Abstract: A process for separating a feed gas stream containing elemental oxygen and nitrogen to produce a purified nitrogen gas stream by removing oxygen from the feed gas stream using an ion transport membrane to produce a retentate gas stream and a permeate gas stream, wherein the feed gas stream or the retentate gas stream is purified to remove impurities either before or after the separation step to produce the purified nitrogen gas stream.

Abstract: A process for oxygen-enriching a first feed gas stream be fed into a furnace by utilizing an oxygen-enriched gas stream from a second feed gas stream, wherein the first feed gas stream is compressed and then heated prior to injection into the furnace. The second feed gas stream is separated using an ion transport module containing an ion transport membrane having a retentate side and a permeate side to produce an oxygen-depleted gas stream on the retentate side and the pure oxygen gas stream or the oxygen-enriched gas stream on the permeate side. The pure oxygen gas stream or the oxygen-enriched gas stream is added to the first feed gas stream at any location before the first feed gas stream enters the furnace.

Abstract: A feed gas is passed to a pressure swing adsorption system, each bed of which undergoes a processing cycle that includes (1) pressurization (2) copurge at upper adsorption pressure, (3) countercurrent depressurization, including, in some embodiments, evacuation to a lower subatmospheric desorption pressure. By recycling effluent gas released upon copurge and countercurrent depressurization for use in the pressurization or the copurge step, the more readily adsorbable component of the feed gas is advantageously recovered at high purity and at high recovery levels. Enriched less readily adsorbable component is also recoverable as coproduct effluent at relatively high recovery levels. The process can be advantageously employed for the separation and recovery of product nitrogen from air.

Abstract: Fluorescent materials such as certain metal ores are detected under ambient light conditions by observing the material through a gated aperture which is opened at predetermined intervals for periods of predetermined duration while simultaneously exposing the material to periodic pulses of fluorescent stimulating light. The frequency of the light pulse is synchronized with the frequency of the opening of the gated aperture so that the aperture is open for at least a portion of the period during which fluorescence is produced by the stimulating light pulse. Electro-optic goggles are a preferred type of gated aperture.

Abstract: Separation of a mixture of non-magnetic particles on the basis of their different densities is accomplished by levitation in a magnetic fluid using a multiplicity of magnetic gaps created by a grid of magnetic poles oriented with respect to each other such that the polarity of the magnetic field generated in each gap is opposite to that of each adjacent gap.