What is disclosed is a mass selective fluid bandpass filter. This filter provides for selecting gas molecules of a specific mass from a gas sample containing molecules of two or more mass species. This filter provides a means of operation of a selecting a predetermined gas from a group of gases or an atmosphere. The mass selective fluid bandpass filter consists of quartz glass, of either natural or manmade origin. This provides method of removing a predetermined gas from the group consisting of: .sup.1H.sub.2, .sup.1H.sup.2H, .sup.2H.sub.2, .sup.1H.sup.3H, .sup.2H.sup.3H, .sup.3H.sub.2, .sup.1H.sub.2O, .sup.1H.sup.2HO, .sup.2H.sub.2O, .sup.1H.sup.3HO, .sup.2H.sup.3HO, .sup.3H.sub.2O, .sup.3He, .sup.4He, O.sub.2, O.sub.3, .sup.12CO.sub.2, .sup.13CO.sub.2, .sup.14CO.sub.2, CO, N.sub.2, NO, NO.sub.2, NO.sub.x, SiO.sub.2, FeO, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, SiF.sub.4, HF, NH.sub.3, SO.sub.2, SO.sub.3, H.sub.2SO.sub.4, H.sub.2S, .sup.35Cl.sub.2, .sup.37Cl.sub.2, F.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, CaO, MnO, P.sub.2O.sub.5, phenols, volatile organic compounds, and peroxyacyl nitrates.

Recovering helium from a gaseous stream includes contacting an acid gas removal membrane with a gaseous stream to yield a permeate stream and a residual stream, removing a majority of the acid gas from the residual stream to yield a first acid gas stream and a helium depleted clean gas stream, removing a majority of the acid gas from the permeate stream to yield a second acid gas stream and a helium rich stream, and removing helium from the helium rich stream to yield a helium product stream and a helium depleted stream. A helium removal system for removing helium from a gaseous stream including hydrocarbon gas, acid gas, and helium includes a first processing zone including a first acid gas removal unit, a second processing zone including a second acid gas removal unit, a third processing zone, and a helium purification unit.

A method for the extraction of xenon gas bound to a filter material using supercritical CO.sub.2 to form a mixture in which both CO.sub.2 and xenon are in a supercritical state.

Xenon is contained within articles of manufacture such as light bulbs. Described herein are an apparatus, system, a method to capture and collect the xenon contained in articles of manufacture such as defective light bulbs for recovery and/or reuse.

In a helium purification process, a stream containing at least 10% of helium, at least 10% of nitrogen in addition to hydrogen and methane is separated to form a helium-enriched stream containing hydrogen, a first stream enriched in nitrogen and in methane and a second stream enriched in nitrogen and in methane, the helium-enriched stream is treated to produce a helium-rich product and a residual gas containing water, the residual gas is treated by adsorption (TSA) to remove the water and the regeneration gas from the adsorption is sent to a combustion unit (O).

An apparatus, system, and methods for polarizing nuclei of a noble gas are disclosed. The disclosed system may include a polarization apparatus configured to polarize a noble gas mixture including xenon-129. The disclosed system also may include separate volumes for (1) saturating the polarizable noble gas mixture with alkali metal vapor, (2) desaturating said noble gas mixture from its alkali metal vapor after polarization is completed, (3) intermediate storage of the resultant polarized noble gas mixture, and (4) transfer of said polarized noble gas mixture to a storage vessel (e.g., a delivery bag). The disclosed system further may include separate reservoirs for (1) the noble gas(es) to be polarized, (2) lightweight gas(es) to displace the noble gas(es), and (3) a heavy inert gas (e.g., such as natural xenon) to push the polarized noble gas(es) into a storage vessel.

An apparatus, system, and methods for polarizing nuclei of a noble gas are disclosed. The disclosed system may include a polarization apparatus configured to polarize a noble gas mixture including xenon-129. The disclosed system also may include separate volumes for (1) saturating the polarizable noble gas mixture with alkali metal vapor, (2) desaturating said noble gas mixture from its alkali metal vapor after polarization is completed, (3) intermediate storage of the resultant polarized noble gas mixture, and (4) transfer of said polarized noble gas mixture to a storage vessel (e.g., a delivery bag). The disclosed system further may include separate reservoirs for (1) the noble gas(es) to be polarized, (2) lightweight gas(es) to displace the noble gas(es), and (3) a heavy inert gas (e.g., such as natural xenon) to push the polarized noble gas(es) into a storage vessel.

Process and apparatus for producing helium, neon, or argon product gas using an adsorption separation unit having minimal dead end volumes. A purification unit receives a stream enriched in helium, neon, or argon, and a stream is recycled from the purification unit back to the adsorption separation unit in a controlled manner to maintain the concentration of the helium, neon, or argon in the feed to the separation unit within a targeted range.

Disclosed herein are rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process for separating O.sub.2 from N.sub.2 and/or Ar. The processes use a carbon molecular sieve (CMS) adsorbent having an O.sub.2/N.sub.2 and/or O.sub.2/Ar kinetic selectivity of at least 5 and an O.sub.2 adsorption rate (1/s) of at least 0.2000 as determined by linear driving force model at 1 atma and 86 F.

An apparatus for collecting helium gas includes: a first receptacle having a first flexible membrane for receiving a gas containing helium, the first receptacle being selectively couplable to an inlet of the apparatus; a second receptacle having a second flexible membrane for receiving the gas containing helium, the second receptacle being selectively couplable to the inlet of the apparatus; a pump having an inlet selectively couplable to an outlet of the first receptacle and selectively couplable to an outlet of the second receptacle; a purifier having an inlet couplable to an outlet of the pump; and an outlet of the apparatus couplable to an outlet of the purifier. A method of collecting and reusing helium gas is also described. Other valuable and/or rare gases may be recovered and reused.