A liquid air energy storage system comprises an air liquefier, a liquid air storage facility for storing the liquefied air, and a power recovery unit coupled to the liquid air storage facility. The air liquefier comprises an air input, an adsorption air purification unit for purifying the input air, and a cold box for liquefying the purified air. The power recovery unit comprise a pump for pressurizing the liquefied air from the liquid air storage facility; an evaporator for transforming the high-pressure liquefied air into high-pressure gaseous air; an expansion turbine capable of being driven by the high-pressure gaseous air; a generator for generating electricity from the expansion turbine; and an exhaust for exhausting low-pressure gaseous air from the expansion turbine. The exhaust is coupled to the adsorption air purification unit such that at least a portion of the low-pressure gaseous air exhausted from the expansion turbine is usable to regenerate the adsorption air purification unit.

A method for hydrogen production by pressure swing adsorption that can increase the recovery efficiency of an adsorption target component while enabling an off-gas to be appropriately supplied to a combustion device is provided that can achieve a cost reduction and an increase in the efficiency of the combustion operation.

Provided herein is a method for improving a gas recovery rate during generation of a high-purity gas. The method includes providing three or more adsorption towers filled with an adsorbent that adsorbs an adsorption target gas. Performing a pressure lowering equalization process in a first adsorption tower in which an adsorption process has been finished, and in a source gas supply state in which a source gas is supplied to at least a second adsorption tower in which a pressure increasing equalization process has been finished and the adsorption process is to be subsequently performed; and transferring a non-adsorbed gas from an upper portion of the first adsorption tower to the upper portion of the second adsorption tower, thereby performing an adsorption and pressure lowering equalization process in the first adsorption tower and an adsorption and pressure increasing equalization process in the second adsorption tower.

A staged complementary pressure swing adsorption system and method for low energy fractionation of a mixed fluid. Two beds in a four-column PSA system are selective for component A, and another two columns are selective for component B. The cycle creates an intermittent A and B product, using the purge effluent from the complementary product fed at an intermediate pressure. This intermittent product is used as purge gas for low-pressure purged elsewhere in the cycle using appropriate storage tanks. The use of an intermediate pressure in this cycle enables continuous production of purified component A and B without the use of compressors. Columns may also be configured to enable pressure to equalize between complementary columns.

Systems and methods are provided for combined cycle power generation while reducing or mitigating emissions during power generation. Recycled exhaust gas from a molten carbonate fuel cell power generation reaction can be separated by using a swing adsorption process so as to generate a high purity CO.sub.2 stream while reducing or minimizing the energy required for the separation and without having to reduce the temperature of the exhaust gas. A high temperature adsorption reactor adsorbs the CO.sub.2 and recovers H.sub.2 from an exhaust gas of a first molten carbonate fuel cell at a high temperature and at a low pressure. The reactor passes along the adsorbed CO.sub.2 to a cathode and the recovered H.sub.2 to an anode of a second molten carbonate fuel cell for further power generation. This can allow for improved energy recovery while also generating high purity streams of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2.

Disclosed are methods for removing acid gas from a feed stream of natural gas including acid gas, methane and ethane. The methods include alternating input of the feed stream between at least two beds of adsorbent particles comprising zeolite SSZ-13 such that the feed stream contacts one of the at least two beds at a given time in an adsorption step and a tail gas stream is simultaneously vented from another of the at least two beds in a desorption step. The contact occurs at a feed pressure of from about 50 to about 1000 psia for a sufficient period of time to preferentially adsorb acid gas from the feed stream. A product gas stream is produced containing no greater than about 2 mol % carbon dioxide and at least about 65 mol % of methane recovered from the feed stream and at least about 25 mol % of ethane recovered from the feed stream. The feed stream is input at a feed end of each bed. The product gas stream is removed from a product end of each bed. The tail gas stream is vented from the feed end of each bed. The methods require lower vacuum power consumption and allow improved hydrocarbon recoveries compared with known methods.

Disclosed are methods for removing acid gas from a feed stream of natural gas including acid gas, methane and ethane. The methods include alternating input of the feed stream between at least two beds of adsorbent particles comprising zeolite SSZ-13 such that the feed stream contacts one of the at least two beds at a given time in an adsorption step and a tail gas stream is simultaneously vented from another of the at least two beds in a desorption step. The contact occurs at a feed pressure of from about 50 to about 1000 psia for a sufficient period of time to preferentially adsorb acid gas from the feed stream. A product gas stream is produced containing no greater than about 2 mol % carbon dioxide and at least about 65 mol % of methane recovered from the feed stream and at least about 25 mol % of ethane recovered from the feed stream. The feed stream is input at a feed end of each bed. The product gas stream is removed from a product end of each bed. The tail gas stream is vented from the feed end of each bed. The methods require lower vacuum power consumption and allow improved hydrocarbon recoveries compared with known methods.

A pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system and a PSA process including a PSA cycle schedule are disclosed. The PSA cycle schedule includes an unlimited number of equalization steps, no idle steps, no dead time and a minimum number of three PSA adsorbent beds assisted with two or more equalization tanks. The PSA system, process and cycle schedule include the following sequence of cycle steps: a feed step, two or more down equalization steps either between beds or between a bed and a tank, an optional forced cocurrent depressurization step coupled with a forced intermediary light end pressurization step, a countercurrent depressurization step, a light reflux step, two or more up equalization steps between beds or between a bed and a tank, an optional forced intermediary light end pressurization step coupled with the forced cocurrent depressurization step, and a light product pressurization step.

A process for generating a syngas from a CO.sub.2-rich and hydrocarbon-containing feed gas, wherein a CO.sub.2-rich and hydrocarbon-containing feed gas is provided and is reacted in a syngas generation step by means of partial oxidation or steam reforming to give an H.sub.2- and CO-comprising syngas. At least CO.sub.2 is removed from the feed gas in a scrubbing of the feed gas by means of a scrubbing medium, before the feed gas is fed to the syngas generation step.

A method for operating an air-drying device (10) and an air-drying device (10) are provided. The air-drying device (10) has at least one adsorption device (20) with a first adsorption section (21), a second adsorption section (22), an air feed line (11), an air removal line and an analysis unit (13). The first adsorption section (21) and the second adsorption section (22) can be used alternatingly to dry air (70). The air feed line (11) feeds air (70) to be dried and is connected to an inlet opening (24) of the adsorption device (20) in a fluid-communicating manner. The air removal line (12) removes dried air (70) and is connected to an outlet opening (25) of the adsorption device (20) in a fluid-communicating manner. A compressed air system (60) for providing compressed air (70) has such an air-drying device (10).