Generally, the present invention relates to the selective removal of divalent sulfur oxyanions (e.g., sulfate) from an aqueous solvent using an anion exchange resin. More particularly, this invention relates to regenerative processes for the selective removal and recovery of sulfur dioxide from a source gas using an aqueous absorption medium in which an anion exchange resin is used to selectively remove divalent sulfur oxyanion impurities accumulating in the recirculating aqueous absorption medium.

The invention provides a method for the capture of at least one acid gas in a composition, the release of said gas from said composition and the subsequent regeneration of said composition for re-use. The method comprises the step of capturing an acid gas by contacting said acid gas with a capture composition comprising at least one salt of a carboxylic acid dissolved in a solvent system consisting substantially of water.

A method for continuously removing carbon dioxide vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. This method includes, first, causing direct contact of the carrier gas with a liquid mixture in a separation chamber, the carrier gas condensing at a lower temperature than the carbon dioxide vapor. A combination of chemical effects cause the carbon dioxide to condense, complex, or both condense and complex with the liquid mixture. The liquid mixture is chosen from the group consisting of: first, a combination of components that can be maintained in a liquid phase at a temperature below the carbon dioxide vapor's condensation point, whereby the carbon dioxide condenses into the liquid mixture; second, a combination of components where at least one component forms a chemical complex with the carbon dioxide vapor and thereby extracts at least a portion of the carbon dioxide vapor from the carrier gas; and third, a combination of components that can both be maintained in a liquid phase at a temperature below the carbon dioxide's condensation point, and wherein at least one component forms a chemical complex with the carbon dioxide vapor and thereby extracts at least a portion of the carbon dioxide vapor from the carrier gas. The liquid mixture is then reconstituted after passing through the separation chamber by a chemical separation process chosen to remove an equivalent amount of the carbon dioxide vapor from the liquid mixture as was removed from the carrier gas. The reconstituted liquid mixture is restored to temperature and pressure through heat exchange, compression, and expansion, as necessary, in preparation for recycling back to the separation chamber. The liquid mixture is then returned to the separation chamber. In this manner, the carrier gas leaving the exchanger has between 1% and 100% of the carbon dioxide vapor removed.

A method for removing SO.sub.x from a gas by using a polyol composite solution is provided. The polyol composite solution is made by mixing a polyol with an organic acid and/or organic acid salt, the polyol composite solution is brought into contact with the gas containing SO.sub.x to absorb the SO.sub.x in the gas, wherein x=2 and/or 3, and the polyol refers to an organic compound other than ethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol, which contains simultaneously two or more than two hydroxyl groups in a same organic molecule.

A humidity control device for use in maintaining the desired humidity of a closed environment, e.g., a container, while also decreasing headspace oxygen, the device including a water vapor and oxygen permeable pouch, an aqueous salt solution containing humidity controlling salts in combination with salts of ascorbic acid or isomers thereof.

An anesthetic circuit is provided for treating a patient. The anesthetic circuit includes a membrane having a plurality of hollow fibers. Also provided is a fluid separation apparatus connectable to an anesthetic circuit. In a further embodiment, a method is provided for anesthetic treatment of a patient.

A method of treating a switchable polarity material comprises introducing a first feed stream comprising a solvent and a non-polar form of the switchable polarity material to a first side of a gas diffusion membrane. A second feed stream comprising an acid gas is introduced to a second side of the gas diffusion membrane opposing the first side of the gas diffusion membrane. Molecules of the acid gas of the second feed stream are diffused across the gas diffusion membrane and into the first feed stream to form a product stream comprising a polar form of the switchable polarity material. A treatment system for a switchable polarity material, and a method of liquid treatment are also described.

A vapor separator in an embodiment is arranged between a first space and a second space, and is used to allow vapor existing in the first space to permeate the second space by making a vapor pressure in the second space lower than a vapor pressure in the first space. The vapor separator in the embodiment includes: a porous body having a first face, a second face opposite to the first face, and fine pores passing from the first face to the second face; and a soluble absorbent existing in the fine pores of the porous body.

A scavenger comprising a formaldehyde sulfoxylate may be used to scavenge hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) from systems that are brine or mixed production. Suitable formaldehyde sulfoxylates include, but are not necessarily limited to, sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate, and calcium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, potassium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, magnesium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, iron formaldehyde sulfoxylate, copper formaldehyde sulfoxylate, alkene aldehyde sulfoxylates, and combinations thereof.

The invention relates to processes for reducing emissions of hydrochloric acid (HCl) to moderate pollution to the environment and achieve regulatory compliance in a cost-effective manner. In embodiments described below, the invention deals with reducing HCl and does not require a sorbent but utilizes an aqueous composition we term a copper-bearing chloride remediator (CBCR). In one general case, the CBCR can be a member selected from the group consisting of compositions defined by the formula Cu(NH.sub.3).sub.x(carbonate or lower carboxylate).sub.y, wherein the lower carboxylate is selected from the group consisting of formate, acetate and propionate, x is an integer from 0 to 4, y is an integer from 0 to 2, and x+y is equal to or greater than 1.