through a bed of crushed zeolite having a particle size of 10 to 40 mesh, thereby adsorbing oxygen and producing the enriched nitrogen product.

Abstract: The improvement in the separation of gaseous mixtures by pressure swing adsorption (PSA) is disclosed. The interparticle voids in kinetically-selective PSA adsorbent beds are filled with fine particles of kinetically-selective adsorbent. The ratio of the average diameter of the coarse adsorbent particles to the average diameter of the fine particles, the size of the fine particles themselves and the percent of volume of the fine particles in the bed are all critical to optimum PSA performance.

Abstract: Argon and nitrogen are separated from a gaseous stream containing them in combination with oxygen in a three-step process comprising introducing the gaseous stream under pressure to a noncryogenic separator to produce therein a stream enriched in nitrogen and argon, introducing said stream into a cryogenic distillation column to produce a high purity nitrogen product. An argon-rich side stream withdrawn from the cryogenic distillation column is introduced into a pressure swing adsorption unit to provide a crude argon product containing 97 percent or more of argon. The first noncryogenic separator may be a pressure swing adsorption unit or a gas diffusion zone.

Abstract: The improvement in the separation of a gaseous mixtures by pressure swing adsorption (PSA) is disclosed. The interparticle voids in conventional PSA adsorbent beds are filled with fine particles. The ratio of the smallest dimension of the coarse adsorbent particles to the largest dimension of the fine particles, the size of the fine particles themselves and the present of volume of the fine particles in the bed are all critical to optimum PSA performance. The fine particles may be comminuted adsorbent or an inert material, i.e. one having no adsorptive capacity.