The present invention concerns the use, for gas separation, of at least one zeolite adsorbent material comprising at least one FAU zeolite, said adsorbent having an external surface area greater than 20 m.sup.2.Math.g.sup.1, a non-zeolite phase (PNZ) content such that 0<PNZ30%, and an Si/Al atomic ratio of between 1 and 2.5. The invention also concerns a zeolite adsorbent material having an Si/Al ratio such that 1Si/Al<2.5, a mesoporous volume of between 0.08 cm.sup.3.Math.g.sup.1 and 0.25 cm.sup.3.Math.g.sup.1, a (VmicroVmeso)/Vmicro ratio of between 0.5 and 1.0, non-inclusive, and a non-zeolite phase (PNZ) content such that 0<PNZ30%.

A rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption (RCPSA) air purification process, apparatus, and device for the removal of at least one of water, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and one or more hydrocarbons from a feed air stream prior to cryogenic air separation.

A process for purifying a feed gas stream containing at least 90% of CO.sub.2, at least 20% RH and at least one impurity chosen from chlorinated, sulfur-bearing, nitrated or fluorinated compounds is provided. The process includes a) subjecting the feed gas stream to catalytic oxidation producing a stream containing at least one of HCl, NOx, SOx or hydrofluoric acid; b) maintaining the temperature of the gas stream above the highest value between the dew points of water and the acid(s) contained in the gas; c) removing at least a part of the acid impurities by bringing the gas stream into contact with a corrosion-resistant heat exchanger to condense the acid compounds while regulating the temperature of the gas stream exiting below the dew point of water; and d) separating the acid condensates with a corrosion-resistant separator in such a way as to produce a CO.sub.2-enriched gas stream.

A moderate pressure, argon and nitrogen producing cryogenic air separation unit and air separation cycle having a higher pressure column, a lower pressure column and an argon column arrangement is disclosed. The moderate pressure, argon and nitrogen producing cryogenic air separation unit is configured to take a first portion of an oxygen enriched stream from the lower pressure column, which together with an external source of liquid nitrogen is used as the boiling side refrigerant to condense the argon in the argon condenser. Use of the external source of liquid nitrogen in the argon condenser allows a second portion of the oxygen enriched stream from the lower pressure column to be taken as a liquid oxygen product stream.

A system for reclaiming water from moisture-laden building exhaust exiting a building through a vent is described herein, where the system can include one or more porous metal organic frameworks (MOFs) disposed downstream of the building exhaust vent for adsorbing water from the exiting moisture-laden building exhaust. The adsorped water can be desorped from the MOF, either naturally or aided by cooling the MOF. The desorped water can optionally be collected or directed elsewhere for use or collection.

Process and apparatus for producing helium, neon, or argon product gas using an adsorption separation unit having minimal dead end volumes. A second separation unit receives a stream enriched in helium, neon, or argon, and a stream is recycled from the second separation unit back to the adsorption separation unit in a controlled manner to maintain the concentration of the helium, neon, or argon in the feed to the separation unit within a targeted range.

A method for cryogenic separation of air uses an air separation plant, wherein, in a mass transfer column, a liquid first fluid and a gaseous second fluid are subjected to mass transfer with one another. A gaseous third fluid is removed from the column and is at least partly discharged from the air separation plant. A liquid fourth fluid is removed from the column and is at least partly fed into a low-pressure column. The first fluid is formed using at least a part of an oxygen-rich liquid removed from the low-pressure column. The second fluid is formed using an oxygen-enriched liquid removed from a high-pressure column. The oxygen-enriched liquid removed from the high-pressure column and bottom liquid of the mass transfer column are mixed and partly evaporated in a condenser-evaporator. A liquid fifth fluid is removed from the mass transfer column between a feed point for the first fluid and a feed point for the oxygen-enriched liquid, and is at least partly fed into the low-pressure column. The fifth fluid or a fraction thereof is fed into the low-pressure column below the fourth fluid or a fraction thereof.

Method for operating an adsorber arrangement comprising a first and a second adsorber device, arranged in parallel between an upstream process device providing a process gas and a downstream process device receiving a purified process gas. The method comprising during a process of purifying the process gas with the first adsorber device, cooling the second adsorber device by passing a portion of purified process gas, received from the first adsorber device, through the second adsorber device; and directing the process gas portion that has passed through the second adsorber device to the upstream process device. Then, the first and the second adsorber devices are sequentially coupled, such that process gas from the upstream process device passes through the second adsorber device for cooling the second adsorber device, and then through the first adsorber device. Finally, purified process gas is received at the downstream process device from the first adsorber device.

Process and apparatus for producing helium, neon, or argon product gas using an adsorption separation unit having minimal dead end volumes. A second separation unit receives a stream enriched in helium, neon, or argon, and a stream is recycled from the second separation unit back to the adsorption separation unit in a controlled manner to maintain the concentration of the helium, neon, or argon in the feed to the separation unit within a targeted range.

A process for the treatment of sulfidic spent caustic, conditioned catalyst regeneration vent gas, C4 isomerization off gas, various and hydrocarbon containing liquid and gaseous streams in addition to toxic containing streams like cyanidic off gas and waste water in a propane/butane dehydrogenation complex is described. Various effluent streams are combined in appropriate collection vessels, including an off-gas knockout drum, a hydrocarbon buffer vessel, a spent caustic buffer vessel, an optional a waste water buffer vessel, and a fuel gas knockout drum. Streams from these vessels are sent to a thermal oxidation system.