The use of porous crystalline solids constituted of a metal-organic framework (MOF) for the capture of polar volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In particular, the MOF of interest are material having an average pores sizes of 0.4 to 0.6 nm and an hydrophobic core formed by a metal oxide and/or hydroxide network connected by linkers, the linkers being selected from the group including (i) C.sub.6-C.sub.24 aromatic polycarboxylate linkers, such as benzyl or naphtyl di-, tri- or tetracarboxylate, and (ii) C.sub.6-C.sub.16 polycarboxylate aliphatic linkers; the linkers bearing or not apolar fluorinated groups, e.g. —(CF.sub.2)n—CF.sub.3 groups, n being a integer from 0 to 5, preferably 0 ou 3, and/or apolar C.sub.1-C.sub.20 preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl groups, e.g. —CH.sub.3 or —CH.sub.2—CH.sub.3, grafted directly to the linkers and pointing within the pores of the MOF. The MOF solids used in the present invention can be used for the purification of air, for example for the capture of polar VOCs like acetic acid and aldehydes from indoor air in cars, museums and archives, much more efficiently than common adsorbents, particularly in presence of above normal levels of humidity. They can in particular be used for the preservation of cultural heritage.

The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for continuously providing an oxygen-enriched gas/air using a relative motion of selected surface(s) of an apparatus (such as fossil-fueled combustion device/vehicle) relative to an atmospheric air with a speed exceeding a threshold value for, e.g., improving combustion, exhaust and related properties of the apparatus. An oxygen-enriched gas/air layer can be formed along/near each aforementioned surface from the atmospheric air due to pushing the atmospheric air along the surface(s) during that relative motion and collected by corresponding collector gate(s) located inside the apparatus near/adjacent to the corresponding surface. The apparatus can be an object (e.g., a vehicle) moving through the atmospheric air with a relative speed exceeding the threshold value. Alternatively, the apparatus can be a stationary object (e.g., a power generator) while the atmospheric air, having a desired speed exceeding the threshold value, is moved/blown toward the stationary object.

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.

An air filter for automobiles includes, a main filter and a prefilter, wherein the prefilter comprises a nonwoven synthetic fiber having an average density of 0.01 to 0.5 g/cm.sup.3 and a moisture absorbent is adsorbed to the prefilter.

Regeneration of a fluid medium can be accomplished using a continuously regenerable scrubber, which, in its various embodiments, combines valve functions and sorbent material, such as amine beds, into one component, dramatically reducing size and mass of scrubber. Sorbent material beds rotate continuously past breathing gas vent loop ports for scrubbing CO.sub.2/H.sub.2O and then past vacuum ports for regenerating the sorbent material. Typically, a first fluid output is connected to a lower header fluid output and a second, sweeping fluid source connected to a lower header fluid input. A motor spins the substantially circular bed assembly at a predetermined speed which allows adsorption or absorption as well as desorption of materials flowing through the sorbent material.

Methods for forming thin wall tubing into a tightly-coiled helical duct comprise selecting a thin wall tube with an outside tube diameter and a wall thickness that is less than 15% of the outside tube diameter; and bending the thin wall tube to form the tightly-coiled helical duct so that an outside duct diameter of the tightly-coiled helical duct is less than four times the outside tube diameter.

An adsorption system for the production of demineralized water aboard a motor vehicle comprising: a condenser, an evaporator, a first and a second adsorbent bed, each containing adsorbent material. Each adsorbent bed is selectively connectable to the condenser and/or the evaporator by pipes provided with at least one control valve. Each adsorbent bed is selectively and alternately connectable to a supply circuit of a heating source and to a supply circuit of a cooling source via supply valves. The condenser is directly and selectively connectable to the evaporator by a direct branch provided with a relative throttle valve, An inlet valve is arranged along an air inlet branch, and selectively establishes a fluid connection between the air of the environment outside the system and the adsorbent beds, so as to capture water from the external air through an adsorption phenomenon performed by the adsorbent beds and to produce water.

An air purification system, includes a UVC light source arranged within an internal space of a purification chamber and adapted to irradiate the internal space with UVC, an airflow system arranged to introduce environmental air from outside of the air purification system into the internal space of the purification chamber and expel purified air from the purification chamber back outside of the air purification system, and a light blocking system arranged to block a substantial amount of the irradiated UVC from emitting outside of the air purification system, the light blocking system comprising a high-air-flow open structure mounted in the airflow system of the purification chamber, wherein the open structure comprises a front surface, rear surface and a thickness, wherein the front and rear surfaces have a plurality of open areas connected through the thickness, and wherein at least one of the plurality of open areas is of a size with respect to the thickness to block light from traversing the thickness when an angle of incidence is less than approximately 10 degrees.

The operation of an air compressor is controlled to control engine performance to thereby improve the performance of the vehicle. A compressor (4) driven by an engine (3) of a vehicle and supplying compressed air to loads (51-54) is controlled by an ECU (2). A loaded state and an unloaded state of the compressor (4) are switched between each other according to the requirements from the loads (51-54). When the vehicle requires braking force, the compressor (4) is set to the loaded state irrespective of the requirements from the loads (51-54).

The fuel tank cap with a charcoal canister includes a fuel tank inner cap and a fuel tank outer cap. A filling room with an upper opening is disposed in the center of the fuel tank inner cap. The fuel tank outer cap is disposed above the fuel tank inner cap. The fuel-absorption substrate is filled in the filling room, and a containing room is disposed at the bottom of the filling room. The fuel vapor can be absorbed by the filled charcoal completely, and the little liquid fuel entering from the fuel tank can be stored by the containing room and recycled back to the fuel tank when the gasoline engine stops. The filtering performance of charcoal powder can be enhanced since it is exempted from long-time fuel soaking.