Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve performing a startup mode process prior to beginning a normal operation mode process to remove contaminants from a gaseous feed stream. The startup mode process may be utilized for swing adsorption processes, such as TSA and/or PSA, which are utilized to remove one or more contaminants from a gaseous feed stream.

A gas separation membrane, a method for making the gas separation membrane, and a method for using the gas separation membrane are provided. An exemplary gas separation membrane includes a polyether-block-polyamide (PEBA) matrix and a cross-linked network including functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanoparticles dispersed through the PEBA matrix.

New carbon nanomaterials, preferably titanium carbide-derived carbon (CDC) nanoparticles, were embedded into a polyamide film to give CDC/polyamide mixed matrix membranes by the interfacial polymerization reaction of an aliphatic diamine, e.g., piperazine, and an activated aromatic dicarboxylate, e.g., isophthaloyl chloride, supported on a sulfone-containing polymer, e.g., polysulfone (PSF), layer, which is preferably previously prepared by dry/wet phase inversion. The inventive membranes can separate CO.sub.2 (or other gases) from mixtures of CO.sub.2 and further gases, esp. CH.sub.4, based upon the generally selective nanocomposite layer(s) of CDC/polyamide.

A method for removing hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) from an acid gas comprises feeding the gas to a membrane separation unit, collecting the product gas from the membrane unit, heating the permeate stream to the necessary inlet temperature for catalytic oxidation of H.sub.2S and feeding the heated permeate stream to a catalytic oxidation unit, where H.sub.2S is oxidized to SO.sub.2. The heating of the permeate stream is accomplished by using a fraction of the feed gas to heat the permeate stream in a separate heater or by using a steam-fired heater. The method is especially suited for use on an off-shore facility.

The present disclosure is directed to a potassium-form MER framework type zeolite, a MER framework type zeolite having a stick-like morphology, wherein the potassium is present as K.sup.+ in extra-framework locations. The zeolite is essentially free of an extra-framework cation other than potassium.

A gas separation membrane has a gas separation layer containing a crosslinked cellulose resin. The crosslinked cellulose resin has a particular linking structure in a crosslinked structure. The gas separation layer contains an organic solvent in a particular amount.

A gas separation asymmetric membrane includes a porous layer having gas permeability; and a compact layer having gas separation capability which is formed on the porous layer in which the gas separation asymmetric membrane is formed using a polyimide compound which has a structural unit represented by Formula (I) and at least one structural unit selected from a structural unit represented by Formula (II) or a structural unit represented by Formula (III) and in which the viscosity, at 25° C., of a solution obtained by dissolving the polyimide compound in N-methylpyrrolidone at a concentration of 5% by mass is in a range of 2.2 to 22.0 mPa.Math.sec,

##STR00001##

in the formula, X.sup.1 represents a group having a structure represented by Formula (I-a) or (I-b).

##STR00002##

Systems and methods for controlling an amine contactor are provided. An exemplary method includes determining a pickup ratio for a solvent in the contactor, measuring a temperature of a lower tray of the contactor, adjusting the pickup ratio based, at least in part, on the temperature, and adjusting a flow rate for an injection of lean solvent into the contactor based, at least in part, on the pickup ratio.

Provided are an all-silica zeolite separation membrane for separating carbon dioxide, etc., and not causing a decrease in the processing amount due to adsorption of water molecules, and a production method therefor. One aspect of the present invention is a zeolite separation membrane, in which the framework of a zeolite crystal structure formed on a porous support is all silica, characterized in that the zeolite crystal structure formed on the porous support is fluorine free. Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a zeolite separation membrane having a zeolite crystal structure on a porous support, characterized in that the method includes a step of producing a seed crystal, a step of applying the seed crystal onto the porous support, a step of producing a membrane synthesis raw material composition, and a step of immersing the porous support having the seed crystal applied thereon in the membrane synthesis raw material composition and performing hydrothermal synthesis, and the membrane synthesis raw material composition contains a silica source and an organic template and does not contain a fluorine compound.

A natural gas refining apparatus including a first separation membrane unit including a first separation membrane; and a second separation membrane unit provided in a subsequent stage of the first separation membrane unit. The second separation membrane unit includes a second separation membrane that allows an amine solution to circulate through the second separation membrane unit, and the natural gas refining apparatus refines raw natural gas containing CO.sub.2 by passing the raw natural gas through the first and second separation membrane units, separating CO.sub.2-rich gas with the first and second separation membranes, and absorbing CO.sub.2 with the amine solution circulating through the second separation membrane unit.