A thermal diffusion unit is fluidly connected to a combustion engine via a flue line. The thermal diffusion unit has a plurality of plates assembled in a parallel configuration, including a pair of heating plates having a heating fluid gap extending therebetween and a pair of cooling plates having a cooling fluid gap extending therebetween. A diffusion sheet is positioned between the pair of heating plates and the pair of cooling plates, such that the diffusion sheet interfaces on a first side with one of the heating plates and interfaces on an opposite side with one of the cooling plates. The diffusion sheet includes a plurality of interconnected thermal diffusion cells arranged in a repeating pattern, at least one heated passage fluidly connecting adjacent thermal diffusion cells, and at least one cooled passage fluidly connecting adjacent thermal diffusion cells.

A thermal diffusion unit is fluidly connected to a combustion engine via a flue line. The thermal diffusion unit has a plurality of plates assembled in a parallel configuration, including a pair of heating plates having a heating fluid gap extending therebetween and a pair of cooling plates having a cooling fluid gap extending therebetween. A diffusion sheet is positioned between the pair of heating plates and the pair of cooling plates, such that the diffusion sheet interfaces on a first side with one of the heating plates and interfaces on an opposite side with one of the cooling plates. The diffusion sheet includes a plurality of interconnected thermal diffusion cells arranged in a repeating pattern, at least one heated passage fluidly connecting adjacent thermal diffusion cells, and at least one cooled passage fluidly connecting adjacent thermal diffusion cells.

Disclosed herein is a method for making hydrogen with carbon sequestration. The method may comprise using a biomass hydroconverter product to fuel a steam reformer that converts a hydrocarbon fuel stream into a gas mixture that contains at least hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The gas stream is separated to form a hydrogen-enriched gas stream and at least one hydrogen-depleted stream. The hydrogen-depleted stream may be stored or further processed to sequester the carbon contained therein. Additionally, or alternatively, the solid residue from the biomass hydroconverter also may be stored for further sequester carbon generated by the method.

A process and apparatus for producing syngas from low grade coal and from a biomass wherein the process includes (i) gasification of a mixture of low grade coal and biomass, (ii) reforming the gasified mixture, and (iii) removing CO.sub.2 from the gasified and reformed syngas mixture.

A separation and purification coupled process with a high helium yield and diversified products is provided. The process is as follows. Firstly, a low-concentration helium-containing gas after being pressurized and pre-treated enters a two-stage and two-section membrane separation unit to produce a helium product with a medium concentration by concentrating stage by stage through the membrane separation unit. A part of the helium with medium concentration enters an adsorption unit for further concentration to produce a helium product above grade A.

A method/system for sequestering carbon dioxide from cement and lime production facilities wherein carbon dioxide from flue gases originating from cement or lime production facilities is recovered and transported to a building materials production facility where it is sequestered.

The invention includes a gas processing system for transforming a hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into outflow gas products, where the system includes a gas delivery subsystem, a plasma reaction chamber, and a microwave subsystem, with the gas delivery subsystem in fluid communication with the plasma reaction chamber, so that the gas delivery subsystem directs the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the plasma reaction chamber, and the microwave subsystem directs microwave energy into the plasma reaction chamber to energize the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas, thereby forming a plasma in the plasma reaction chamber, which plasma effects the transformation of a hydrocarbon in the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the outflow gas products, which comprise acetylene and hydrogen. The invention also includes methods for the use of this gas processing system.

The present invention provides: a gas separation method which is capable of desirably separating a slight amount of a component from a mixed gas under mild conditions such that the pressure difference between both sides of a gas separation membrane is 1 atmosphere or less; and a gas separation membrane which is suitable for use in this gas separation method. According to the present invention, in a gas separation method wherein a specific gas (A) in a mixed gas, which contains the specific gas (A) at a concentration of 1,000 ppm by mass or less, is selectively permeated with use of a gas separation membrane, an extremely thin gas separation membrane that has a film thickness of 1 μm or less is used, so that the gas (A) is desirably separated under mild conditions such that the pressure difference between both sides of the gas separation membrane is 1 atmosphere or less.

The present invention provides: a gas separation method which is capable of desirably separating a slight amount of a component from a mixed gas under mild conditions such that the pressure difference between both sides of a gas separation membrane is 1 atmosphere or less; and a gas separation membrane which is suitable for use in this gas separation method. According to the present invention, in a gas separation method wherein a specific gas (A) in a mixed gas, which contains the specific gas (A) at a concentration of 1,000 ppm by mass or less, is selectively permeated with use of a gas separation membrane, an extremely thin gas separation membrane that has a film thickness of 1 μm or less is used, so that the gas (A) is desirably separated under mild conditions such that the pressure difference between both sides of the gas separation membrane is 1 atmosphere or less.

A single compressor is used to separately compress permeate from cascaded first and second gas separation membrane-based separation units and residue from a fourth gas separation membrane-based separation unit in order to avoid too high a CO2 partial pressure in the compressed permeate. After the permeates from the first and second stages are compressed, the compressed stream is fed to a third gas separation membrane-based separation unit.