A device is disclosed for separating nitrogen and oxygen. The device includes an inlet in fluid communication with a source of a gas comprising oxygen and nitrogen, a membrane having a greater permeability to oxygen than to nitrogen. One side of the membrane is in fluid communication with the inlet, and the other side of the membrane is in fluid communication with an outlet for nitrogen-enriched gas. An outlet for oxygen-enriched gas is also in fluid communication with the first side of the membrane. A porous metal foam is disposed between the inlet and the membrane.

In a hydrocarbon-fed steam methane reformer hydrogen-production process and system, carbon dioxide is recovered in a pre-combustion context, and optionally additional amounts of carbon dioxide are recovered in a post-combustion carbon dioxide removal, to provide the improved carbon dioxide recovery or capture disclosed herein.

An oxygen scavenger composition comprising a water retention agent, a swelling agent, an ammonium salt, water, and iron.

A fire extinguishing chimney bomb is disclosed herein. The device may include a flexible plastic receptacle and a fire extinguishing payload contained therein. The device is dropped down from the top of the chimney into the base of the fire. As the device enters the fire, heat from the fire melts the plastic, thereby releasing the extinguisher agent, which smothers the fuel and extinguishes the fire.

A membrane including a polymer substrate having pore channels and a metal-organic framework disposed on the polymer substrate. Methods of producing the membrane are described. Methods of separating gases using the membrane are also provided.

Disclosed is a method of controlling an air supply system for a fuel cell. The air supply system includes a fuel cell stack, an air channel to supply air to an inlet of the fuel cell stack, a gas adsorption unit disposed on the air channel and configured to adsorb oxygen contained in air introduced into the air channel. In particular, the method includes: determining whether a power generation operation of the fuel cell stack is resumed; when the power generation operation of the fuel cell stack is resumed, controlling a voltage source to apply a voltage to the gas adsorption unit; and supplying air to the fuel cell stack through the air channel in a state in which the voltage is applied to the gas adsorption unit.

A system and method for flexible production of argon from a cryogenic air separation unit is provided. The cryogenic air separation unit is capable of operating in a ‘no-argon’ or ‘low-argon’ mode when argon demand is low or non-existent and then switching to operating in a ‘high-argon’ mode when argon is needed. The recovery of the argon products from the air separation unit is adjusted by varying the percentages of dirty shelf nitrogen and clean shelf nitrogen in the reflux stream directed to the lower pressure column. The cryogenic air separation unit and associated method also provides an efficient argon production/rejection process that minimizes the power consumption when the cryogenic air separation unit is operating in a ‘no-argon’ or ‘low-argon’ mode yet maintains the capability to produce higher volumes of argon products at full design capacity to meet argon product demands.

A system is disclosed for providing inerting gas to a protected space. The system includes an electrochemical cell including a cathode, an anode separated by a separator that includes an ion transfer medium, and an electrical connection to a power source or power sink. A cathode fluid flow path is in operative fluid communication with a catalyst at the cathode between a cathode fluid flow path inlet and a cathode fluid flow path outlet, and an anode fluid flow path is in operative fluid communication with a catalyst at the anode, and includes an anode fluid flow path outlet. A cathode supply fluid flow path is disposed between the protected space and the cathode fluid flow path inlet, and an inerting gas flow path is in operative fluid communication with the cathode flow path outlet and the protected space.

An additive manufacturing apparatus including a chamber, a build platform movable in the chamber such that layers of flowable material can be successively formed across the build platform, a unit for generating an energy beam for solidifying the flowable material, a scanning unit for directing the energy beam onto selected areas of each layer to solidify the material in the selected areas and a getter for absorbing oxygen, nitrogen and/or hydrogen from atmosphere in the chamber.

A fluid system includes an inlet conduit disposed in a fluid flow path between a fluid source and a fluid destination. The fluid conduit includes a fluid mixing portion. The fluid system includes a fluid separation module disposed in the flow path downstream of the constriction between the source and the destination. The fluid separation module includes a first fluid separator, The fluid system includes a second fluid separator disposed in the flow path upstream of the first fluid separator, The fluid system includes a feedback conduit that may provide fluid communication between an outlet of the fluid separation module and the fluid mixing portion.