The present invention relates to a smart dehumidification apparatus and dehumidification method of a flow rate-dependent switching method. The present invention provides an adsorption-type dehumidification apparatus and a dehumidification method using same, the adsorption-type dehumidification apparatus comprising: a first adsorption tower (A) and a second adsorption tower (B) which are two adsorption towers filled with adsorbents and which alternately perform a dehumidification process and a regeneration process; an inflow line (10) for introducing a humidified gas into the first adsorption tower (A) and the second adsorption tower (B); a discharge line (20) for discharging a dried gas dehumidified in the first adsorption tower (A) and the second adsorption tower (B); a regeneration line (30) for introducing a regeneration gas into the first adsorption tower (A) and the second adsorption tower (B); a heater (40) for heating the regeneration gas; a flow meter (F) for measuring the flow rate of the humidified gas flowing into the first adsorption tower (A) and the second adsorption tower (B); and a control unit (C). According to the present invention, the moisture contained in compressed air, etc., is dried through adsorption and regeneration, and the dehumidification process (adsorption process) and the regeneration process are switched depending on the flow rate of the humidified gas flowing into the adsorption towers (A, B) such that at least the renewable energy consumed in the regeneration process can be reduced.

When a product gas producing operation is stopped, a purge operation is executed in which steam purge processing and product gas purge processing are sequentially performed. The steam purge is supplying, instead of a source gas, a product gas from a product gas tank to a reformer using a compressor, and supplying a reformed gas from a reforming processing unit to a plurality of adsorption towers, which perform a pressure swing adsorption operation, while the reformer is heated by a heating burner and steam is supplied to the reformer. The product gas purge is supplying the product gas from the product gas tank to the reformer using the compressor, and supplying the product gas from the reforming processing unit to the plurality of adsorption towers, which perform the pressure swing adsorption operation, while the supply of the steam is stopped and the heating of the reformer is maintained.

Disclosed are techniques such as roll to roll processing to produce membrane valves in microelectromechanical systems that are integrated with micro-pumps that include a pump body having compartmentalized pump chambers. One application of this technology is as a valve assembly for a gas concentrator that includes a first micro pump for feeding an input gas stream, a second micro pump to supplying a vacuum and at least one sieve bed having a zeolite. The gas concentrator uses the valve assembly for controlling entry of gas from the first micro pump into the sieve bed and the second micro pump to vent.

Water generation systems and related methods of generating water from air are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, water generation systems and related methods comprise a solar unit or layer to convert solar radiation into heat and/or electrical energy, a sorption unit or layer comprising a hygroscopic material to capture water vapor from ambient air, a regeneration gas to accumulate water vapor from the sorption unit or layer, and a heat exchange assembly to condense water vapor from the regeneration gas to produce liquid water. Disclosed heat exchange assemblies can comprise a vapor-compression cycle or refrigeration circuit configured to circulate a refrigerant. A refrigerant evaporator can transfer heat from condensation of water vapor in the regeneration gas to the refrigerant and/or a refrigerant condenser can transfer heat from condensation of refrigerant vapor to the sorption unit or layer. Various embodiments include a controller to adjust a system operational setpoint based on a system operational state and/or an environmental condition.

The invention provides a process of purifying a fluid useful in a manufacturing process, particularly in the manufacture of silicon wafers, by removing one or more impurities; and apparatus for use in the process.

An installation and method for recovering gaseous substances from gas flows comprising a first gas-treatment module (module 1) to receive a first inlet gas flow (1) in which the temperature and pressure are controlled in order to dry said flow by removing water, nitrogen and sulfur oxides, unburned substances and other solids in suspension, a second CO.sub.2 separation module (module 2) in which the first outlet flow (13) from module 1 is treated using a PSA adsorption/desorption process to separate the gases selected, thereby enriching the third outlet flow (27), and a third, optional module (module 3) in which the CO.sub.2 purification process is carried out and in which the third outlet flow (27) from module 2 is treated using a PSA adsorption/desorption process to separate the gases selected, thereby enriching the fifth outlet flow (44) from module 3.

Generation of bubbles in an organic-substance production apparatus is suppressed. A gas treatment method including: an adsorption step of passing a source gas containing at least carbon dioxide and nitrogen through an adsorption unit for adsorbing carbon dioxide to reduce a carbon dioxide concentration in the source gas; a supply step of supplying the source gas whose carbon dioxide concentration has been reduced by the adsorption step to an organic-substance production apparatus; and a monitoring step of monitoring a carbon dioxide concentration and a nitrogen concentration in the source gas; wherein the adsorption step has an ability regulation step of enhancing an ability of the adsorption unit to reduce a carbon dioxide concentration in the source gas, when a total concentration of the carbon dioxide concentration and the nitrogen concentration monitored in the monitoring step exceeds a threshold value.

The disclosure relates to an activated carbon scrubber apparatus 300 and a method of its operation for carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) removal from a controlled environment. The scrubber apparatus is configured to switch between: an adsorption configuration in which it is configured to provide CO.sub.2-rich gas from the controlled environment to a sorbent bed 302 comprising activated carbon for CO.sub.2 adsorption, and to return the treated gas to the controlled environment; and a regeneration configuration in which it is configured to provide a regenerating gas from outside of the controlled environment to the sorbent bed to desorb CO.sub.2 and regenerate the activated carbon, and to discharge CO.sub.2-rich gas outside of the controlled environment. The method comprises alternately operating the scrubber apparatus in the adsorption configuration and the regeneration configuration over a plurality of cycles, wherein the scrubber apparatus is operated at a cycle frequency of between 4 and 30 cycles per hour. A heater 303 is controlled to heat the sorbent bed in the regeneration configuration.

Solid sorbents, and especially zeolites, are attractive candidates for CO.sub.2 direct air capture (DAC) and point source capture applications because of their potential for high selectivity, fast kinetics, and low energy CO.sub.2 capture cycles. A common issue with solid sorbents, including zeolites, is their low thermal conductivity, which makes them difficult to heat for regeneration without using complex and expensive heat transfer systems. This invention utilizes a modified TVSA process which utilizes the product CO.sub.2 gas itself as the heating medium for the adsorbent bed, alone or in conjunction with internal or external heaters. The use of CO.sub.2 as a heating medium allows efficient heating of the sorbent bed and enables high purity CO.sub.2 product.

A method for operating a temperature swing adsorption plant having three adsorption units which are operated in an adsorption phase, a feed phase, a regeneration phase, a flush phase, and a cooling phase, wherein in the adsorption phase a first gas mixture at a first temperature is guided over an adsorbent in the adsorption units with obtention of a second gas mixture and adsorption onto the adsorbent of components of the first gas mixture, in the regeneration phase the adsorption units are heated and the components adsorbed by the adsorbent during the adsorption mode are at least partially desorbed, and in the flush phase the components which were desorbed during the regeneration mode are at least partially flushed using a third gas mixture with obtention of a fourth gas mixture. In the cooling phase, the adsorption units are at least partially cooled to the first temperature.