Abstract: Impurities that are less volatile than carbon dioxide, e.g. hydrogen sulfide, are removed from crude carbon dioxide by processes involving distillation of said crude carbon dioxide in a distillation column system operating at super-atmospheric pressure(s) to produce carbon dioxide-enriched overhead vapor and bottoms liquid enriched with said impurities. Where such processes involve a single heat pump cycle, significant savings in power consumption are realized when the distillation column system is re-boiled by at least partially vaporizing liquid in or taken from an intermediate location in the column system.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel, as-crystallized RHO zeolite compositions with improved uniformity in morphology. These RHO compositions are useful for preparing cation-exchanged RHO zeolites that can be used as adsorbents for oxygen and/or nitrogen with improved properties. The adsorbents can be used in pressure swing adsorption processes for selectively adsorbing oxygen and/or nitrogen from feed streams such as an air stream or crude argon stream. Also disclosed are novel methods of preparing RHO zeolites with improved morphology control.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are novel RHO zeolites useful as kinetically selective adsorbents for oxygen and/or nitrogen. The adsorbents can be used in pressure swing adsorption processes for selectively adsorbing oxygen and/or nitrogen from feed streams such as an air stream or crude argon stream. Also disclosed are novel methods of preparing RHO zeolites, including in particular mixed-cation RHO zeolites.

Abstract: A syngas cooler system includes a pressure vessel, a conduit, a plenum, a plenum, a conduit, and a bellows assembly. The pressure vessel includes a throat and a dome adjacent to the throat. The throat includes an area of excess heat, and the dome includes an area of deficient heat. The plenum extends between the throat and the bellows assembly. The bellows assembly is coupled at least partially within the dome. The conduit is coupled to the plenum for channeling a flow of purge fluid from external to the pressure vessel into the plenum such that purge fluid transfers heat from the area of excess heat into the area of deficient heat to facilitate reducing temperature differential stresses within the dome and the pressure vessel.

Abstract: A liquefaction system is capable of sequentially or simultaneously liquefying multiple feed streams of hydrocarbons having different normal bubble points with minimal flash. The liquefying heat exchanger has separate circuits for handling multiple feed streams. The feed stream with the lowest normal boiling point is sub-cooled sufficiently to suppress most of the flash. Feed streams with relatively high normal boiling points are cooled to substantially the same temperature, then blended with bypass streams to maintain each product near its normal bubble point. The system can also liquefy one stream at a time by using a dedicated circuit or by allocating the same feed to multiple circuits.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel, as-crystallized RHO zeolite compositions with improved uniformity in morphology. These RHO compositions are useful for preparing cation-exchanged RHO zeolites that can be used as adsorbents for oxygen and/or nitrogen with improved properties. The adsorbents can be used in pressure swing adsorption processes for selectively adsorbing oxygen and/or nitrogen from feed streams such as an air stream or crude argon stream. Also disclosed are novel methods of preparing RHO zeolites with improved morphology control.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a reciprocating rod of a reciprocating compressor, a reciprocating compressor with the seal assembly, and a method of operating the reciprocating compressor with the seal assembly to prevent leakage of gas once the compressor has been shut down. The pressure difference between opposite sides of a static seal is kept low during normal operation to reduce wear of the static seal. When the compressor is shut down, a high pressure difference between opposite sides of the static seal assists with sealing.

Abstract: A helium-containing stream is recovered from a natural gas feed using a membrane followed by multiple distillation steps. Refrigeration is provided by expanding a bottoms liquid with a higher nitrogen content than the feed, achieving a lower temperature in the process. The helium-enriched vapor is then purified and the helium-containing waste stream is recycled to maximize recovery and reduce the number of compressors needed. The helium-depleted natural gas stream can be returned at pressure for utilization or transportation.

Abstract: A crude helium stream is recovered from a natural gas feed by distillation. Refrigeration from expanding a portion of the bottoms liquid is used to partially condense the helium-enriched overhead vapor and generate a crude helium vapor and a helium-containing liquid stream that is recycled to the distillation column to maximize helium recovery. The helium-depleted natural gas stream can be returned at pressure for utilization or transportation.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a radial flow adsorption vessel comprising a cylindrical outer shell and at least one cylindrical porous wall disposed co-axially inside the shell, wherein inside the shell one or more fluid permeable screens are rigidly connected to the at least one cylindrical porous wall, by a multitude of separate standoff elements so that the screen has a cylindrical shape co-axial to the shell, and to an adsorption process using the radial flow adsorption vessel.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for producing a H2-containing product and a CO-containing product with CO-containing product turndown capability. The H2-containing product is produced in a process train with a shift reactor and pressure swing adsorption unit. The CO-containing product is produced in a process train with a CO2 removal unit and a cryogenic separation unit. During the CO-containing product turndown mode, a portion or all of the CO-containing product is passed to the shift reactor in the H2-containing product train to form additional H2.

Abstract: An oxy-fuel burner including a central burner element having a central conduit terminating in a central nozzle and an annular conduit terminating in an annular nozzle surrounding the central conduit, the central conduit flowing a first reactant and the annular conduit flowing a second reactant; a first staging conduit spaced apart from a side of the central burner element and terminating in a first staging nozzle; a second staging conduit spaced apart from an opposite side the central burner element and terminating in a second staging nozzle; a first mechanism to apportion a flow of the second reactant into a non-zero primary flow of the second reactant directed to the annular conduit and a non-zero secondary flow of the second reactant; and a second mechanism to selectively apportion the secondary flow of the second reactant between the staging conduits; wherein one reactant is fuel and the other reactant is oxygen.

Abstract: Particle loading assembly and method for loading particles into a vessel to form a densely packed particle bed comprising an inner layer of particles and an outer layer of particles. The inner layer of particles is arranged radially and concentric with the outer layer of particles. The inner layer of particles contains at least a first type of particle of different granulometry or range of composition or both granulometry and range of composition from a second type of particles contained in the outer layer.

Abstract: An oxy-gaseous fuel burner (400, 500) or a solid fuel burner (700) having an annular cavity (404, 504, 704) upstream from and proximate to an outlet plane (416, 516, 716) and a converging (434, 734) or converging-diverging nozzle (537) located upstream from and proximal to the cavity (404, 504, 704). The solid fuel burner (700) also is preferably operated so that the velocity of gas exiting a second annulus (730) is less than the velocity of gas exiting a central conduit (710).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are multi-bed rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption (RCPSA) processes for separating O2 from N2 and/or Ar, wherein the process utilizes at least five adsorption beds each comprising a kinetically selective adsorbent for O2 having an O2 adsorption rate (1/s) of at least 0.20 as determined by linear driving force model at 1 atma and 86° F.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process for separating O2 from N2 and/or Ar. The processes use a carbon molecular sieve (CMS) adsorbent having an O2/N2 and/or O2/Ar kinetic selectivity of at least 5 and an O2 adsorption rate (1/s) of at least 0.2000 as determined by linear driving force model at 1 atma and 86° F.

Abstract: A natural gas liquefaction method and system having integrated nitrogen removal. Recycled LNG gas is cooled in a separate and parallel circuit from the natural gas stream in the main heat exchanger. Cooled recycled gas and natural gas streams are directed to a nitrogen rectifier column after the warm bundle. The recycle stream is introduced to the rectifier column above the natural gas stream and at least one separation stage is located in the rectifier column between the recycle stream inlet and the natural gas inlet. The bottom stream from the rectifier column is directed to a cold bundle of the main heat exchanger where it is subcooled.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a stator plate for a rotary bed PSA apparatus that has an exhaust slot that has first and second sections for receiving blowdown and purge exhaust gas streams, the sections being separated by a flow restriction that restricts but does not full prevent gas flow between the sections, or that has separate exhaust slots for separately receiving the blowdown and purge exhaust gas streams. Also disclosed is pressure swing adsorption (PSA) apparatus including such a stator plate, and a rotary bed PSA process using such an apparatus.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for producing a H2-containing product and a CO-containing product with CO-containing product turndown capability. The H2-containing product is produced in a process train with a shift reactor and pressure swing adsorption unit. The CO-containing product is produced in a process train with a CO2 removal unit and a cryogenic separation unit. During the CO-containing product turndown mode, a portion or all of the CO-containing product is passed to the shift reactor in the H2-containing product train to form additional H2.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the composition of a gas mixture containing known components, including a first gas density sensor configured and arranged to measure the density of a first mixture made by combining a gaseous first component and a gaseous second component; a second gas density sensor configured and arranged to measure the density of a second mixture made by combining the first mixture with a gaseous third component; and a processor programmed to determined based on data from the first gas density sensor the relative compositions of the first component and the second component in the first mixture, and to determine based on the data from the second gas density sensor the relative compositions of the first mixture and the third component in the second mixture, and thus to determine the relative compositions of the first component, the second component, and the third component in the second mixture.