Disclosed in certain embodiments are methods of removing water, mercaptans, C5+ or C6+ hydrocarbons, or any combination thereof from a gas feed stream during an adsorption step of an adsorption cycle.

A multilayer filter material for an interior air filter element of an air conditioning system of a vehicle may include an ion exchange layer including ion exchange particles and a plurality of further layers. The ion exchange layer may directly adjoin at least one of the plurality of further layers. The plurality of further layers may include an active layer including non-impregnated active carbon particles, and an impregnation layer including impregnated active carbon particles. The active layer may be arranged between the ion exchange layer and the impregnation layer. The ion exchange layer may be hygroscopic and may contain ions which form a toxic environment with water. The impregnation layer may include a component of active carbon particles impregnated with potassium iodide and a component of active carbon particles impregnated with potassium carbonate. The component impregnated with potassium iodide may be greater than the component impregnated with potassium carbonate.

A process for treating a natural gas stream comprising sending said gas stream through at least one multi-layered adsorbent bed comprising at least one layer of an adsorbent preferentially adsorbing C8+ hydrocarbons and aromatics over other impurities, at least one layer of a zeolite preferentially adsorbing carbon dioxide over other impurities and at least one layer of a zeolite preferentially removing C7 hydrocarbons over other impurities to produce a gas stream comprising methane.

Particle loading assembly and method for loading particles into a vessel to form a densely packed particle bed comprising an inner layer of particles and an outer layer of particles. The inner layer of particles is arranged radially and concentric with the outer layer of particles. The inner layer of particles contains at least a first type of particle of different granulometry or range of composition or both granulometry and range of composition from a second type of particles contained in the outer layer.

A multi-layer filter material for an interior air filter element of an air conditioning system of a vehicle may include an active layer having a plurality of non-impregnated activated carbon particles, an impregnation layer having a plurality of impregnated activated carbon particles, and an ion exchange layer having a plurality of ion exchanger particles. The active layer may be arranged between the ion exchange layer and the impregnation layer. The active layer may further include a first ash content and the impregnation layer may further include a second ash content. The first ash content in the active layer may be less than the second ash content in the impregnation layer.

Process and apparatuses for purifying a feed stream containing CO.sub.2 and predominantly hydrogen are provided. In an embodiment, the process includes passing the feed stream through a multilayer adsorbent bed comprising a first adsorbent section, a second adsorbent section downstream from the first adsorbent section and a third adsorbent section downstream from the second adsorbent section. The first adsorbent section comprises an activated carbon layer, the second adsorbent section comprises a layer of molecular sieve of the faujasite structure type with a Si/Al atomic ratio of from 1.5 to 8.0 and the third adsorbent section comprises a layer of molecular sieve of the faujasite structure type with a Si/Al atomic ratio of from 1.0 to 1.5. At least one of N.sub.2, CO.sub.2, CH.sub.4 and CO is adsorbed from the feed stream and a purified hydrogen product is recovered from the multilayer adsorbent bed.

System and method for removing molecular contaminants from an air stream are disclosed. The system includes first, second and third filter. The first filter removes organic contaminants from an air stream passing through the first filter. The second filter is downstream of the first filter, is physically and chemically exchangeable with the first filter and removes organic contaminants from the air stream output of the first filter. The third filter, downstream of the second filter, is not exchangeable with the first filter or the second filter. The first position filter can be replaced by the second filter in the second position when the first filter in the first position becomes depleted as detected. A new filter in the second filter position is inserted. Replacing the depleted first filter with the second downstream filter reduces costs and waste while inserting the new filter in the second position ensures removing organic contaminants.

In various aspects, apparatuses and methods are provided for low pressure drop gas separations. In PSA processes, where there are large swings in pressure and corresponding swings in fluid velocity through the adsorbent, mechanical stresses during pressure cycling are of considerable concern. When that pressure is relieved in a lower pressure portion of the cycle, the high velocity of gas moving through the adsorbent bed can erode, strip away, or otherwise damage the channels within the adsorbent. Provided herein are methods which utilize flexible boundaries between adsorbent beds that are operated out of phase with one another. The flexible boundaries permit an increase in void space through the adsorbent during high pressure stages of the cycle and a decrease in void space through the adsorbent during low pressure stages of the cycle.

Disclosed herein are new processes for adsorbing oxygen using adsorbent compositions comprising RHO zeolites kinetically selective for oxygen. The RHO zeolites can be used in pressure swing adsorption processes for separating oxygen from oxygen containing streams, such as for, but not limited to, purifying a crude argon feed stream or separating oxygen from an air feed stream.

Disclosed herein are new processes for adsorbing oxygen using adsorbent compositions comprising RHO zeolites kinetically selective for oxygen. The RHO zeolites can be used in pressure swing adsorption processes for separating oxygen from oxygen containing streams, such as for, but not limited to, purifying a crude argon feed stream or separating oxygen from an air feed stream.