A solution including at least one mixed acetal compound is used to remove hydrogen sulfide and/or mercaptans from a fluid stream, preferably a fluid gas stream. A mixed acetal compound, as provided in the general structure below, includes an N-glycosidic type bond. The mixed acetal includes nitrogen and oxygen as provided below. ##STR00001##

The invention relates to a coating suspension containing at least one platinum group metal on a support material, as well as manganese(II) carbonate, and to a method for coating a catalyst support substrate.

A rechargeable battery assembly for a vehicle has a metal-air rechargeable battery and a filter device to condition inlet air supplied to the metal-air rechargeable battery such that the inlet air exhibits predetermined inlet air values. The filter device has one or more filter elements, one or more sensor devices that determine at least one inlet air parameter, and one or more valve devices. A control system is coupled to the sensor devices so as to receive sensor signals for the at least one inlet air parameter and is coupled to the valve devices. The control system adjusts, depending on the received sensor signals, the valve devices in order to control the predetermined inlet air value in that the inlet air is guided through the filter elements; is guided past the filter elements; or is guided to an air outlet for regenerating the filter elements.

Disclosed is a system and method of separating and collecting acid gas such as carbon dioxide in which the energy consumption in a stripping column for regenerating an absorbent may be reduced. In the system and method, the energy consumption may be reduced using heat generated during the acidic gas separation and collection processes. In the system and method, a low-temperature condensate from a condenser may be preheated by heat exchange with a high-temperature processed gas, and then supplied into the stripping column, thereby to reduce the heat duty of a reboiler and the energy consumption in the condenser for cooling. A partial flow of a carbon diode-absorbed absorbent from an absorber column may be preheated by heat exchange with high-temperature processed gas from an upper portion of the stripping column, and then supplied into the stripping column, thereby to further reduce the heat duty of the reboiler.

A system including biogas purification and provides biogas as feedstock to a solid oxide fuel cell. The biogas purification treatment process provides a polished biogas that is substantially free of carbonyl sulfides and hydrogen sulfide. The system uses a biogas treatment apparatus, that includes apparatus such as a packed columns, comprising copper oxide or potassium permanganate packing material, and an activated carbon component configured to treat the biogas by polishing it to remove carbonyl sulfides and deleterious trace residues, such as hydrogen sulfide, that were not removed by any prior bulk H2S removal steps. In addition, an oil removal device is used to remove any entrained fine oil droplets in the biogas. A polished biogas having in the range of 60% methane is charged to the fuel cell. Electricity generated may be fed into a grid or used directly as energy to charge electrical-powered vehicles, for example. Energy credits are tracked in real time and are appropriately assigned.

An aspect of the present invention is a gas treatment method including: an absorption step of bringing a gas to be treated, which contains carbon dioxide and a sulfur compound, into contact with an absorption liquid to be phase-separated by carbon dioxide absorption, to cause the absorption liquid to absorb the carbon dioxide and the sulfur compound; and a first release step of heating the absorption liquid brought into contact with the gas to be treated to a temperature equal to or higher than a temperature at which the carbon dioxide absorbed by the absorption liquid is released from the absorption liquid and lower than a temperature at which the sulfur compound absorbed by the absorption liquid is released from the absorption liquid, to release the carbon dioxide from the absorption liquid.

A gas exchange system, said system comprising: a plurality of cartridges, each having a casing, said casing having a cartridge inlet adjacent to a first end and a cartridge outlet adjacent to an opposed second end; each casing having a bore in which is placed a gas permeable, liquid impermeable, hollow membrane; each hollow membrane having a membrane inlet arranged to receive a gas from an inlet chamber and a membrane outlet for venting said gas; each cartridge inlet in communication with a concentration zone, and arranged to receive a solvent from said concentration zone, so as to exit said solvent through said cartridge outlet; wherein said bore is arranged to flow said solvent adjacent to said hollow membrane so as to permit the exchange of gas through said gas permeable, liquid impermeable membrane.

Disclosed is an adsorbent containing a metal oxide for adsorption of hydrogen sulfide in biogas, and a biogas purification system using the same.

Membranes, methods of making the membranes, and methods of using the membranes are described herein. The membrane can comprise a support layer; and a selective polymer layer disposed on the support layer. The selective polymer layer can comprise a selective polymer matrix (e.g., hydrophilic polymer, an amine-containing polymer, a low molecular weight amino compound, a CO.sub.2-philic ether, or a combination thereof), and graphene oxide dispersed within the selective polymer matrix. The membranes can be used to separate carbon dioxide for hydrogen. Also provided are methods of purifying syngas using the membranes described herein.

The invention present provides a method (and suitable apparatus) to convert biomass to ethanol, comprising gasifying the biomass to produce raw syngas; feeding the raw syngas to an acid-gas removal unit to remove at least some CO.sub.2 and produce a conditioned syngas stream; feeding the conditioned syngas stream to a fermentor to biologically convert the syngas to ethanol; capturing a tail gas from an exit of the fermentor, wherein the tail gas comprises at least CO.sub.2 and unconverted CO or H.sub.2; and recycling a first portion of the tail gas to the fermentor and/or a second portion of the tail gas to the acid-gas removal unit. This invention allows for increased syngas conversion to ethanol, improved process efficiency, and better overall biorefinery economics for conversion of biomass to ethanol.