A valve installation is provided, including a valve assembly having a valve, and a fluidized valve actuator coupled with the valve assembly. The actuator includes at least two cylinders and pistons positioned to communicate fluid to apply pressure to the valve assembly. Extension of each piston communicates pressure to the valve assembly and at least partially lifts the valve into an at least partially lifted and open position. The valve installation may be used to regulate fluid flow in various systems, including cyclical swing adsorption processes.

Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. In particular, the method and system involves swing adsorption processes and systems designed to lessen the temperature, pressure and product stream composition fluctuations in the adsorption step of a swing adsorption process, particularly involving preparation of the adsorption bed unit using feed stream cooling in conjunction with splitting the cooled feed stream to the adsorption bed units during adsorption steps while staggering the timing of back-to-back adsorption steps in the swing adsorption process. The process may be utilized for swing adsorption processes, such as rapid cycle TSA and/or rapid cycle PSA, which are utilized to remove one or more contaminants from a gaseous feed stream.

A method of increasing hydrothermal stability of an adsorbent comprising a small pore cationic zeolite in a swing adsorption process is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of coating the zeolite with a silylation agent to result in a silylated zeolite; and performing the swing adsorption process. The swing adsorption process comprises contacting the silylated zeolite with feed stream comprising water. The swing adsorption process may comprise removing CO.sub.2 from a feed stream comprising CO.sub.2 and water.

Systems and methods presented herein provide for multivariable model predictive control of a multistep plant. In one embodiment, a model predictive controller (MPC) includes a model of the multistep plant. The MPC is operable to linearize at least two steps of the multistep plant into cycle steps based on the model, to process an output signal from the multistep plant, and to independently control the cycle steps based on the output signal to optimize an output of the multistep plant.

Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve performing dampening for fluctuations in the streams conducted away from the adsorbent bed unit. The process may be utilized for swing adsorption processes, such as rapid cycle TSA and/or rapid cycle PSA, which are utilized to remove one or more contaminants from a gaseous feed stream.

Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve performing modeling to generate a swing adsorption system to manage a feed stream to produce a product stream within specification. The process may be utilized for swing adsorption processes, such as TSA and/or PSA, which are utilized to remove one or more contaminants from a gaseous feed stream.

The disclosure provides for an adsorbent bed assembly for separation of gaseous mixtures. The assembly includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes an outer shell, and first and second ends engaged with the outer shell that include inputs/outputs. A central support structure is positioned within the interior cavity and is engaged with the body or forms a portion thereof. Anti-telescoping devices are positioned about the central support structure, at least one of which is affixed to the central support structure. Each anti-telescoping device includes a plurality of spokes extending within the interior cavity from or proximate the central support structure towards the outer shell.

Disclosed are processes and systems for the removal of water from a feed stream utilizing swing adsorption processes including an adsorbent bed comprising an adsorbent material which is a cationic zeolite RHO. The cationic zeolite RHO comprises at least one, preferably two, metal cations selected from Group 1 and 2 elements (new Group 1-18 IUPAC numbering). The swing adsorption processes and systems utilizing the cationic zeolite RHO have an adsorption selectivity for water and are useful in selective dehydration of commercial feed streams. The cationic zeolite RHO additionally has an exceptionally high water adsorption stability for use in feed streams with wet acid gas environments operating under cyclic swing adsorption conditions.

Lightweight, portable oxygen concentrators that operate using an ultra rapid, sub one second, adsorption cycle based on advanced molecular sieve materials are disclosed. The amount of sieve material utilized is a fraction of that used in conventional portable devices. This dramatically reduces the volume, weight, and cost of the device. Innovations in valve configuration, moisture control, case and battery design, and replaceable sieve module are described. Patients with breathing disorders and others requiring medical oxygen are provided with a long lasting, low cost alternative to existing portable oxygen supply devices.

A modular, multi-crew life support system and a method of assembling the system involve a fan to draw in ambient air. The system includes one or more assemblies that produce conditioned air from the ambient air, and a housing to support an oxygen source. The system also includes a port configured as an inlet from the oxygen source to augment the conditioned air, and a duct to disperse a result of augmenting the conditioned air as output air to support two or more occupants of an enclosure.