An integrated system for capturing carbon dioxide and sulfur oxides from a flue gas stream comprising a desulfurization chamber to remove sulfur-type pollutants and a carbon dioxide capture system in fluid communication with the desulfurization chamber; where the carbon dioxide capture system is operative to absorb carbon dioxide from the flue gas stream.

A process for altering the composition of a feed gas containing H.sub.2S equivalents is disclosed. The process comprises (a) contacting the feed gas with a solid adsorbent at a temperature of 250-500° C., to obtain a loaded adsorbent, (b) purging the loaded adsorbent with a purge gas comprising steam, thus producing a product stream which typically contains substantially equal levels of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2S. The process further comprises a step (c) of regenerating the purged adsorbent by removal of water. The adsorbent comprises alumina and one or more alkali metals, such as potassium oxides, hydroxide or the like.

Systems, devices and methods for submarine CO.sub.2 scrubbing are disclosed. The system may comprise an assembly including a sorbent, a scrubbing inlet configured to receive a first airflow during an adsorption mode. The first airflow may comprise air received from a cabin of a submarine. The assembly may be configured to flow the first airflow over and/or through the sorbent during the adsorption mode such that the sorbent removes a portion of CO.sub.2 entrained in the first airflow. The system may also include a scrubbing outlet configured to expel the scrubbed first airflow from the assembly into the cabin. The system may include an outside air inlet configured to receive a second airflow comprising outside air during a regeneration mode. The system may include a regeneration air outlet in configured to expel the second airflow after the second airflow has flowed over and/or through the sorbent during the regeneration mode.

A material for moisture removal and/or water harvesting from air may include a hydrophilic material containing micropores and a low water activity material confined within the micropores of the hydrophilic material. Apparatuses containing such materials and methods for moisture removal and/or water harvesting from air by using such materials are also described.

The present invention relates to a copolymer containing a constitutional unit derived from acrylic acid cesium salt or acrylic acid rubidium salt and a constitutional unit derived from vinyl alcohol, a resin composition containing the copolymer, a carbon dioxide gas separation membrane which can be manufactured with the resin composition, a carbon dioxide gas separation membrane module having the separation membrane, and a carbon dioxide gas separation apparatus including at least one type of the module.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a process of sequestering carbon dioxide. The process comprises the steps of: (a) reacting a metal silicate with a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide to produce a hydroxide of the metal formerly contained in the silicate; (b) reacting carbon dioxide with at least one of a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide and an alkali-metal silicate to produce at least one of an alkali-metal carbonate and an alkali-metal bicarbonate; and (c) reacting the metal hydroxide product of step (a) with at least one of the alkali-metal carbonate and the alkali-metal bicarbonate produced in step (b) to produce a carbonate of the metal formerly contained in the metal silicate of step (a).

There is provided an exhaust gas processing apparatus which improves the removal rate of harmful substances and also achieves a compact size. An exhaust gas processing apparatus (10) absorbing gas by creating contact between gas and liquid includes: an absorbing tower main body (11) in which an internal space is formed; a spray apparatus (12) which sprays liquid in a prescribed region in an up/down direction of the internal space; and a gas supply apparatus (13) which introduces gas into the absorbing tower main body (11), wherein the spray apparatus (12) includes: a trunk pipe (12b) which extends in the up/down direction in the prescribed region of the internal space; branch pipes (12c) which are connected to the trunk pipe (12b) and extend towards the inner wall of the absorbing tower main body (11); and spray nozzles (12d) which spray liquid supplied from the branch pipes (12c), wherein the spray nozzles (12d) are installed such that an angle formed between the center line of the spraying region of the spray nozzle (12d), and the lengthwise direction of the branch pipe (12c) is an acute angle.

A system for absorbing and separating acid gases may include an absorbing tower in which a gas containing an acid gas is supplied, a recycling tower that is disposed close to the absorbing tower, an absorbent that absorbs an acid gas in the absorbing tower and discharges the acid gas back to the recycling tower while circulating through the absorbing tower and the recycling tower, and a condenser that is connected to the recycling tower and condenses an acid gas produced in the recycling tower, wherein a centrifugal separator that separates the absorbent, using a centrifugal force, is disposed at a lower portion in the absorbing tower.

Methods for treating an industrial byproduct, such as spent, granular, activated carbon, dredge spoils, or contaminated soils involve integrated steps to clean, concentrate, separate and/or otherwise collect hazardous and/or desired materials from such industrial byproducts. The cleaned, concentrated, separated, or collected materials may involve sufficient quantities to be useful to subsequent processors, raw materials, additives, and the like. Other treatment methods involve retaining the clean material stream at sufficient temperatures for sufficient time to separate and concentrate desired material for recovery therefrom, such as precious metals and rare earth elements.

The present invention relates to a process and plant for removing acid gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur containing compounds and nitrogen containing compounds from gas streams including high and low pressure gas streams. A solvent solution containing alkali carbonates absorbs the acid gases including carbon dioxide and either one or both of sulphur and/or nitrogen containing compounds. The bicarbonate is regenerated into a carbonate form to provide a gas stream rich in carbon dioxide, and sulphur and/or nitrogen containing compounds are recovered.