Provided is an oxygen concentration device which, as an oxygen concentration device having a reduced difference in flow rates of gas which flows through a pressure equalization valve of a pressure equalization path during a purge step and a pressure equalization step, is provided at at least one end side of the pressure equalization valve with a pressure control member having a difference in pressure loss due to the direction of gas flow so that pressure loss of the gas which flows through the pressure equalization path in one direction becomes nearly equal to that of the gas which flows therethrough in the opposite direction.

The present invention relates to spherical agglomerates based on zeolite(s) and clay(s), having controlled size and morphology, in particular a size of less than or equal to 600 μm, very good sphericity, and a high content of zeolitic material, to the process for the production thereof. These agglomerates are particularly suitable for uses in gas-phase and/or liquid-phase adsorption processes.

Disclosed is a photocatalyst, and methods for its use, that includes a photoactive material comprising a photonic band gap and an electronic band gap, wherein the photonic band gap at least partially overlaps with the electronic band gap, and an electrically conductive material deposited on the photoactive material.

A system and method are provided in at least one embodiment to process water to produce gas that can be separated into at least two gas flows using a water treatment system having a disk-pack rotating in it to cause out gassing from the water. In a further embodiment, the method and system use the gas released from the water to produce substantially fresh water from the processed salt water.

A system for sanitizing and deodorizing garbage chutes using methane sensors in the trash chute that includes an ozone generating unit at the bottom of the trash chute. The system can include an ozone sensor as a safety device to ensure that ozone levels do not surpass a predetermined amount. The present invention works with a controller that controls the ozone generator based on a schedule program for a predetermined time of day. The present invention in an embodiment can include a plurality of additional sensors such as airflow detectors, occupancy detectors and the like.

A system for sanitizing and deodorizing garbage chutes using methane sensors in the trash chute that includes an ozone generating unit at the bottom of the trash chute. The system can include an ozone sensor as a safety device to ensure that ozone levels do not surpass a predetermined amount. The present invention works with a controller that controls the ozone generator based on a schedule program for a predetermined time of day. The present invention in an embodiment can include a plurality of additional sensors such as airflow detectors, occupancy detectors and the like.

Provided is a method of separating carbon and oxygen isotopes by using a laser. In one preferred embodiment, the method includes performing a photolysis process on formaldehyde including a carbon or oxygen isotope by irradiation with ultraviolet light having a wavelength ranging from 340 nm to 360 nm to generate carbon monoxide having a carbon or oxygen isotope enriched therein and hydrogen, performing a catalytic reaction on the carbon monoxide having a carbon or oxygen isotope enriched therein and the hydrogen to synthesize carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and water (H.sub.2O) having a carbon or oxygen isotope enriched therein, and cooling the H.sub.2O to recover CO.sub.2 having a carbon isotope enriched therein or H.sub.2O having an oxygen isotope enriched therein.

The present disclosure describes material surface treatment systems and methods that employ a byproduct treatment system to receive a byproduct generated by application of a plasma, the byproduct treatment system configured to degrade the byproduct and exhaust the degraded byproduct from the material surface treatment. The disclosed byproduct treatment system modifies the byproduct prior to evacuation from the material treatment system in order to reduce or eliminate byproduct contamination into the surrounding atmosphere.

The present invention provides: an electrode-supporting type of gas-separation membrane module for selectively effecting the passage of a gas via an electron exchange reaction due to a coupling-material layer and gas exchange via an ion-conducting separation layer; a tubular structure of same; a production method for the tubular structure; and a hydrocarbon-reforming method using the gas-separation membrane module. The present invention is advantageous in that outstanding chemical and mechanical durability can be ensured by using a fluorite-based ion-conducting membrane which is chemically stable in CO2 and H2O atmospheres in particular, at high temperature, and in that a pure gas can be produced inexpensively since the passage of gas occurs due to an internal circuit even without applying a voltage from the outside.

Disclosed are a method and a membrane module for the separation of oxygen from air during biomass gasification. The method comprises employing a membrane module as disclosed herein and using gas exiting the membrane module to heat incoming fresh air, more than 50% of heat energy contained in the gas exiting the membrane module being utilized to preheat the fresh air. The fresh air is further heated to a temperature of from 800° C. to 900° C. by directly feeding combustion gas or synthesis gas from the biomass gasification into a combustion space of the membrane module.