An oxygen production unit is provided. The oxygen production unit, in various embodiments, includes a separation unit configured to separate oxygen from nitrogen in received gaseous particles; a control unit configured to control an amount of the separated oxygen to be released to a user of the oxygen production unit, and a nitrogen release unit configured to facilitate release of the separated nitrogen within oxygen production unit and/or into an environment where the oxygen production unit is located. The oxygen production unit in those embodiments can automatically determine an amount of oxygen to be produced and/or delivered to a user; a control and facilitate release of nitrogen into the environment to enhance safety; to facilitate swapping of nitrogen piece(s) in the oxygen production unit to prolong a lifetime of the oxygen production unit, and/or achieve any other benefits.

A process for separating carbon dioxide from a feed gas comprising carbon dioxide may comprise compressing the feed gas in a feed gas compressor to produce a compressed feed gas. The process may also comprise separating the compressed feed gas by an adsorption process comprising: using a plurality of adsorbent beds to produce a carbon dioxide-enriched product stream and a carbon dioxide-depleted stream, and a blowdown step. A blowdown gas may be removed from the adsorbent bed. The process may also comprise compressing the blowdown gas in the feed gas compressor and combining the blowdown gas with the compressed feed gas.

A binderless zeolite adsorbent for separation of oxygen from a gaseous stream. The adsorbent is a blend of a lithium exchanged zeolite 13X, a lithium exchanged low silica zeolite X zeolite, and halloysite clay. Also disclosed is a process of making the binderless zeolite adsorbent. Further disclosed is a process for production of oxygen from a gaseous stream utilizing the binderless zeolite adsorbent.

Novel methods for pretreating a rare-gas-containing stream exiting an etch chamber followed by recovering the rare gas from the pre-treated, rare-gas containing stream are disclosed. More particularly, the invention relates to the pretreatment and recovery of a rare gas, such as xenon or krypton, from a nitrogen-based exhaust stream with specific gaseous impurities generated during an etch process that is performed as part of a semiconductor fabrication process.

Provided are a hydrogen purification device and a hydrogen purification method whereby hydrogen having a high purity can be purified at a high yield from a starting gas. The hydrogen purification device comprises: a starting gas source that supplies a starting gas, said starting gas containing hydrogen molecules and/or a hydride, to a discharge space; a plasma reactor that defines at least a part of the discharge space; a hydrogen flow channel that is connected to the discharge space; and leads out purified hydrogen from the starting gas source; a hydrogen separation membrane that partitions the discharge space from the hydrogen flow channel defines at least a part of the discharge space by one surface thereof and defines at least a part of the hydrogen flow channel by the other surface thereof; an electrode that is positioned outside the discharge space; and an adsorbent that is filled in the discharge space and adsorbs the starting gas. In the hydrogen purification method according to the present invention, the starting gas is adsorbed by the adsorbent in the discharge space. Hydrogen molecules, which have been desorbed from the adsorbent by discharge, are allowed to penetrate through the hydrogen separation membrane 4 and led out into the hydrogen flow channel.

The present disclosure is directed to a method for making a MER framework type zeolite, a MER framework type zeolite having a stick-like morphology, and processes for the selective separation of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) from multi-component feedstreams containing CO.sub.2 using the zeolite.

Novel methods for pretreating a rare-gas-containing stream exiting an etch chamber followed by recovering the rare gas from the pre-treated, rare-gas containing stream are disclosed. More particularly, the invention relates to the pretreatment and recovery of a rare gas, such as xenon or krypton, from a nitrogen-based exhaust stream with specific gaseous impurities generated during an etch process that is performed as part of a semiconductor fabrication process.

Novel methods for pretreating a rare-gas-containing stream exiting an etch chamber followed by recovering the rare gas from the pre-treated, rare-gas containing stream are disclosed. More particularly, the invention relates to the pretreatment and recovery of a rare gas, such as xenon or krypton, from a nitrogen-based exhaust stream with specific gaseous impurities generated during an etch process that is performed as part of a semiconductor fabrication process.

The present disclosure is directed to a potassium-form MER framework type zeolite, a MER framework type zeolite having a stick-like morphology, wherein the potassium is present as K.sup.+ in extra-framework locations. The zeolite is essentially free of an extra-framework cation other than potassium.

Systems and methods are provided for separating oxygen from air using a sorption/desorption cycle that includes a reduced or minimized difference between the maximum and minimum pressures involved in the sorption/desorption cycle. The reduced or minimized difference in pressures can be achieved in part by using valves that can allow for commercial scale flow rates while avoiding large pressure drops for flows passing through the valves. A rotary wheel adsorbent is an example of a system that can allow for a sorption/desorption cycle with reduced and/or minimized pressure drops across valves associated with the process. Stationary adsorbent beds can also be used in combination with commercially available valves that have reduced and/or minimized pressure drops.