Abstract: A rotating drum adsorber process and system includes a rotating drum of adsorbent medium in a shell including partitions which define an adsorption sector, a regeneration sector and a cooling sector, and which continuously rotates through the sectors. The process and system includes an arrangement for sensing the temperature difference between the temperature of the discharge exiting the leading edge of the regeneration sector and the regeneration sector average discharge temperature for automatically controlling various operating conditions of the rotating drum adsorber system. A computerized method for accurately predicting the contamination level of the gas stream exiting the adsorption sector and optimizing the performance and fractionation efficiency of the rotating drum adsorber system is also included.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating wastewater containing particulate matter and free oil, which method comprises removing free oil from the wastewater, passing the wastewater through a first filtration medium having an effective pore rating of about 200 .mu.m or less, subjecting the wastewater to dynamic filtration utilizing a second filtration medium having an effective pore rating of about 5 .mu.m or less, and contacting the wastewater with an adsorbent bed to form a purified water stream. The present invention also provides an apparatus which can be used to carry out the present inventive method.

Abstract: A method for inhibiting the growth of microorganisms on sorbents selected from the group consisting of absorbents and adsorbents that are susceptible to undesirable microorganism growth when exposed to water containing such organisms, said method comprising passing water to be treated by said sorbent over brass particles prior to or concurrently with contacting said sorbent with said water, the contact with the brass particles being sufficient to inhibit the growth of microorganisms on said sorbent while not releasing more than 1 ppmw copper ions and 5 ppmw zinc ions into the effluent water. Also disclosed are related sorbent elements and pretreatment packets used in said method.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a sorbing apparatus for removing one or more undesirable components from an influent gas. The sorbing apparatus comprises at least one chamber having first and second ports and defining a gas flow path between the first and second ports. A sorbent bed having a sorbing region and a guard region is disposed in the sorbing chamber in the gas flow path. The sorbing region includes a first sorbent material and the guard region includes a second sorbent material. A gas control arrangement is coupled to the sorbing chamber to cyclically (1) direct the influent gas through the first port, through the sorbing region and the guard region of the sorbent bed and out the second port wherein the undesirable components are sorbed from the influent gas and (2) direct a purge gas through the second port, through the guard region and the sorbing region of the sorbent bed and out the first port wherein the sorbing region is regenerated.

Abstract: The removal of components from fluid mixtures in aircraft utilizes an adsorbent bed which is regenerated by passing dry ambient air through the adsorbent bed when the aircraft reaches a height at which such dry ambient air is available. An example of mixtures that can be treated in this way are water/oil mixtures, air/water vapor mixtures and air/odor mixtures. By periodically regenerating the adsorbent bed in this way, an adsorbent bed of small size can be used but yet have a substantial life.

Abstract: A method of treating wastewater by passing wastewater into a dynamic microfiltration assembly to form a first concentrate stream and a filtrate stream and then passing the filtrate steam into an ultrafiltration assembly to form a second concentrate stream and a purified water stream.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for treating contaminated water involving passing water containing contaminants as a stream through a filter to remove the contaminants and form a purified water stream, directing the purified water stream to an effluent discharge outlet and accumulating a portion of the purified water in a reservoir under pressure, preferably through action of a trapped air pocket in the reservoir, and regenerating the filter by using the purified water in the reservoir to back-flush the filter.

Abstract: An air filtration device for removing undesirable gaseous components of an air flow comprises a pad of a sorbent material having disposed therein a plurality of zones of an open-celled foam. The provision of these zones decreases the pressure drop across the pad and prolongs the useful life of the pad.

Abstract: A pressure swing sorption system comprises first and second sorbing chambers each including first and second openings defining a gas flow path between them, a sorbent bed disposed in the gas flow path and having a sorption inlet region near the first opening, and a heater positioned near the sorption inlet region of the sorbent bed. A valve arrangement interconnects an intake, an exhaust, and the first openings of the first and second sorbing chambers and also interconnects an outlet and the second openings of the first and second sorbing chambers. A connecting apparatus connects an energy source external to the first and second sorbing chambers to the heaters of the first and second sorbing chambers. A controller coupled to the valve arrangement and the connecting apparatus simultaneously directs gas from the first sorbing chamber to the outlet and directs a portion of the outlet gas through the second sorbing chamber to the exhaust.

Abstract: A mixed filter bed composition for purifying water for human consumption containing inorganic, organic and biological contaminants said composition comprising:(a) from about 40% to about 80% by weight of carbonous sorbent;(b) from about 5% to about 20% by weight of activated alumina;(c) from about 5% to about 20% by weight of silica hydrogel;(d) from about 5% to about 20% by weight of zeolite; and(e) from about 0% to about 10% by weight of metallic components that generate metallic cations.The present invention provides potable water free of organic, inorganic and microbial contaminants. The present invention also imparts the desirable filtration characteristics of traditional adsorbents while avoiding increased biological contamination of drinking water during the filtration process.

Abstract: A heaterless adsorption apparatus for the purification and fractionation of an air feed in the absence of pretreating the air feed to remove moisture or other contaminants, including at least one adsorber column which has at least two adsorption zones, a first zone for the removal of water vapor or other contaminants from the feed and a second zone for the fractionation of the purified air, the column being sized so that the heat of adsorption released during adsorption of water vapor or other contaminants in the first zone is retained in the column, and the second zone sized so as to contain sufficient adsorbent to carry out the fractionation unaffected by the heat front generated by the heat of adsorption released in the first zone and to prevent breakthrough of the mass transfer front during fractionation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for adsorbing water vapor or other first gas from a mixture thereof with a second gas to reduce the water vapor or first gas concentration in the mixture to below a permissible maximum concentration, in which the advance of the leading edge of the adsorption front in a sorbent bed is detected by sensing the advance of the temperature front that precedes the adsorption front, and this advance is detected by sensing the temperature of the sorbent bed sufficiently far from the end of the bed to prevent the temperature front from leaving the bed, using a temperature sampling probe, when the temperature front reaches this point, the adsorption front is still a distance away, since it follows the temperature front, and the absorption cycle is discontinued, and the bed regenerated; the regeneration cycle can similarly be controlled independently, to be terminated when regeneration is complete, as detected by advance of the temperature front in the opposite direction.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a sorbing apparatus comprising at least one chamber having first and second ports and defining a fluid flow path between the first and second ports. The chamber includes a bed of sorbent particles which are disposed in the fluid flow path and the sorbent bed includes particles of clinoptilolite. The sorbing apparatus further comprises fluid control means for alternately directing fluid containing the substance through the bed of sorbent particles, whereby the bed of sorbent particles sorbs at least a portion of the substance from the fluid, and directing a purging fluid through the bed of sorbent particles, whereby the bed of sorbent particles is regenerated.

Abstract: The disclosure describes an apparatus for sorbing one or more components from a fluid.

Abstract: A process and appartus are provided for removing a first gas from a mixture thereof with a second gas. The gas mixture is passed through a sorbent bed having a preferential affinity for the first gas and comprising a microwave absorbent capable of absorbing microwave energy and the first gas is sorbed on the sorbent so as to produce a gaseous effluent which has a concentration of first gas therein below a predetermined maximum. Then the first gas sorbed on the sorbent bed is removed therefrom by application of microwave energy, at a temperature at which the microwve absorbent absorbs such energy and activates the first gas sufficiently to desorb the first gas, while passing a purge flow of gas in contact with the bed to flush out desorbed first gas from the bed. The bed is allowed to cool to a relatively efficient temperature for adsorption. The gas mixture is then again passed in contact with the bed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for adsorbing one or more first gases from a mixture thereof with a second gas to reduce the concentration of first gas in the mixture to below a permissible maximum concentration. The flow rate, inlet and outlet temperatures, inlet and outlet pressures and regenerating pressures are sensed, and the sensed information fed to a microprocessor programmed to calculate the quantity of purge required to regenerate the adsorbent bed off-stream for regeneration, calculate the purge flow rate, and, based on these calculations, control the regeneration time so that purge flow ceases when the adsorbent bed has been regenerated, control the cycling time, and switch the adsorbent beds at the end of each cycle period. The system is particularly applicable to the drying of gases.