This disclosure relates to the adsorption and separation of nitrogen in a feed stream (e.g., natural gas) using zeolite ITQ-55 as the adsorbent. A process is disclosed for removing impurities such as nitrogen while producing a high pressure hydrocarbon product. The process involves passing the feed stream through a bed of an adsorbent comprising zeolite ITQ-55 to adsorb nitrogen from the feed stream, thereby producing a product stream depleted in nitrogen at pressure as feed condition without need of recompression. The zeolite ITQ-55 has a mean crystal particle size within the range of from about 0.01 microns to about 40 microns. The feed stream is exposed to the zeolite ITQ-55 at effective conditions for performing a kinetic separation, in which the kinetic separation exhibits greater kinetic selectivity for nitrogen than for methane. The system and method of this disclosure are particularly suitable for use with feed streams utilizing rapid cycle PSA operations.

This disclosure relates to the adsorption and separation of fluid components, such as oxygen, in a feed stream, such as air, using zeolite ITQ-55 as the adsorbent. A process is disclosed for adsorbing oxygen from a feed stream containing oxygen, nitrogen and argon. The process comprises passing the feed stream through a bed of an adsorbent comprising zeolite ITQ-55 to adsorb oxygen from the feed stream, carrying out an equalization step to improve recovery, thereby producing a nitrogen product stream depleted in oxygen as well as a waste stream can be collected to have enriched oxygen. The kinetic selectivity and related mass transfer rates can be tuned by varying the mean crystal particle size of zeolite ITQ-55 within the range of from about 0.1 microns to about 40 microns, or by varying the adsorption temperature within the range from about -195° C. to about 30° C., or by varying the adsorption pressure within the range from about 1 bar (~14.7 psi) to about 30 bar (~435 psi), or combinations thereof. The feed stream is exposed to the zeolite ITQ-55 at effective conditions for performing a rapid cycle of kinetic separation, in which oxygen exhibits greater kinetic selectivity than nitrogen and argon.

An oxygen concentrator comprises a product tank that is fluidly coupled to at least one sieve bed, and a product gas accumulator tank that is fluidly coupled to the product tank via a first conduit and to an outlet port via a second conduit, wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are disposed to allow at least a portion of product gas to flow from the product tank to the outlet port through the accumulator tank.

An evaporative emission control canister system comprises an initial adsorbent volume having an effective incremental adsorption capacity at 25° C. of greater than 35 grams n-butane/L between vapor concentration of 5 vol % and 50 vol % n-butane, and at least one subsequent adsorbent volume having an effective incremental adsorption capacity at 25° C. of less than 35 grams n-butane/L between vapor concentration of 5 vol % and 50 vol % n-butane, an effective butane working capacity (BWC) of less than 3 g/dL, and a g-total BWC of between 2 grams and 6 grams. The evaporative emission control canister system has a two-day diurnal breathing loss (DBL) emissions of no more than 20 mg at no more than 210 liters of purge applied after the 40 g/hr butane loading step.

A vehicle includes a fuel tank, a primary canister, a secondary canister, a first valve, a second valve, a third valve, a heater, and a controller. The primary and secondary canisters are in fluid communication with the fuel tank and are configured to receive and store evaporated fuel from the fuel tank. The first valve is disposed between the fuel tank and the primary canister. The second valve is disposed between the secondary canister and ambient surroundings. The third valve is disposed between the primary canister and an engine. The heater is configured to heat the primary and secondary canisters. The controller is programmed to (i) activate the heater to heat the primary and secondary canisters and (ii) purge the evaporated fuel from the primary and secondary canisters after heating the primary and secondary canisters.

An air dryer having a heater element associated with its valves to prevent freezing at cold temperatures. The air dryer includes a temperature sensor and an electronic controller that reads the temperature sensor during normal operations and selectively opens and closes certain of the valves when the temperature falls below a predetermined threshold to enter a safe mode that avoids freezing of the valves during operation. If an exhaust valve is open when safe mode is entered, the corresponding inlet valve is closed, both of the exhaust valves are closed, and the other inlet valve if opened. If an exhaust valve is not open, both inlet valves are opened and both exhaust valves are closed.

Disclosed in certain embodiments are methods of removing water from a gas feed stream comprising hydrocarbons and water during an adsorption step of an adsorption cycle.

A method for regulating the regeneration time of an adsorption dryer, the method including the steps of: subjecting the adsorption dryer to an adsorption cycle; stopping the adsorption cycle after a preset adsorption time interval; and subsequently subjecting the adsorption dryer to a first regeneration cycle during a preset time interval. The method further includes maintaining the first regeneration cycle for an additional regeneration time interval if the measured pressure dew point or relative humidity is higher than a predetermined pressure dew point or relative humidity threshold; and/or stopping the first regeneration cycle if the outlet temperature is higher than or equal to a predetermined temperature threshold, and, if the time frame in which the adsorption dryer is subjected to the first regeneration cycle is greater than a minimum heat regeneration time interval.

An oxygen generation device having a compressed air supply device, air cooling coil, a fan, pneumatic valve system, a housing, at least one media insert, an on-off switch, a printed circuit board, and a touch screen. The pneumatic valve system includes an air inlet port, a first air outlet port connected to the inlet of the first media insert, a second air outlet port connected to the inlet of the second media insert. The air inlet port receives compressed air from the compressed air supply device and alternatingly provides the compressed air to one of the first media insert and the second media insert. The lower housing includes check valve ball moveable between the first position and the second position and alternatingly controlling a flow of compressed air through the first media insert and the second media insert.

A system and method of pre-purification of a feed gas stream is provided that is particularly suitable for pre-purification of a feed air stream in cryogenic air separation unit. The disclosed pre-purification systems and methods are configured to remove substantially all of the hydrogen, carbon monoxide, water, and carbon dioxide impurities from a feed air stream and is particularly suitable for use in a high purity or ultra-high purity nitrogen plant. The pre-purification systems and methods preferably employ two or more separate layers of hopcalite catalyst with the successive layers of the hopcalite separated by a zeolite adsorbent layer that removes water and carbon dioxide produced in the hopcalite layers.