Abstract: A carbonaceous adsorbent in the form of a shaped body which has been heated to about 400 to 1400.degree. C in an inert atmosphere is composed essentially of a mixture of finely divided carbonaceous material of a grain size below 50 and up to below 100 microns with a binder composed of about 1 to 20% by weight of a natural or synthetic elastomer and about 1 to 15% by weight of a thermoplastic material. The adsorbent is made by subjecting the mixture to a shaping step followed by heating to a temperature of about 400.degree. to 1400.degree. C in an inert atmosphere which step may be followed by an activation of the carbonaceous material.

Abstract: A gas generator is provided for the production of gas from fuel and steam under conditions of high pressure and temperature. The requisite temperature is preferably provided by a nuclear reactor. The gas generator includes a cylinder wth a hollow interior. Extending transversely through the hollow interior of the cylinder is a container. Tubular heat exchangers are vertically arranged over the length, width and height of the cylinder in such a manner that the density of heating surfaces decreases along the length of the container.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing the method of the invention for the thermal regeneration of contaminated particulate adsorption agents in a fluidized state includes a regeneration chamber which has separate first and second zones for the thermal treatment of the adsorption agents in a fluidized state. A first inlet is provided for admitting contaminated adsorption agents into the first zone and a separate second inlet is provided for admitting contaminated adsorption agents into the second zone. A first outlet is provided for removing regenerated adsorption agents from the first zone whereas a separate second outlet is provided for removing regenerated adsorption agents from the second zone. Means for fluidizing and thermally treating the contaminated adsorption agents so as to regenerate the same includes a combustion chamber arranged to supply hot fluidizing gases to both of the treatment zones. A gas outlet in the regeneration chamber serves to exhaust the fluidizing gases from both of the treatment zones.

Abstract: A gaseous substance such as a flue gas or a combustion gas contains an adsorbable impurity which is capable of undergoing an exothermic reaction in the presence of oxygen. The gaseous substance is passed into an adsorber via an inlet conduit. In the adsorber, the impurity in the gaseous substance is adsorbed therefrom. The purified gaseous substance is withdrawn from the adsorber therefrom. The purified gaseous substance is withdrawn from the adsorber via an outlet conduit and conveyed to an exhaust stack. The adsorption of the impurity, as well as the reaction thereof with oxygen in the adsorber, liberate heat. The liberated heat is conveyed from the adsorber by the gaseous substance which is being purified and, accordingly, no undue temperature increase, which may harm or even cause combustion of the adsorbent, occurs in the adsorber.

Abstract: A housing has a foraminous floor adapted to support a bed of adsorption particles. A plurality of baffles spaced above this floor subdivide the bed into a plurality of compartments. Impurity-carrying particles are fed to the compartment at one end of the elongated chamber and the particles overflow a weir at the compartment at the other end of the chamber. A hot gas is passed up through the bed in all of the chambers to deadsorb the particles and the baffles are spaced so that in the direction of flow each baffle projects more deeply into the bed to flow the flow toward the outlet end. A gas above the furthest upstream compartment is collected and condensed to recover useful constituents, and the gas from the other compartments is burned. It is possible to provide an upstream and a downstream compartment at an upper level and below them several downstream compartments, with the gas from the downstream compartments flowing up through the two upper compartments.

Abstract: An initial gaseous mixture of at least two components is passed through an adsorber which preferentially adsorbs one of the components. This initially loads the adsorber. Subsequently, another gaseous mixture, having a greater proportion of the preferentially adsorbed component than the initial gaseous mixture, is passed through the adsorber so as to additionally load the adsorber. Part of the gas in the adsorber is then removed. This initially unloads the adsorber and yields a first fraction containing both components, with the proportion of the preferentially adsorbed component being greater than that in the initial gaseous mixture. The remainder of the gas in the adsorber is removed next so as to completely unload the adsorber. This results in a second fraction including both components and wherein the proportion of the preferentially adsorbed component is greater than that in both the second gaseous mixture to be passed through the adsorber and the first fraction removed from the adsorber.

Abstract: An initial gaseous mixture of at least two components is passed through an adsorber which preferentially adsorbs one of the components. This initially loads the adsorber. Subsequently, another gaseous mixture, having a greater concentration of the preferentially adsorbed component than the initial gaseous mixture, is passed through the adsorber so as to additionally load the adsorber. Part of the gas in the adsorber is then removed. This initially unloads the adsorber and yields a first fraction containing both components with the concentration of the preferentially adsorbed component being greater than that in the initial gaseous mixture. Subsequently, part of the gas still remaining in the adsorber is removed so as to further unload the adsorber.

Abstract: A process for the purification of waste water containing dissolved organic carbon contaminants which comprisesA. passing the waste water upwardly through a column of activated carbon particles,B. determining the total organic carbon content of the water before it enters the column and simultaneously at a location that is between 30 and 70% of the total height of the carbon particles in the column,C. continuously withdrawing the spent carbon particles from the bottom of the column at such a rate as to maintain an essentially constant preselected difference between the total organic carbon content of the water as it enters the column and at the preselected location that is between 30 and 70% of the height of the carbon particles in the column,D. continuously introducing fresh activated carbon particles or reactivated carbon particles at the top of the column at such a rate as to compensate for those withdrawn at the bottom of the column, andE. removing the purified water at the top of the column.

Abstract: Process for preparing carbon containing molecular sieves adapted for separating small molecular gases in particular oxygen from nitrogen which comprises treating coke having a content of volatile components of up to 5% at 600.degree.-900.degree.C with a hydrocarbon splitting off carbon whereby the split-off carbon is deposited in the carbon framework of the coke under narrowing of the existing pores.

Abstract: A method for treating waste gases containing radioactive contamination, particularly krypton and xenon nuclides. The waste gas stream to be decontaminated is initially conducted through an enrichment system wherein the waste gas stream is divided into at least two partial streams one of which is substantially free from the radioactive impurities and constitutes the poor gas fraction and another of which constitutes the rich gas fraction. The poor gas fraction is discharged, at least in part into the atmosphere while the rich gas fraction is fed into an activated carbon delay path whose output is discharged, either directly or indirectly into the atmosphere. Apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Porous coke is impregnated with an organic compound which remains in the pores thereby causing a reduction in the effective size of the same. This results in molecular sieve coke capable of separating different gases, particularly oxygen and nitrogen, and capable of adsorbing smaller gas molecules more rapidly than larger gas molecules. The organic compound has a boiling point of at least 200.degree.C as measured at atmospheric pressure and of no more than 450.degree.C as measured in vacuum.

Abstract: Sulfur oxides are removed from exhaust gases by passage through a moving bed of granular, carbon-containing adsorbent. The bed of adsorbent moves downward through a perforated shaft. The direction of flow of the exhaust gas is transverse to that of the adsorbent. The flow of the gas is adjusted so that more gas passes through the upper portion of the bed than through the lower portion.

Abstract: Process for preparing carbon-containing molecular sieves adapted for separating small molecular gases, in particular oxygen, from nitrogen, which comprises treating coke having a content of volatile components of up to 5% at 600.degree. - 900.degree.C with a hydrocabon which splits off carbon whereby the split-off carbon is deposited in the carbon framework of the coke thereby narrowing the existing pores.

Abstract: Process for preparing carbon-containing molecular sieves adapted for separating small molecular gases, in particular oxygen, from nitrogen, which comprises treating coke having a content of volatile components of up to 5% at 600.degree. - 900.degree. C with a hydrocarbon which splits off carbon whereby the split-off carbon is deposited in the carbon framework of the coke thereby narrowing the existing pores.