A hydrocyclone for separating a vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. The hydrocyclone comprises one or more nozzles. A cryogenic liquid is injected to a tangential feed inlet at a velocity that induces a tangential flow and a cyclone vortex in the hydrocyclone. The carrier gas is injected into the cryogenic liquid, causing the vapor to dissolve, condense, desublimate, or a combination thereof, forming a vapor-depleted carrier gas and a vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid. The vapor-depleted carrier gas is drawn through a vortex finder and the vapor-enriched cryogenic liquid is drawn through an apex nozzle outlet. In this manner, the vapor is removed from the carrier gas.

A process can produce alcohols having at least two carbon atoms by catalytic conversion of synthesis gas into a mixture containing alkanes, alkenes, and alcohols. Alkenes are converted into corresponding alcohols in a subsequent step by hydration of the alkanes. Before the hydration and after the catalytic conversion, gas and liquid phases may be separated. Specific catalysts can be employed that have a markedly higher selectivity for alkenes than for alkanes. These catalysts comprise grains of non-graphitic carbon having cobalt nanoparticles dispersed therein. The cobalt nanoparticles have an average diameter d.sub.p from 1 to 20 nm, and an average distance D between nanoparticles is from 2 to 150 nm. The combined total mass fraction of metal ? in the grains ranges from 30% to 70% by weight of the total mass of the grains of non-graphitic carbon, wherein 4.5 dp/?>D?0.25 dp/?.

Membranes, methods of making the membranes, and methods of using the membranes are described herein. The membranes can comprise a support layer, and a selective polymer layer disposed on the support layer. In some cases, the support layer can comprise a gas permeable polymer and hydrophilic additive dispersed within the gas permeable polymer. In some cases, the selective polymer layer can comprise a selective polymer matrix and carbon nanotubes dispersed within the selective polymer matrix. The membranes can exhibit selective permeability to gases. As such, the membranes can be for the selective removal of carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen sulfide from hydrogen and/or nitrogen.

A method and device for gas scrubbing, in which, in a first scrubbing step, substances of a first kind and, in a subsequent second scrubbing step, substances of a second kind are selectively washed out from the gas mixture that is made to flow in countercurrent to physically acting scrubbing agents, wherein part of the scrubbing agent that is free from substances of the first kind but laden with substances of the second kind in the second scrubbing step is used in the first scrubbing step, and so there occurs a scrubbing agent stream that is laden with substances of the first and second kinds, during the regeneration of which a partly regenerated scrubbing agent stream (semilean); that contains substances of the first and second kinds but has a lower content of substances of the first kind than the scrubbing agent stream laden in the first scrubbing step is generated.

A method for removal of a foulant from a carrier gas is disclosed. A solids conveyance device that spans a vessel is provided, comprising an enclosed section and a filtering section. A cryogenic liquid and the carrier gas are provided to the enclosed section. The foulant condenses, dissolves, or desublimates into the cryogenic liquid, forming a cryogenic slurry and a foulant-depleted carrier gas entrained in the cryogenic slurry. The solids conveyance device advances the cryogenic slurry into the filtering section. The foulant-depleted carrier gas leaves the vessel through an upper portion of the permeable exterior wall and a warmed cryogenic liquid is removed from the cryogenic slurry through a lower portion of the permeable exterior wall, resulting in a solid foulant that is passed out of the solids outlet. In this manner, the foulant is removed from the carrier gas.

A system and method for processing unconditioned syngas first removes solids and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC), then removes volatile organic compounds (VOC), and then removes at least one sulfur containing compound from the syngas. Additional processing may be performed depending on such factors as the source of syngas being processed, the products, byproducts and intermediate products desired to be formed, captured or recycled and environmental considerations.

A transfer line between the outlet of a steam cracker and the inlet for the quench system has metallic or ceramic inserts having a pore size from about 0.001 to about 0.5 microns inside the line forming a gas tight barrier with the inner surface of the line and having a vent for the resulting gas tight pocket are used to separate H.sub.2, CH.sub.4, CO and CO.sub.2 from cracked gases reducing the load on the down-stream separation train of the steam cracker.

An integrated process for making high molecular weight hydrocarbons from a synthesis gas feed to a Fischer-Tropsch unit. A carbon monoxide resistant gold-on-palladium membrane system (membrane system) is used to control the hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio of a feed to the Fischer-Tropsch unit. The membrane system is operatively connected between a steam reformer and the Fischer-Tropsch unit. The membrane system receives a synthesis gas stream and provides for the removal of hydrogen from the synthesis gas stream to provide a retentate stream having a desired H.sub.2/CO molar ratio that is fed to the Fischer-Tropsch unit.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a gas separation method by which a removal performance to remove a removal object gas component and a recovery rate to recover a recovery object gas component can be satisfied at the same time, and furthermore, a generation efficiency of a product gas can be improved. A raw material gas g0 is fed to one adsorption vessel 11 of an adsorbing device 10 and a permeated gas g1 is sent out. A pressure of the other the adsorption vessels 12 is made lower than a pressure during adsorption and a desorbed gas g2 is sent out. In accordance with an operating cycle of the adsorbing device 10 or according to a condition of the raw material gas g0 or the like, one of the permeated gas g1 and the desorbed gas g2 that has a lower concentration of a priority removal object gas component than the raw material gas g0 is provided as a return gas to the adsorbing device 10, the priority removal object gas component being a gas component to be preferentially removed.

A process for preparing a composite membrane comprising the steps: a) applying a radiation-curable composition to a porous support; b) irradiating the composition present on the support, thereby forming a gutter layer of cured polymer; c) forming a discriminating layer on the gutter layer; and d) applying a radiation-curable composition to the discriminating layer and irradiating that composition, thereby forming a protective layer on the discriminating layer; wherein one or both of the radiation-curable compositions applied in steps a) and d) comprise a photo acid generator having an absorbency coefficient ? at 313 nm of more than 1?10.sup.4 mol.sup.?1*cm.sup.?1. Also claimed are composite membranes and gas separation cartridges comprising the membranes.