Abstract: The invention discloses a novel binary composition of matter for use in absorption cycles and similar applications requiring the reversible absorption and desorption of water vapor. The composition comprises an aqueous solution wherein the nonaqueous component consists essentially of a mixture of alkali metal nitrates optionally admixed with at least one alkali metal nitrite.

Abstract: The invention provides an efficient means of increasing oxygen purity and recovery and also argon recovery in cryogenic distillative air separation plants. In addition, the invention makes it possible to increase the oxygen delivery pressure from high efficiency triple pressure configurations without using an oxygen vacuum compressor. These advantages are obtained by incorporating an argon recycle compressor within the cold box, which compresses argon from an argon rectifier, causes it to condense against boiling liquid oxygen from the argon stripper, and uses the condensed argon to reflux the argon rectifier. Pressurized high purity oxygen can then be obtained using a LOX pump, plus a split supply pressure configuration in which an elevated pressure rectifier gasifies the LOX.

Abstract: A continuous process is set forth for the production of oxygen from an oxygen containing gas stream, such as air, by contacting a feed gas stream with a molten solution of an oxygen acceptor to oxidize the acceptor and cyclically regenerating the oxidized acceptor by releasing oxygen from the acceptor wherein the oxygen-depleted gas stream from the contact zone is treated sequentially to temperature reduction by heat exchange against the feed stream so as to condense out entrained oxygen acceptor for recycle to the process, combustion of the gas stream with fuel to elevate its temperature and expansion of the combusted high temperature gas stream in a turbine to recover power.

Abstract: An arrangement of distillation columns is disclosed for subambient distillative separation of 2 mixture of non-condensable gases wherein two columns which exchange liquid achieve a given level of separation over a smaller temperature range than that required by a single column producing the same separation. The arrangement is useful for air separation to produce medium purity (90 to 99%) O.sub.2 and/or N.sub.2.

Abstract: The invention comprises solution compositions suitable for absorbing and desorbing useful quantities of water vapor at high boiling point elevations, and, hence, which are useful in conjunction with H.sub.2 O as the absorbent pair in absorption cycle heat pumps. The nonaqueous component of the solution is comprised of at least 35 mole percent LiNO.sub.3 and at least 35 mole percent alkali nitrite. The absorbent is particularly useful in high temperature absorption cycles, i.e., with maximum temperatures in the range of 130.degree. C. to 260.degree. C. or even higher.

Abstract: A cryogenic air separation process is disclosed wherein the low pressure column section of a doubler is caused to operate closer to equilibrium and, hence, more efficiently by incorporating a medium pressure column which further enriches HP column enriched oxygen liquid before introduction into the LP column. The MP column is reboiled by indirect heat exchange with condensing HP column nitrogen, and is refluxed by direct injection of condensed nitrogen.A second improvement to cryogenic air separation is disclosed which can be advantageously combined with the above improvement, in which pressurized oxygen up to 10 ATA is efficiently produced from pumped LOX by using the pumped LOX to reflux an auxiliary higher pressure column in which a fraction of the supply air compressed to higher pressure is separated into liquid N.sub.2 which is subsequently used as reflux and into oxygen enriched liquid which is further separated.

Abstract: The invention provides a means for reducing the energy consumed by thermally activated separation processes such as fractional distillation. This is done by recovering at least part of the reject heat from such processes and upgrading it for recycle back to input heat. The upgrading is accomplished by another low temperature source of heat which may also be the separation process reject heat. A simple and reliable heat pump using the reverse absorption principle is incorporated in the separation process to accomplish this upgrading.

Abstract: A fuel gas is desulfurized while hot by contact with a molten alkali salt. The salt is regenerated for further use by contact with a recirculating gas stream. The H.sub.2 S and COS picked up by the recirculating gas stream is scrubbed at low temperature in an aqueous alkaline salt scrub system such as hot potash. H.sub.2 S regenerated from the low temperature alkaline scrub system is subsequently converted to sulfur. By combining both high temperature and low temperature alkali scrubbing in a single dual temperature dual alkali (DTDA) process, the best advantages of both scrub techniques are retained whereas the serious disadvantages of molten salt scrubbing are eliminated.

Abstract: This process provides an efficient means for distillative separation of a gas mixture at a temperature below ambient without requiring either a dual pressure or low pressure distillation column. The process comprises supplying the gas at an elevated pressure to a single pressure distillation column, work-expanding the column overhead gas to drive a heat pump compressor, compressing any of several gases in the heat pump compressor so as to effect phase change heat transfer between condensing column reflux and boiling column bottom product, and separately withdrawing the depressurized gaseous separation products.

Abstract: The invention provides a process and apparatus for reducing the amount of energy which must be supplied to thermally activated separation processes such as fractional distillation, distillation, dehydration, or acid gas scrubbing. The reduction is accomplished by incorporating an absorption heat pump into the process such that the absorption heat pump accepts reject heat from (i.e. provides cooling to) the process and supplies higher temperature heat back to the process. The absorption heat pump causes the necessary temperature increase through the motive power of an external heat source applied to it, in contrast to the mechanical power source required by conventional heat pumps.1.

Abstract: A continuous process for separating oxygen from air by means of a reversible chemical reaction wherein air is reacted with an oxygen acceptor which is subsequently decomposed to yield the product oxygen, and then recycled. The only energy input required is a conventional combustible fuel, and one object of the process is to reduce the amount of fuel energy required for oxygen production.The oxygen acceptor is a molten solution of alkali metal salt comprised predominantly of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate. An efficient process is achieved with this salt by conducting oxygen absorption in multiple countercurrent stages. The compression energy requirement is minimized by combining isothermal and adiabatic compression, and the recovery of compression energy is maximized by processing the exhaust in the sequence combustion, partial expansion, heat exchange, and completion of expansion. Salt-to-salt heat exchange between reaction regions minimizes the pumping requirements.

Abstract: Steam is reformed (i.e. reduced) to hydrogen in two or more successive stages by chemical reaction with intermediates, at least one of which is selected from tin, indium, germanium, molybdenum or WO.sub.2. The oxidized intermediate is regenerated to its original composition by reducing gas in one or more stages. With this multistaged processing in the proper sequence, the proportion of steam converted to hydrogen and the proportion of reducing gas utilized for reduction can both be increased over what is possible in single stage processes.

Abstract: A chemical process for separating air into both oxygen and purified nitrogen is disclosed. Bulk oxygen removal is accomplished using an oxygen acceptor such as molten alkali nitrite solution, SrO, or Pr-Ce oxides. The remaining oxygen is removed by reaction with a scavenger such as MnO or others. The oxidized scavenger is regenerated by a reducing gas, and the heat released by the combined scavenging reactions is used to furnish at least part of the energy required by the acceptor process.

Abstract: A continuous regenerative process for desulfurizing a hot reducing gas is disclosed. The gas is scrubbed by a sorbent containing MnO and Mn.sub.3 O.sub.4. The spent sorbent is regenerated by reacting the MnS with an excess of Mn.sub.3 O.sub.4, contained in oxidized sorbent. The oxidized sorbent is obtained by reacting part of the regenerated sorbent with air. In the regenerator the gaseous oxygen partial pressure is maintained below 10.sup.-6 atmospheres which allows the SO.sub.2 partial pressure to be maintained above 1 atmosphere without causing sulfation.

Abstract: A slurry of either pure or dissolved liquid metal and its oxide is oxidized by steam to produce hydrogen, and then regenerated to its original composition by a reducing gas. The liquid metal can be tin, indium, or several others. The slurry approach makes greatly simplified operation in either the batch or continuous mode possible, and allows the all-important equilibrium point of the two reactions to be controlled independently of temperature. The mode of operation is further defined in order to achieve desirable process temperature conditions with adiabatic operation.

Abstract: High temperature reducing gas is scrubbed of H.sub.2 S and other gaseous sulfur compounds at high temperature (>800.degree. K.) in a highly efficient regenerative process. The scrubbing is effected in at least two sequential stages. The first stage scrubbing medium is a molten salt comprised essentially of molten alkali carbonates, sulfides, and hydroxides. The second stage is optionally either a metallic melt comprised of copper or a second molten salt. The copper melt is regenerated with air. The salt melts are regenerated with steam and/or CO.sub.2. When two or more salt stages are used, they are regenerated stagewise countercurrently to the scrubbing sequence.

Abstract: Hot combustion gas from a coal or oil fired furnace is desulfurized by a regenerative molten alkali salt process. The process is both highly efficient and uncomplicated. Only three major pieces of equipment are required-- scrubber, regenerator, and auxiliary combustor. All reactions are adiabatic, no solids handling is required, only steam is required for salt regeneration, and the regeneration product is H.sub.2 S. Process temperature is low enough to minimize corrosion by the salt and to permit efficient fly ash removal prior to salt contact. High regeneration efficiency is achieved using only steam optionally mixed with CO.sub.2 as regenerant as follows: the combustion gas is maintained slightly reducing which causes the dominant sulfur species in the salt to be the sulfide; the salt cation composition is controlled to yield an acceptably high sulfide concentration in the salt; and salt regeneration is conducted at a significantly higher pressure than scrub.

Abstract: Oxygen is separated from air by a regenerative chemical process. Air is contacted with an oxygen acceptor comprised of a molten solution of alkali nitrite and nitrate salts at elevated temperature and pressure, causing the oxygen to react with the nitrite, and thereby increasing the proportion of nitrate in the salt solution. The oxidized oxygen acceptor is separated from the oxygen depleted air, and then its pressure is reduced while supplying heat, thereby causing the release of relatively pure oxygen, which is collected. The oxygen acceptor, restored to its approximate original composition, is recycled to the oxidation step. Since the oxygen acceptor remains in the liquid state throughout the cycle, both salt to salt heat exchange and salt circulation are facilitated, making possible a continuous process of high efficiency.

Abstract: A hydrogen rich gas such as pure hydrogen, ammonia synthesis gas, or methanol synthesis gas is generated by reacting steam with a nongaseous intermediate, whereby some of the steam is reduced to hydrogen and some of the intermediate is oxidized. Carbon dioxide may be added to or substituted for the steam, whereby carbon monoxide is produced in addition to or in lieu of H.sub.2. The oxidized intermediate is reduced by a reducing gas. The reducing gas is generated by partially reforming a light hydrocarbon such as natural gas or naphtha with steam and/or CO.sub.2, and then partially oxidizing the partially reformed gas with air. The low BTU exhaust gas resulting after reduction of intermediate oxide is used as fuel for the primary reformer. When ammonia synthesis gas is produced by this process, the purge and flash gases from the ammonia synthesis loop are added to the reducing gas.

Abstract: A gas generator is disclosed which will simply and reliably effect a gas producing reaction between a gaseous and a liquid reactant. The generator can operate at elevated temperatures and has heat exchange means incorporated. The gas generator is applied as a hydrogen generator to an energy conversion system in which hydrogen from the hydrogen-producing reaction powers a fuel cell and the reaction heat from the hydrogen producing reaction powers a thermal engine, thereby enhancing the energy conversion system relative to one in which the hydrogen generator is merely cooled and its heat is rejected as waste heat. Other possible energy conversion systems based on this gas generator are disclosed.