Abstract: A method and apparatus for purifying air via a pre-purification unit (PPU) of an air separation unit (ASU) system can include passing air through a first adsorber of the PPU to purify the air for operation of the ASU system while it is at or below a first pre-selected operational capacity. In response to the operational capacity of the ASU system needing to be increased to a level above the first pre-selected operational capacity threshold, a second adsorber can be brought on-line in parallel with the first adsorber or in series with the first adsorber to provide improved purification capacity to account for the increased demand for purification capacity resulting from the increased operational capacity of the ASU system. This second adsorber can be different from the first adsorber (e.g. different in size, adsorption capacity for impurities within air, and/or configuration, etc.).

Abstract: A radial adsorber can be configured to facilitate utilization of different layers of material. The radial adsorber, system using at least one radial adsorber, and methods of utilizing embodiments of the radial adsorber can help permit improved efficient operation of fluid purification processing while also being configured to minimize, if not fully avoid, being susceptible to the effect of fluidization.

Abstract: A method of purifying air via a pre-purification unit (PPU) of an air separation unit (ASU) system having a pre-PPU chiller that is upstream of the PPU to cool compressed air before the compressed air is fed to the PPU can include passing air through an adsorber of the PPU to pass the air through a bed of adsorbent material within a vessel of the adsorber. In response to the pre-PPU chiller being determined to have an issue resulting in the pre-PPU chiller being tripped or requiring the pre-PPU chiller to be taken off-line, continuing to operate the ASU system at a full capacity even though nitrous oxide (N2O) within the air output from the PPU exceeds a first pre-selected threshold and is below a second pre-selected threshold associated with carbon dioxide (CO2) breakthrough. An ASU and a PPU can be designed to implement an embodiment of the method.

Abstract: An adsorbent vessel for removing contaminants from a feed gas upstream from a cryogenic distillation process using pressure swing adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, or thermal-pressure swing adsorption. The adsorbent vessel having an adsorbent bed comprised of multiple layers of adsorbent material, including two layers of adsorbent material that selective adsorbs carbon dioxide. Each of the two layers is formed from an adsorbent material having a different capacity for adsorbing carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A chiller can be configured as a chiller for a gasification system or other type of system or plant. In some embodiments, the chiller can be configured to utilize a single heat source, such as low grade waste heat in the form of hot water, and/or low pressure steam to drive one or more absorption-based chillers to cool inlet air to one or more adsorbers of a pre-purification unit (PPU). In the event of the detection of an undesired impurity spike (e.g. carbon dioxide spike, etc.) an additional amount of heat source can be withdrawn from the gasification system to increase the level of cooling the absorption chiller can provide to improve the removal of impurities. An automated control loop can be utilized in some embodiments. The control loop can be configured to check for an impurity concentration and adjust operations accordingly.

Abstract: An adsorbent vessel for removing contaminants from a feed gas upstream from a cryogenic distillation process using pressure swing adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, or thermal-pressure swing adsorption. The adsorbent vessel having an adsorbent bed comprised of multiple layers of adsorbent material, including two layers of adsorbent material that selective adsorbs carbon dioxide. Each of the two layers is formed from an adsorbent material having a different capacity for adsorbing carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A radial adsorber can be configured to facilitate utilization of different layers of material. The radial adsorber, system using at least one radial adsorber, and methods of utilizing embodiments of the radial adsorber can help permit improved efficient operation of fluid purification processing while also being configured to minimize, if not fully avoid, being susceptible to the effect of fluidization.

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: 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: A radial U-flow adsorption unit for air purification in a TSA process, having a gas outlet at one end and at least one gas inlet at the side, preferably at the same end of the unit as the gas outlet. The simpler design of the unit facilitates manufacture, installation and transport, and reduces the capital and operating costs.

Abstract: A radial U-flow adsorption unit for air purification in a TSA process, having a gas outlet at one end and at least one gas inlet at the side, preferably at the same end of the unit as the gas outlet. The simpler design of the unit facilitates manufacture, installation and transport, and reduces the capital and operating costs.

Abstract: An adsorber vessel for the adsorption of gas contaminants from a gaseous stream comprising a vertical wall baffle positioned on an inner surface of an absorber vessel wall, and a bed support positioned below the vertical wall baffle and affixed to the inner surface of the adsorber vessel wall to support an adsorbent material, where the adsorbent material is interned by the bed support, the adsorber vessel wall, and the vertical wall baffle such that at least 90% of the volume created between the vertical wall baffle and the inner surface of the adsorber vessel is free of the adsorbent material.

Abstract: An adsorber vessel for the adsorption of gas contaminants from a gaseous stream comprising a vertical wall baffle positioned on an inner surface of an absorber vessel wall, and a bed support positioned below the vertical wall baffle and affixed to the inner surface of the adsorber vessel wall to support an adsorbent material, where the adsorbent material is interned by the bed support, the adsorber vessel wall, and the vertical wall baffle such that at least 90% of the volume created between the vertical wall baffle and the inner surface of the adsorber vessel is free of the adsorbent material.