Processes for drying gel particles, in particular for producing aerogels, involve providing a suspension containing gel particles and a solvent, introducing the suspension into a column where carbon dioxide flows in countercurrent, and removing dried aerogel particles from the column. The suspension is introduced in the top region of the column and dried aerogel particles are removed in the lower region. Pressure and temperature in the column are set such that the mixture of carbon dioxide and solvent is virtually supercritical or is supercritical. The aerogel particles can be discharged via discharge vessels or continuous decompression. Aerogel particles can be obtained by such a process and the aerogel particles can be used for medical and pharmaceutical applications, as additive or carrier material for additives for foods, as catalyst support, for cosmetic, hygiene, washing and cleaning applications, for production of sensors, for thermal insulation, or as a core material for VIPs.

A fluid discharging nozzle cleaning apparatus includes: a cup in which an inner space, an upper opening which is open to allow a fluid discharging nozzle to enter the inner space, and a lower opening through which a cleaning liquid is discharged from the inner space to an outside are formed; a cleaning liquid discharger configured to discharge the cleaning liquid to the fluid discharging nozzle in a state in which the fluid discharging nozzle is positioned in the inner space of the cup; and a drying gas discharger configured to discharge a drying gas for drying the fluid discharging nozzle after the discharge of the cleaning liquid ends.

A facility for processing CO2 from a high-output CO2 source includes at least one CO2 distribution system having a supply circuit comprising an inlet end connected to the high-output CO2 source for collecting and storing the CO2, and an outlet end; drying means for drying in a CO2 atmosphere, connected to the CO2 distribution system, and configured to process said CO2 thus distributed during a drying operation and comprising storage means connected on the one hand to the outlet end of the supply circuit and on the other hand to the drying means, said storage means being configured to temporarily store the CO2 from the high-output CO2 source for later processing of said CO2.

A facility for processing CO2 from a high-output CO2 source includes at least one CO2 distribution system having a supply circuit comprising an inlet end connected to the high-output CO2 source for collecting and storing the CO2, and an outlet end; drying means for drying in a CO2 atmosphere, connected to the CO2 distribution system, and configured to process said CO2 thus distributed during a drying operation and comprising storage means connected on the one hand to the outlet end of the supply circuit and on the other hand to the drying means, said storage means being configured to temporarily store the CO2 from the high-output CO2 source for later processing of said CO2.