Abstract: Method for gas purification comprising (a) obtaining a feed gas stream containing one or more contaminants selected from the group consisting of volatile metal oxy-hydroxides, volatile metal oxides, and volatile silicon hydroxide; (b) contacting the feed gas stream with a reactive solid material in a guard bed and reacting at least a portion of the contaminants with the reactive solid material to form a solid reaction product in the guard bed; and (c) withdrawing from the guard bed a purified gas stream.

Abstract: A pumping/compressing apparatus for use in a fluid handling system transferring a fluid from one location, e.g., a tank, to another location or to an end use is provided. The apparatus basically includes a motor and a multistage, e.g., two stage, device including at least one reciprocating piston, an inlet stage chamber, an outlet stage chamber, an inlet, and an outlet. The piston is arranged to be reciprocated at multiple, e.g., respective first and second, speeds. The second speed is higher than the first speed, whereupon when the piston is reciprocated at the first speed the device effectively pumps liquid or mostly liquid to the outlet. When the piston is reciprocated at the second speed the device effectively compresses gas or mostly gas fluid and provides it to the outlet. A blowby port may be provided to provide blowby fluid back to the tank or the device.

Abstract: Method for the separation of a gas mixture comprising providing a PSA system with at least one adsorber vessel containing adsorbent material that is selective for the adsorption of carbon monoxide and nitrogen, passing a feed gas mixture containing at least hydrogen and carbon monoxide and optionally containing nitrogen through the adsorbent material in a feed step and withdrawing a purified hydrogen product from the adsorber vessel, wherein the feed step has a duration or feed time period of about 30 seconds or less. The adsorbent material is characterized by any of (1) a Henry's law constant for carbon monoxide between about 2.5 and about 5.5 (mmole/g)/atm; (2) a carbon monoxide heat of adsorption between about 6.0 and about 7.5 kcal/gmole; (3) a Henry's law constant for nitrogen greater than about 1.5 (mmole/g)/atm; and (4) a selectivity of carbon monoxide to nitrogen between about 5.0 and about 8.0.

Abstract: Method for the separation of a gas mixture comprising providing a pressure swing adsorption system having a plurality of adsorber vessels, wherein each vessel has an inlet, an outlet, and a bed of particulate adsorbent material disposed therein. The adsorbent material is selective for the adsorption of one or more components from the gas mixture, and each bed of adsorbent material is characterized by a bed depth and by an average particle diameter less than about 1.3 mm. A feed step is carried out during a feed time period wherein the gas mixture is introduced into the adsorber vessel, one or more components are selectively adsorbed from the gas mixture, and a product gas is withdrawn from the adsorber vessel. The bed depth in feet times the dimensionless ratio of the empty bed residence time to the feed time period is less than about 4.

Abstract: A steam-hydrocarbon reforming process generating a process gas containing a first amount of heat and a flue gas containing a second amount of heat includes: providing a water heater, a boiler feed water (BFW) preparation system, a boiler, and a BFW heater; feeding water to the water heater; feeding water to the BFW preparation system from the water heater; feeding a first stream of water to the boiler from the BFW preparation system; feeding a second stream of water from the BFW preparation system to the BFW heater; heating at least part of the second stream of water fed to the BFW heater with a first part of the first amount of heat; heating water in the boiler with a second part of the first amount of heat; generating steam at 5-60 psig in the boiler; and heating the BFW preparation system or another internal system with the steam.

Abstract: An ion transport membrane system comprising (a) a pressure vessel having an interior, an exterior, an inlet, and an outlet; (b) a plurality of planar ion transport membrane modules disposed in the interior of the pressure vessel and arranged in series, each membrane module comprising mixed metal oxide ceramic material and having an interior region and an exterior region, wherein any inlet and any outlet of the pressure vessel are in flow communication with exterior regions of the membrane modules; and (c) one or more gas manifolds in flow communication with interior regions of the membrane modules and with the exterior of the pressure vessel. The ion transport membrane system may be utilized in a gas separation device to recover oxygen from an oxygen-containing gas or as an oxidation reactor to oxidize compounds in a feed gas stream by oxygen permeated through the mixed metal oxide ceramic material of the membrane modules.

Abstract: The invention provides processes for delivering a blend of two or more compressed gas streams to a receiving vessel at a preset ramp rate under pressure regulation control in response to cumulative mass ratio when at least two of the streams have different compositions or instantaneous measured temperature when the streams have the same composition.

Abstract: Method of operating an oxygen-permeable mixed conducting membrane having an oxidant feed side and a permeate side, which method comprises controlling the differential strain between the oxidant feed side and the permeate side by varying either or both of the oxygen partial pressure and the total gas pressure on either or both of the oxidant feed side and the permeate side of the membrane while changing the temperature of the membrane from a first temperature to a second temperature.

Abstract: Planar ceramic membrane assembly comprising a dense layer of mixed-conducting multi-component metal oxide material, wherein the dense layer has a first side and a second side, a porous layer of mixed-conducting multi-component metal oxide material in contact with the first side of the dense layer, and a ceramic channeled support layer in contact with the second side of the dense layer.

Abstract: A method for supplying a cryogenic fluid to a network of two or more cryogenic fluid receiving stations, wherein a cryogenic liquid is routed to cryogenic fluid receiving stations in a single cryogenic vessel and is dispensed to the cryogenic fluid receiving stations as either a cryogenic liquid, a compressed gas, both a cryogenic liquid and a compressed gas, or as a mixture of a cryogenic liquid and a compressed gas.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a leak of a fluid from a vessel having an inner wall and an outer wall includes: at least one odorant layer adjacent the inner wall or the outer wall; and at least one semi-permeable material layer adjacent the odorant layer.

Abstract: A method for detecting the undesirable entry of oxygen into a transfer system that transfers liquid hydrogen from a liquid hydrogen source into a container. A nozzle for use in the transfer system for dispensing liquid hydrogen comprises a housing and an oxygen sensor positioned inside the nozzle for detecting the concentration of oxygen in the nozzle when the liquid hydrogen is not flowing. The sensor emits a signal indicative of the concentration of oxygen in the transfer system before the liquid hydrogen begins transferring. The signal is received by a controller and prevents transfer of liquid hydrogen until the oxygen is removed from the transfer system.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing an odorant to a fluid in a vessel having an interior volume containing the fluid includes at least one odorant material and an odorant-permeable material. The at least one odorant material is disposed in the interior volume, the odorant material having at least one detectable odor. The odorant-permeable material encapsulates the odorant material.

Abstract: A mobile self-contained self-powered station having a plurality of vessels delivers a pressurized fluid to a receiving tank (e.g., a fuel tank of a hydrogen-powered vehicle) without using mechanical compression, external electric power, or other external utilities. The station includes first and second vessels, a conduit in fluid communication with the receiving tank and each of the first and second vessels, means for transferring at least a portion of a quantity of the pressurized fluid from the first vessel to the receiving tank, means for measuring continuously a pressure differential between the increasing pressure in the receiving tank and the decreasing pressure in the first vessel, means for discontinuing the transfer from the first vessel when a predetermined limit value is reached, and means for transferring at least a portion of a quantity of the pressurized fluid from the second vessel to the receiving tank.

Abstract: An ion transport membrane system comprising (a) a pressure vessel having an interior, an exterior, an inlet, and an outlet; (b) a plurality of planar ion transport membrane modules disposed in the interior of the pressure vessel and arranged in series, each membrane module comprising mixed metal oxide ceramic material and having an interior region and an exterior region, wherein any inlet and any outlet of the pressure vessel are in flow communication with exterior regions of the membrane modules; and (c) one or more gas manifolds in flow communication with interior regions of the membrane modules and with the exterior of the pressure vessel. The ion transport membrane system may be utilized in a gas separation device to recover oxygen from an oxygen-containing gas or as an oxidation reactor to oxidize compounds in a feed gas stream by oxygen permeated through the mixed metal oxide ceramic material of the membrane modules.

Abstract: A check valve for use in a pump. The valve is arranged to be subjected to severe service conditions and high impact loads, yet be resistant to damage to its components. The check includes a body, a valve seat, a poppet and an impact cushion. The poppet is movably coupled to the valve seat and is biased by a spring into engagement with the valve seat. Upon the opening of the valve the poppet moves off of the valve seat and into engagement with the impact cushion against the spring bias. The impact cushion is movably coupled to the valve body and is biased by another spring. When the poppet engages the impact cushion they stay together and move, with the movement of the impact cushion absorbing energy from the poppet.

Abstract: Method for processing an article comprising a mixed conducting metal oxide material, which method comprises (a) contacting the article with an oxygen-containing gas and reducing or increasing the temperature of the oxygen-containing gas; (b) when the temperature of the oxygen-containing gas is reduced, reducing the oxygen activity in the oxygen-containing gas; and (c) when the temperature of the oxygen-containing gas is increased, increasing the oxygen activity in the oxygen-containing gas.

Abstract: A method of joining at least two sintered bodies to form a composite structure, including providing a first multicomponent metallic oxide having a perovskitic or fluorite crystal structure; providing a second sintered body including a second multicomponent metallic oxide having a crystal structure of the same type as the first; and providing at an interface a joint material containing at least one metal oxide containing at least one metal identically contained in at least one of the first and second multicomponent metallic oxides. The joint material is free of cations of Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, P and Te and has a melting point below the sintering temperatures of both sintered bodies. The joint material is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the metal oxide(s) and below the sintering temperatures of the sintered bodies to form the joint. Structures containing such joints are also disclosed.

Abstract: Method of making a product gas mixture comprising providing a first gas mixture, contacting the first gas mixture with a lean absorber liquid at a first pressure and absorbing a portion of the first gas mixture in the lean absorber liquid to provide a rich absorber liquid and a non-absorbed residual gas, pressurizing the rich absorber liquid provide a pressurized rich absorber liquid, stripping the pressurized rich absorber liquid with a stripping gas at a second pressure greater than the first pressure to provide a pressurized lean absorber liquid and the product gas mixture, and reducing the pressure of the pressurized lean absorber liquid to provide the lean absorber liquid at the first pressure.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus particularly a monolith catalytic reactor in a stirred tank reactor. The stirred tank reactor including the fixed bed catalytic reactor apparatus comprises: an housing having an open top and open bottom portion supportably maintained with said tank, said housing having a substantially outwardly extending, horizontal baffle near its top portion said baffle having a least one perforation in its surface, and said housing having at least one perforation in the wall near its top portion; a fixed bed catalyst system supportably retained within said housing permitting both liquid and gas flow therethrough; and, an agitator shaft terminating in a turbine blade substantially adjacent the perforation in the wall of said housing, said agitator having a passageway including an opening in an upper portion thereof to the interior of an upper part of said tank and terminating in an opening adjacent the turbine blade.