Provided is an apparatus/system for generating a nitrogen-enriched gas reliably and stably using a fuel cell. The nitrogen gas generation apparatus/system comprises: a fuel cell configured to operate by taking in air or a gas containing nitrogen and oxygen, and a fuel gas; and a catalyst combustion mechanism configured to cause an exhaust gas that is extracted from the fuel cell and has a lower oxygen concentration than air to react with the fuel gas on a combustion catalyst, and convert the exhaust gas having a lower oxygen concentration than air into a nitrogen-enriched gas having an increased nitrogen concentration.

Disclosed herein a technique for producing a gas mixture for controlling an oxygen concentration in the interior of a container while reducing the overall weight of the apparatus. For this purpose, a gas mixture supply device is provided for a container refrigeration apparatus. The gas mixture supply device is provided with adsorption columns. If one of the first and second adsorption columns is supplied with air, the adsorption columns are pressurized, and nitrogen in the air is adsorbed onto an adsorbent. If air is sucked from the other of the first and second adsorption columns, the adsorption columns are depressurized, and nitrogen adsorbed onto the adsorbent is desorbed. A gas mixture including the nitrogen desorbed from the adsorbent is supplied to the interior of a container.

A method and device for stepwise pressure-equalized pressure swing adsorption (PSA) gas separation by changing paths. A pressure equalization process is alternately performed between two groups of adsorbers, where one group performing an equalization depressurization (ED) process is an ED adsorber, while the other group performing an equalization repressurization (ER) process simultaneously is an ER adsorber. Each of the adsorbers has a feed port, an intermediate port, and a discharge port. Gas of the ED adsorber flows out through the discharge port and the intermediate port in the ED process. In the ER process, gas flowing out from the discharge port flows through the discharge port and intermediate port, and gas flowing out from the intermediate port flows through the intermediate port and the feed port, or flows in through one of the intermediate port and feed port.

Systems and processes for use of concentric adsorbent beds with rotary valve assemblies are provided.

Process and system for producing an ammonia synthesis gas, the process comprises the steps of: (a) providing a separate stream comprising nitrogen by pressure swing absorption of ambient air; (b) providing a separate stream comprising hydrogen by electrolysis of water and/or steam; (c) combining the separate streams obtained in steps a) and b) into a mixed stream comprising hydrogen and nitrogen; (d) pressurizing the mixed stream from step (c); and (e) removing residual amounts of oxygen further contained in the mixed stream by catalytic hydrogenation of the oxygen with a part of the hydrogen contained in the mixed stream upstream step (d) and/or downstream step (d) and/or during step (d) to produce the ammonia synthesis gas.

Provided is an apparatus/system for generating a nitrogen-enriched gas reliably and stably using a fuel cell. The nitrogen gas generation apparatus/system comprises: a fuel cell configured to operate by taking in air or a gas containing nitrogen and oxygen, and a fuel gas; and a catalyst combustion mechanism configured to cause an exhaust gas that is extracted from the fuel cell and has a lower oxygen concentration than air to react with the fuel gas on a combustion catalyst, and convert the exhaust gas having a lower oxygen concentration than air into a nitrogen-enriched gas having an increased nitrogen concentration.