Described in the present application are methods of producing silane-crosslinked polymer membranes at moderate temperatures using acid catalysts that, in certain embodiments, result in membranes with unexpectedly high permeabilities and selectivities. In certain embodiments, grafting and crosslinking of the silanes occur by immersing a preformed membrane in a solution comprising a silane and an acid catalyst. Alternatively, in certain embodiments, grafting of silanes to a polymer occurs in the presence of acid catalyst in solution and subsequent casting and drying produces crosslinked membranes. In certain embodiments, an acid catalyst is a weak acid catalyst. Also described in the present application are asymmetric crosslinked polymer membranes with porous layers. In certain embodiments, crosslinked cellulose acetate membranes have permeability up to an order of magnitude greater than the permeability of unmodified cellulose acetate membranes. The membranes have porous layers with a high porosity due to their processing in moderate conditions.

A method and a plant for capturing CO2 from an incoming flue gas. The flue gas can be exhaust gas from coal and gas fired power plants, cement factories or refineries. The incoming exhaust gas is cooled, mixed with air and compressed, and thereafter introduced into a combustion chamber together with gas and/or liquid fuel. Part of the combustion is achieved by separate burners with cooling/combustion air feed with a volume equal to the volume of CO2 captured. Said burners will elevate the temperature in the combustion chamber allowing combustion of exhaust gas with low oxygen content. CO2 is captured at high partial pressure before expansion by the gas turbine to produce power and generate steam in the heat recovery unit. The gas turbine will operate with high efficiency close to design parameters with respect to inlet temperature, pressure and flow.

Co-polyimide membranes for separating components of sour natural gas where embodiments can include at least three distinct moieties polymerized together, the moieties including a 2,2-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA) based moiety; a 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl) fluorene (CARDO) based moiety; and 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (durene diamine) based moiety.

Described in the present application are methods of producing silane-crosslinked polymer membranes at moderate temperatures using acid catalysts that, in certain embodiments, result in membranes with unexpectedly high permeabilities and selectivities. In certain embodiments, grafting and crosslinking of the silanes occur by immersing a preformed membrane in a solution comprising a silane and an acid catalyst. Alternatively, in certain embodiments, grafting of silanes to a polymer occurs in the presence of acid catalyst in solution and subsequent casting and drying produces crosslinked membranes. In certain embodiments, an acid catalyst is a weak acid catalyst. Also described in the present application are asymmetric crosslinked polymer membranes with porous layers. In certain embodiments, crosslinked cellulose acetate membranes have permeability up to an order of magnitude greater than the permeability of unmodified cellulose acetate membranes. The membranes have porous layers with a high porosity due to their processing in moderate conditions.

Embodiments described herein provide methods of removing contaminants from a gas, the methods including providing a feed gas to a vertical contactor; flowing the feed gas in a gas flow direction through the vertical contactor; mixing a fresh absorbent makeup with a recycled absorbent to form an absorbent mixture; providing a fresh absorbent feed to the feed gas; flowing the absorbent mixture through the vertical contactor in a liquid flow direction counter to the gas flow direction; recovering a clean gas stream from the vertical contactor; and recovering the recycled absorbent from the vertical contactor.

Filter media and filters for the sequestration of carbon dioxide are disclosed. The carbon dioxide sequestering filter media incorporate silicate minerals, and the carbon dioxide sequestering filters incorporate carbon dioxide sequestering filter media. Filters using only carbon dioxide sequestering media and filters combining carbon dioxide sequestering media with traditional air filter media are disclosed. The carbon dioxide sequestering filters may be used instead of traditional air filters in residential, commercial and industrial applications.

The disclosure provides a method of treating flue gas that has one or more components. The method comprises passing a solution through both a magnetic field and an electric field to form an activated solution. The method also comprises contacting the activated solution with the flue gas so that the one or more components of the flue gas are at least partially absorbed by the activated solution to form a residue solution.

A process is described for producing BTX and alcohols from biomass, by a) catalytic pyrolysis of the biomass in a fluidized-bed reactor producing a gaseous pyrolysis effluent; b) separation of said gaseous pyrolysis effluent into at least one BTX fraction and a gaseous effluent containing at least carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, c) sending all of the gaseous effluent from separation b) into fermentation producing a liquid fermentation stream containing at least one stream containing at least one oxygenated compound chosen from alcohols, diols, acid alcohols, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones and esters, d) separating the fermentation stream obtained on conclusion of c) into at least the stream containing at least one oxygenated compound, an aqueous fraction, and an unreacted gaseous effluent, e) recycling at least part of unreacted gaseous effluent into the catalytic pyrolysis a).

In one embodiment, a method for separating acidic gases from a gas mixture includes exposing the gas mixture to a separation membrane at an elevated temperature, where the separation membrane includes a porous support and at least one molten alkali metal hydroxide disposed within pores of the porous support.

In one embodiment, a separation membrane includes: a porous support structure, wherein the porous support structure comprises a system of continuous pores connecting an inlet of the separation membrane to an outlet of the separation membrane; and at least one alkali metal hydroxide disposed within pores of the porous support structure. Other aspects and embodiments of the disclosed inventive concepts will become apparent from the detailed description, which, when taken in conjunction with the drawings, illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention.