Abstract: A process is disclosed for preparing a carbon molecular sieve used for the separation of oxygen from nitrogen, which comprises the steps of:(a) milling hard coal to a grain size of 95%<20.mu.m;(b) oxidizing the finely milled hard coal with air in a fluidized bed;(c) adding water and coal tar pitch as a binder and molding the finely milled hard coal into shape;(d) carbonizing the finely milled hard coal molded into shape in a rotary kiln at a temperature of 500 .degree.to 850.degree. C., with a dwelling time of 55 to 65 minutes, in order to obtain a carbonization product with a bulk density of 530 to 560 g/l;(e) activating the carbonization product with steam at to 900.degree. C. for 165 to 195 minutes to obtain a sintered carbonaceous product having a bulk density of 590 to 650 g/l; and(f) treating the sintered carbonaceous product at 750 to 850.degree. C. with carbon-splitting hydrocarbons to obtain said carbon molecular sieve.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for treating carbonaceous catalyst with a gaseous halogen or a gaseous halogen compound to increase the catalytic activity and prolong the useful life of the catalyst. The treatment of the catalyst is conducted at temperatures above about 150 degrees C., preferably with the use of an inert gas, which inert gas is flowed through the carbonaceous material, and which inert gas carries the gaseous halogen or the gaseous halogen compound to the carbonaceous material.

Abstract: A method is provided for extracting helium from a relatively helium poor gas mixture through a pressure swing adsorption process which adhieves an enriched product gas containing over 50% helium. The gas mixture to be enriched is fed cyclically to four adsorber vessels ranged in parallel which successively pass through a pressure build-up, an adsorptive and a pressure relief phase, with pressure build-up and relief being in part brought about by pressure compensation with any one of the other adsorbers. The pressure-build up and relief phases include a series of three and four, respectively, steps involving alternating pressure levels. As a preliminary treatment, the process may include an initial step wherein the unenriched gas mixture is first fed through a series of pre-filters filled with activated carbon for removing higher hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method is provided for the extraction of hellium of high purity, and high yield, with intermediate enrichment in refrigerating plants, from gases containing very low helium concentrations, by an alternating pressure adsorption process. the helium containing gas is fed cyclically in each of three adsorption stages into four adsorbers connected in parallel. First, higher hydrocarbons and other impurities are trapped in adsorbers (J, K, L, M) filled with activated charcoal in a preliminary filtering stage. Other gaseous components, for example nitrogen and/or methane are trapped in adsorbers (A, B, C, D and E, F, G, H) filled with carbon molecular sieves, in two subsequent adsorption stages. The helium is first enriched in stage (I) and then extracted in stage (II) as refined helium with a helium content of 99.9%. The gas used is preferably natural gas with a 2 to 10% helium content.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a carbon catalyst for use in NO.sub.x reduction with ammonia catalyzed by active carbons and active cokes is described. The new carbon catalyst exhibits improved catalytic activity and hence a higher yield in NO. In the manufacturing process, a mixture of ground, oxidized hard coal and binders is moulded, carbonized at temperatures between 700.degree. and 900.degree. C., and then activated with steam at a temperature of 800.degree. to 850.degree. C. for 45 to 100 minutes, until a degree of activation of 5 to 15% is obtained.

Abstract: Process for producing an active catalyst by ammonia treatment of active carbons at high temperatures, in which an active carbon/active coke is impregnated with an aqueous solution of ammonium sulphate, which can be reacted with sulphuric acid, is dried at 120.degree. C. and is then heated in an inert gas stream to temperatures above 350.degree. C. Application of the active carbon catalyst as a reducing and/or oxidizing catalyst, for example for NO.sub.x elimination from exhaust gases using ammonia.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the removal of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides from exhaust gas with the addition of gaseous ammonia at temperatures between 110.degree. and 180.degree. C. The exhaust gas is led across carbon-containing adsorption agent flowing downwardly within a reactor, a portion of sulfur oxide initially being adsorptively removed in a upper part of a travelling bed, with nitrogen oxide catalytically reduced to nitrogen as well as further sulfur oxide being separated in a lower part of the travelling bed. Unloaded adsorption agent is delivered to the upper bed part, partially loaded adsorption agent is removed from that bed part and delivered to the lower bed part without mingling, loaded adsorption agent is removed from the lower bed part and led to a regeneration, after which it is delivered to the upper bed part.

Abstract: Process for producing carbon molecular sieves for separating oxygen and nitrogen by treating a carbonaceous product with inert gas and steam in a vibrating oven and further treating said product with benzene at a high temperature in a vibrating oven to thereby narrow the existing pores.

Abstract: Use of activated carbon for reduction of nitric oxides with ammonia from exhaust gases using ammonia as reduction agent in the temperature range between 90.degree.-150.degree. C., made from hardcoal, blended with binding agents like pitch, bitumen, tar or tar oil, shaped and subjected to low-temperature carbonization with a heating rate of 20.degree.-100.degree. C./min to temperature between 700.degree.-900.degree. C. in an atmosphere containing 2-5% by vol. of oxygen, so that for the activated coke 2-8% of volatile matter and a surface of 20-150 am.sup.2 /g is arrived at.

Abstract: Sulphur is manufactured out of sulphur dioxide containing gases by dividing the feed gas in two flows of gas having a volume ratio of 2 to 1 and reducing the greater flow of gas on a carbon containing substance like anthracite, thereby obtaining hydrogen sulfide which is mixed with the smaller flow of gas, the mixture being converted in a Claus process to sulphur.

Abstract: Pressure swing adsorption with increased recovery of a highly adsorbable product gas component is carried out with a cycling in which, during the flushing phase, and at least over the latter portion thereof, the flushing gas has a concentration in the product gas component which is substantially equal to that of the product gas. To further increase the yield and the concentration of the product gas component in the product gas, the pressure in the absorber is reduced over a time period between the termination of the adsorption phase and the beginning of the desorption phase, with the effluent gas during this reduction in pressure being reused in the pressure swing adsorption cycle.

Abstract: A simple, inexpensive method of inerting transport containers, particularly for goods which easily spoil in the air, such as foodstuffs, plants and flowers, by a gas which contains nitrogen and a predetermined concentration of up to about 5 vol.

Abstract: A process of and apparatus for producing oxygen with a low fraction of argon from a gaseous medium like air, in which a gaseous medium is introduced into a first adsorption unit to produce an intermediate gas enriched with oxygen and depleted of argon. The intermediate gas is then supplied to a second adsorption unit in which the final product gas is prepared as well as a by-product which is returned into the process. Each of the adsorption units includes at least two adsorbers operating in a working cycle wherein the working cycle of the adsorbers of the second unit lasts about twice as long as the working cycle of the adsorbers of the first unit. For allowing an evacuation of each adsorber and thus a regeneration thereof, a common vacuum pump is connected to each unit in such a manner that the regeneration of the adsorbers of the second unit is temporarily interrupted when one of the adsorbers of the first unit is evacuated.

Abstract: A gas mixture containing significant proportions of nitrogen and oxygen, such as atmospheric air, is alternately passed through two adsorbers containing a carbonaceous molecular sieve such as comminuted coke. With one-minute half-cycles, each half-cycle encompasses a production phase of 55 seconds during which the gas mixture is driven under high pressure through one adsorber with recovery of high-purity nitrogen therefrom while the other adsorber is being exhausted or vented in a regeneration phase. During a small fraction of the remaining 5 seconds of this half-cycle, preferably lasting between 0.3 and 0.7 second, the two adsorbers are interconnected for a partial equalization of their pressures. In the final period of slightly more than 4 seconds, the regeneration phase of the first adsorber begins while the second adsorber is pressurized with fresh gas mixture, its outlet being closed at that time.

Abstract: A pressure-swing adsorption system is used to enrich the methane content of mine gas obtained from bores around mine shafts or galleries from the customary 25 to 45% by volume to a product gas quality of 50% by volume. Using a carbon molecular sieve adsorbent, the adsorption is carried out at 5 to 8 bar and is followed by a uniflow expansion to an intermediate pressure and a counterflow expansion to a flushing pressure of 1.1 to 2 bar. Counterflow flushing is carried out with waste gas and the product gas is a mixture of the gases obtained by counterflow expansion and flushing.

Abstract: A gate valve for selectively blocking and unblocking a flow path has a valve body filled with hydraulic liquid and provided with a pair of shutters displaceable by fluid pressure against respective seating surfaces of a valve housing. The valve body is shiftable between a blocking position, in which the shutters are aligned with their seating surfaces, and an unblocking position by means of a plunger projecting into the hollow body in a fluidtight manner but with freedom of relative displacement in the shifting direction. In a valve-closing stroke, the plunger pushes that body into its blocking position solely via the confined liquid; when the body is arrested in that position by a stop, the continuing plunger stroke displaces the liquid to press the shutters onto their seats against a biasing force such as that of elastic membranes holding them onto the body.

Abstract: SO.sub.2 -containing gas is made to contact a carbon-containing material to reduce the gas to a gas mixture containing sulfur and also containing H.sub.2 S and SO.sub.2 in a volume ratio of 2:1. The sulfur is then removed by condensation and the remaining gas mixture subjected to a Claus-process treatment to obtain additional sulfur from it.

Abstract: An adsorption-desorption process for the recovery of hydrogen from a feed gas containing trace pollutants adapted to be strongly adsorbed, in concentrations generally below 1% by volume and containing components adapted for only light adsorption, in concentrations above 1% by volume is operated through a preliminary first adsorption stage for the strongly adsorbable trace pollutants and a second main adsorption stage for the light adsorbable components and for the discharge of hydrogen. Contrary to the prior art where the adsorption-desorption was effected by alternating high pressure and low pressure cycles in the main adsorption stage only, the pressure cycles in the present case are carried out both in the preliminary first adsorption stage and in the second main adsorption stage, preferably by arranging the two adsorption states in series. The process substantially extends the service time of the adsorber used in the first adsorption stage.

Abstract: Nitrogen is separated from oxygen in air by passing the air through a vessel containing carbonaceous molecular sieve until the sieve has adsorbed a predetermined proportion of oxygen. The vessel is then connected to and pressure-equalized with a similar but desorbed vessel and thereupon the connection is broken and the stream of air switched to the second similar vessel. During the first 1-10 seconds during which the product (N.sub.2) gas issues from the second vessel, this stream is diverted since it contains an unusually high oxygen ratio, and either discharged or recirculated to the incoming air. Thereafter the stream of product gas is collected for further use.

Abstract: Method for separating gas mixtures resulting from direct flow loading of adsorption reactors by means of a pressure change technique in a two stage adsorption reactor consisting of a prefilter and a separating filter, whereby strongly adsorbable impurities from the gas mixture are adsorbed in the prefilter and the remainder of the undesirable gas components are adsorbed in the separating reactor. Thereby, product gas flows off at the end of the separating reactor shortly before the passage therethrough of a non-desirable gas component. Thereafter, the prefilter and the separating reactor are disconnected and the prefilter is partially relieved by a gas counter flow and the separating reactor is partially relieved by direct gas flow. After reconnection of prefilter and separating reactor the unit is further released in the counter current, subsequently rinsed and is again brought to charge pressure in the direct or counter current.