Disclosed herein are multi-bed rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption (RCPSA) processes for separating O.sub.2 from N.sub.2 and/or Ar, wherein the process utilizes at least five adsorption beds each comprising a kinetically selective adsorbent for O.sub.2 having an O.sub.2 adsorption rate (1/s) of at least 0.20 as determined by linear driving force model at 1 atma and 86 F.

Provided is a pressure swing adsorption type hydrogen manufacturing apparatus that can improve the product recovery rate in a state where the purity of the product is kept from being reduced. A process control unit P controls operation of adsorption towers 1 that generate a product gas by adsorbing, using adsorbents, adsorption target components other than hydrogen components from a source gas, in a state where an adsorption process, a pressure-equalization discharge process, a desorption process, and a pressure-restoration process are successively repeated. The process control unit is configured to control operation of the adsorption towers 1 in such a manner that a prior pressure-equalization process of supplying gas inside an adsorption tower 1 undergoing the pressure-equalization discharge process to an adsorption tower 1 undergoing the pressure-restoration process is performed in an initial stage of a unit processing period, a subsequent pressure-equalization process of supplying gas inside the adsorption tower 1 undergoing the pressure-equalization discharge process to an adsorption tower 1 undergoing the desorption process is performed in a final stage of the unit processing period, a pressurization process of introducing a product gas H to perform pressurization is performed, as the pressure-restoration process, subsequently to the prior pressure-equalization process, and the pressurization process is performed while overlapping with the subsequent pressure-equalization process.

Disclosed herein are multi-bed rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption (RCPSA) processes for separating O.sub.2 from N.sub.2 and/or Ar, wherein the process utilizes at least five adsorption beds each comprising a kinetically selective adsorbent for O.sub.2 having an O.sub.2 adsorption rate (1/s) of at least 0.20 as determined by linear driving force model at 1 atma and 86 F.

The present disclosure relates to a pressure swing adsorption apparatus for hydrogen purification from decomposed ammonia gas and a hydrogen purification method using the same, and more particularly, the pressure swing adsorption apparatus of the present disclosure includes a plurality of adsorption towers including a pretreatment unit and a hydrogen purification unit wherein the adsorption towers of the pretreatment unit and the hydrogen purification unit are packed with different adsorbents, thereby achieving high purity hydrogen purification from mixed hydrogen gas produced after ammonia decomposition, making it easy to replace the adsorbent for ammonia removal, minimizing the likelihood that the lifetime of the adsorbent in the hydrogen purification unit is drastically reduced by a very small amount of ammonia, and actively responding to a large change in ammonia concentration in the raw material.

Additionally, a hydrogen purification method using the pressure swing adsorption apparatus of the present disclosure physically adsorbs and removes impurities such as moisture (H.sub.2O), ammonia (NH.sub.3) and nitrogen (N.sub.2) included in mixed hydrogen gas produced after ammonia decomposition below extremely small amounts, thereby achieving high purity hydrogen purification with improved selective adsorption of moisture, ammonia and nitrogen and maximized hydrogen recovery rate and productivity. In addition, since the temperature swing adsorption process is not introduced, there is no need for a heat source for regeneration, thereby reducing the driving cost.

The present disclosure provides a method for a mobile pressure swing adsorption oxygen production device, comprising a first PSA section, a second PSA section and a third PSA section which are operated in series; the first PSA section adsorbs oxygen in raw air by a velocity-selective adsorbent; the second PSA section adsorbs nitrogen etc. in desorption gas of the first PSA section by a nitrogen balance-selective adsorbent; the third PSA section removes nitrogen from oxygen-rich gas flowing out of the second PSA section; the first PSA section sequentially undergoes at least adsorption A and vacuumizing VC in one cycle; the second PSA section sequentially undergoes at least adsorption A, pressure-equalizing drop ED, backward discharge BD and pressure-equalizing rise ER; and the third PSA section sequentially undergoes at least adsorption A, pressure-equalizing drop ED, backward discharge BD and pressure-equalizing rise ER.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a pressure swing adsorption process of a hydrogen production system is provided.

The hydrogen production system comprises a desulfurization process for removing sulfur components from raw natural gas; a reforming reaction process for producing a reformed gas containing hydrogen generated by the reaction of natural gas through the desulfurization process and steam; and a pressure swing adsorption process of concentrating the hydrogen using a pressure swing adsorption from the reformed gas.

In a desorption step of the pressure swing adsorption process, a cocurrent depressurization and a countercurrent depressurization are simultaneously performed.

The present invention relates to a process cycle that allows for the stable production of mid-range purity oxygen from air, using traditional system designs. Typical cycles have a limited production benefit when generating O.sub.2 at lower than 90% purity, however they suffer a production loss at higher purity. The process cycles of the invention are capable of producing significantly more contained O.sub.2 at a lower purity. In addition to enhanced production capacity, lower power consumed per mass of product and more stable product purity and flow are realized by the process of the invention compared to traditional alternatives.

The present disclosure relates to a pressure swing adsorption apparatus for high purity hydrogen purification from ammonia decomposition and a hydrogen purification method using the same, and more specifically, the pressure swing adsorption apparatus includes a plurality of adsorption towers including a guard bed unit and a hydrogen purification unit, in which each adsorption tower is packed with different adsorbents, to purify high purity hydrogen from mixed hydrogen gas produced after ammonia decomposition, make it easy to replace the adsorbent for ammonia removal, minimize the likelihood that the lifetime of the adsorbent in the hydrogen purification unit is drastically reduced by trace amounts of ammonia, efficiently recover hydrogen of the guard bed unit, thereby maximizing the hydrogen recovery rate compared to a conventional pressure swing adsorption process including a pretreatment unit and a hydrogen purification unit, and respond to a large change in ammonia concentration in the raw material.

Methods and systems for purifying argon from a crude argon stream are disclosed, employing pressure swing adsorption at cold temperatures from 186 C. to 20 C.; more preferably from 150 C. to 50 C.; and most preferably from 130 C. to 80 C. with oxygen-selective zeolite adsorbent. In some embodiments, the oxygen-selective zeolite adsorbent is a 4A zeolite, a chabazite, or a combination thereof.

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.