Abstract: A process for separation of a gas mixture containing three components, e.g. a mixture comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide produced by steam reforming a hydrocarbon, by pressure swing adsorption is disclosed.

Abstract: Described herein is a patient interfacing system for sampling the inspired and expired gases of a patient and removing moisture from the sample. In one embodiment of the present invention, a patient link receives the gases from the patient's airway circuit and a vaporization section vaporizes condensed moisture in the sample. A separator section allows the vaporized moisture component of the sample to exit the patient interfacing system before the gas sample reaches the monitoring instrument. A filter may also be utilized to prevent condensed moisture, particulates and liquids from entering the monitoring instrument. Thus, the patient interfacing system of the present invention provides a reliable, cost effective and efficient means for delivering gas samples to a monitoring instrument which reduces or prevents water condensation inside the gas analysis portion of the monitoring instrument.

Abstract: A strongly adsorbed gas is recovered from a multicomponent gas mixture comprised of the strongly adsorbed gas, a flammable gas component and oxygen by repeating as essential steps (a) cocurrently passing the gas mixture through a bed of adsorbent which preferentially adsorbs the strongly adsorbed gas, thereby producing a nonadsorbed gas product stream that is depleted in the strongly adsorbed gas, (b) terminating the flow of multicomponent gas mixture into the bed and depressurizing the bed by countercurrently withdrawing a strongly adsorbed gas-enriched product stream from the bed and (c) countercurrently repressurizing the bed with the multicomponent gas mixture.

Abstract: Carbon dioxide is removed from a gas stream containing at least 250 ppm by volume of carbon dioxide by pressure swing adsorption in an alumina adsorption bed that is sized sufficiently large to remove at least 75 mole percent of the carbon dioxide in the gas stream. The process is particularly useful for removing substantially all of the carbon dioxide and water vapor from a stream of ambient air prior to separating the components of the air in a cryogenic air separation unit.

Abstract: A gas cylinder has mounted therein a venturi device through which the constituents of a gas mixture pass when the cylinder is being filled with gas. The venturi device causes rapid and thorough mixing of the various constituents of the gas mixture.

Abstract: A method for heat processing of multilayered ceramic articles containing internal conductive metal patterns that have been formed from multiple ceramic green sheets individually coated with inks or pastes containing conductor metal/metal oxide material, and thereafter assembled in registry with each other and laminated. The heat treating method to convert the laminate to the final ceramic article includes a first heating stage under conditions to promote burn-out of the organic polymeric binder present, a second stage performed under conditions to reduce the metallic conductor, and a third stage to sinter the multilayered composite to form the final ceramic article. The invention is characterized by the presence of moisture in an amount of from about 0.5% to about 3% of the gaseous atmosphere in at least the sintering stage, and preferably at both the binder burnout stage and the sintering stage.

Abstract: A process for separating methane from an oxygen-containing gas mixture which contains methane at a concentration greater than the upper explosive gas mixture limit by pressure swing adsorption without producing an explosive gas mixture. The process includes the steps of feeding the gas mixture into an adsorber which contains an adsorbent which preferentially adsorbs methane until the desired production pressure is attained in the adsorber and then stopping the flow of feed gas into the adsorber and charging methane product gas at the production pressure cocurrently into the adsorber while simultaneously withdrawing nonadsorbed product gas from the nonadsorbed product end of the adsorber. The desorbed product stream is enriched in methane relative to the feed stream and the concentration of methane in the nonadsorbed product stream is less than the minimum flammable mixture concentration.

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: This invention pertains to novel 3-substituted-aminomethyl-3-substituted-oxy-17a-methyl-17a-lower-alkyl-17a -aza-D-homo-5-alpha-androstane compounds useful as muscle relaxants, methods for preparing such compounds, and method for administering muscle relaxation, wherein the novel compounds are represented the general formula: ##STR1## including optical active isomeric forms, and pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts thereof, wherein:R is a selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower-alkyl, lower-alkyl carbonyl, and di(lower-alkyl)amino carbonyl:R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of: di(lower-alkyl)substituted amino; lower-cycloalkyl lower-alkyl, lower-alkyl substituted amino;, -piperidinyl; 1-pyrrolidinyl; 1-hexamethyleneimino; 4-morpholinyl; 1-piperazinyl, 1-(4-methylpiperazinyl), tri(lower-alkyl)substituted amino, 1-(1-methylpiperidinyl); 1-(1-methylpyrrolidinyl); and 1-(4,4-dimethylpiperazinyl), each lower-alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms;R.sub.

Abstract: An article is formed in a mold by blowing a hot plastic material with a blowing gas. A cooling fluid is introduced into the article to cool the article and allow its removal from the mold. A warmed gaseous form of a cryogen is added to a pressurized liquid form of the cryogen to form the cooling fluid by introducing the pressurized form of the cryogen into a jet pump and drawing the warmed gaseous form of the cryogen in the pressurized liquid form of the cryogen. The resultant cooling fluid circulates through the article by being introduced into the article and discharged from the article by two or more blow pins. Part of the discharged cooling fluid is then recovered in a storage tank. The cooling fluid, which after cooling the article is composed of the warmed gaseous form of the cryogen, is then drawn from the storage tank into the jet pump during formation of the cooling fluid. Additionally, the blowing gas can comprise cooling fluid formed in the manner outlined above.

Abstract: A plasma treating apparatus is useful for coating substrates with thin films having vapor barrier properties at relatively rapid deposition rates. The apparatus comprises an evacuable chamber, an electrically powered electrode defining a plasma-facing surface within the chamber, and a shield spaced a distance .DELTA. transverse to the plasma-facing surface. During plasma treatments, the plasma is confined to within distance .DELTA. while a substrate is continuously fed through the confined plasma.

Abstract: A rotary apparatus for purging empty bottles with nitrogen gas includes a rotor from which arms of flexible material radiate. Each arm carries a gas supply lead. The arrangement is that advancing bottles engages the heads and thereby drive the rotor. Valve means is provided whereby each head in turn is placed in communication with a purging gas supply when it reaches a first position and the communication is ended when the head reaches the second position. During its course of travel from the first position to the second position, the head communicates with a respective bottle and the bottle is thereby purged.

Abstract: A volatile component is recovered from an inert gas blanketed gas source containing the volatile component, an inert carrier gas, water vapor and oxygen as an impurity by a continuous process including the steps of adsorbing the water vapor from the stream, condensing substantially all of the volatile component from the stream, heating the water vapor-free and volatile component-free gas stream, purging the adsorbers with the heated gas stream and venting the purge gas and desorbed moisture. Inert gas depleted from the source is replenished with oxygen-free inert gas, thereby minimizing the concentration of oxygen in the source.

Abstract: A process vessel has side walls of concrete which are lined with a gas and moisture-impermeable material to prevent:a) the egress of gas from the interior of the vessel; andb) ingress of moisture through the concrete into the interior of the vessel.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for recovering argon from a feed mixture comprising argon, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and hydrogen which comprises the steps of (a) purifying the feed mixture to remove contaminants, (b) compressing the purified feed mixture to a separation pressure, and (c) passing the compressed purified feed mixture through a pressure swing adsorption system to separate carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and all or most of the nitrogen from the mixture as adsorbed products and to produce an argon-rich fraction as a non-adsorbed product. The argon-rich fraction from step (c) may be further purified by passing the fraction to a cryogenic fractional distillation system to separate hydrogen and any remaining nitrogen from the fraction as a distillate product and to produce a pure argon product.

Abstract: The present invention provides a food processing system and method for refrigerating articles of food. The food processing system includes at least two cooling stages formed by a cryogenic freezer and a hydrocooler. The cryogenic freezer receives the articles of food and transfers heat from the articles of food to the cryogen so that the articles of food are refrigerated. After the transfer of heat from the articles of food to the cryogen, the cryogen boils off to form cryogenic vapor. The hydrocooler receives the articles of food prior to the cryogenic freezer and transfers heat from the articles of food to supplied cooling water. Such heat transfer reduces the quantity of cryogen required to refrigerate the articles of food. Additionally, an eductor is connected to a pump and to vent line from the cryogenic freezer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for forming a mixture containing a regulated, low concentration of a target component within a carrier fluid. In accordance with the present invention, the carrier fluid is passed through the bed including a compound having two phases with one of the two phases containing the target component. A vapor phase of the target component exists within the bed in equilibrium with the target component contained within at least one of the two phases. The vapor phase has a partial pressure dependent upon bed temperature. The carrier fluid is then passed through the bed so that it contains the target component upon leaving the bed at essentially the partial pressure of the vapor phase. The target component concentration is dependent upon a quotient of the partial pressure of the vapor phase and carrier fluid total pressure. Regulation of the bed temperature and carrier fluid total pressure will in turn regulate the concentration of the target component within the carrier fluid.

Abstract: This invention relates to gas treatment apparatus and methods and particularly, but not exclusively, to such apparatus and methods for use with exhaust products from semi-conductor manufacturing process.A reactor column 10 has an inlet 11 at the bottom and an outlet 12. Between the inlet and outlet it is divided into three sequential stages containing: silicon or silicon containing materials; lime or soda lime and copper oxide or copper oxide reagents.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for cooling an extruded blown film in which the interior surface of the thin film bubble is contacted with a gas which does not contain water vapor to thereby cool the extruded film. The apparatus and method may employ an enclosed circulation system to provide for the reuse of the gas through cooling with a liquid coolant such as liquid cryogen.

Abstract: Air is compressed in a first compressor and has carbon dioxide and water vapor removed therefrom in a purification apparatus. The air is then cooled by passage through main heat exchangers and to a temperature suitable for its separation by rectification. The cooled air is separated in a single rectification column. Liquid oxygen is withdrawn from the column by a pump and is passed through the heat exchangers and countercurrently to the air stream and is thereby vaporized, a high pressure gaseous oxygen product thus being formed. Nitrogen vapor is withdrawn from the top of the column through an outlet is warmed by passage through a further heat exchanger and the heat exchanger. The nitrogen is then divided. One part is further warmed in the heat exchanger, is compressed in a compressor, and is returned through the head exchangers as a heat exchange stream countercurrently to the oxygen product stream.