25521results about "Air quality improvement" patented technology

A photochemical sensing system enables the measurement of nitrogen oxides (nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide) by photolyzing nitrogen dioxide to form oxygen atoms which combine with oxygen molecules to form ozone. Ozone reacts with nitric oxide to for nitrogen dioxide-decreasing ozone. Changes in ozone concentration are measured as a surrogate for the nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide. Any species which photolyzes to yield oxygen atoms may be measured by this technique. Additional specificity for nitrogen oxides is conferred by allowing the nitric oxide to react with the ozone to recreate the nitrogen dioxide. By periodically photolyzing the nitrogen dioxide (to form ozone), and then allowing the resulting nitric oxide to react with the ozone (thereby reducing ozone), a pulsed signal is obtained whose amplitude is proportional to the total amount of nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide present. Medical applications include measuring nitric oxide concentrations in expired air samples.

Systems and methods for controlling a climate control system of a smart-home environment that includes a plurality of smart devices are provided. One method includes detecting, with a hazard detector of the smart devices, a level of carbon monoxide (CO) at the hazard detector that exceeds a threshold CO level at a location of the hazard detector, determining, by one of the smart devices, that the climate control system includes a combustion based heat source, and in response to the detecting and the determination, transmitting, by a system controller of the climate control system, a first signal to turn off at least one aspect of the climate control system.

The present invention is directed to methods for removing carbon dioxide from air, which comprises exposing solvent covered surfaces to air streams where the airflow is kept laminar, or close to the laminar regime. The invention also provides for an apparatus, which is a laminar scrubber, comprising solvent covered surfaces situated such that they can be exposed to air stream. In another aspect, the invention provides a method and apparatus for separating carbon dioxide (CO2) bound in a solvent. The invention is particularly useful in processing hydroxide solvents containing CO2 captured from air.

Certain embodiments and aspects of the present invention relate to photobioreactor apparatus (100) designed to contain a liquid medium (108) comprising at least one species of photosynthetic organism therein, and to methods of using the photobioreactor apparatus (100) as part of a gas-treatment process and system able to at least partially remove certain undesirable pollutants from a gas stream (608). In certain embodiments, the disclosed photobioreactor apparatus (100 can be utilized as part of an integrated combustion method and system, wherein photosynthetic organisms utilized within the photobioreactor (100) at least partially remove certain pollutant compounds contained within combustion gases, e.g. CO2 and / or NOX, and are subsequently harvested from the photobioreactor (100), processed, and utilized as a fuel source for a combustion device (e.g. an electric power plant generator and / or incinerator).

A system for effective NOx and particulate matter control in a diesel or other lean burn internal combustion engine is presented. The system includes a urea-based SCR catalyst having an oxidation catalyst coupled upstream of it and a particulate filter coupled downstream of the SCR catalyst. This system configuration results in improved NOx conversion due to fast SCR catalyst warm-up and higher operating temperatures. Additionally, placing the particulate filter last in this system configuration reduces tailpipe ammonia emissions as well as prevents any thermal damage to the SCR catalyst due to the particulate filter regeneration.

Certain embodiments and aspects of the present invention relate to photobioreactor apparatus designed to contain a liquid medium comprising at least one species of photosynthetic organism therein, and to methods of using the photobioreactor apparatus as part of a hydrogen production process and system configured to generate hydrogen with and / or from biomass produced in the photobioreactor apparatus. In certain embodiments, the disclosed hydrogen production systems and methods, photobioreactor apparatus, methods of using such apparatus, and / or gas treatment systems and methods provided herein can be utilized as part of an integrated combustion and hydrogen production method and system, wherein photosynthetic organisms utilized within the photobioreactor are used to at least partially remove certain pollutant compounds contained within combustion gases, e.g. CO2 and / or NOx, and are subsequently harvested from the photobioreactor, processed, and utilized as a fuel source for generating hydrogen and / or as a fuel source for a combustion device (e.g. an electric power plant generator and / or incinerator).

Apparatus and method for cleaning air. An air cleaner includes a housing that defines an airflow pathway and a catalytic reactor having a catalyst secured on a porous substrate that is disposed transverse to the airflow pathway. Preferably, the catalyst includes a light activated oxidizing photocatalyst or a thermally activated oxidizing catalyst. A photocatalytic reactor will include a light source directed at a light activated oxidizing photocatalyst, such as TiO2 particles or a binary oxide particle species, which is disposed on the porous substrate. Most preferably, a metal catalyst is disposed on the photocatalyst particles at a concentration or loading between about 0.01 wt % and about 5 wt %. The air cleaner may further comprise an adsorption matrix upstream of the catalytic reactor, optionally in combination with a heater. A particulate filter and / or an electrostatic precipitator may also be disposed upstream of the adsorption matrix and the catalytic reactor.

A method of generating energy in a power plant (30) having a gas turbine (29), includes a first step a gas containing air (1) is compressed in a first compressor (2) of the gas turbine (29), a second step the compressed gas (3, 3a, 3b; 5; 7a, 7b) is fed to a combustion process with the addition of fuel (8) in a combustor (23), a third step the hot flue gas (9) from the combustor (23) is expanded in an expander or a turbine (10), driving a generator (18), of the gas turbine (29) while performing work, and a fourth step a partial flow of the expanded flue gas (11) is recirculated to the inlet of the first compressor (2) and admixed with the gas containing air (1). Carbon dioxide (CO2) is separated from the compressed gas (3, 3a, 3b; 5; 7a, 7b) in a CO2 separator (6) before the third step. In such a method, the overall size and energy costs are reduced by virtue of the fact that, to permit increased CO2 concentrations in the CO2 separator (6), not more than about 70% of the carbon dioxide contained in the compressed gas (3, 3a, 3b; 5, 5a, 5b; 7a, 7b) is removed from the compressed gas (3, 3a, 3b; 5, 5a, 5b; 7a, 7b).

New low-cost CO2 sorbents are provided that can be used in large-scale gas-solid processes. A new method is provided for making these sorbents that involves treating substrates with an amine and / or an ether so that the amine and / or ether comprise at least 50 wt. percent of the sorbent. The sorbent acts by capturing compounds contained in gaseous fluids via chemisorption and / or physisorption between the unit layers of the substrate's lattice where the polar amine liquids and solids and / or polar ether liquids and solids are located. The method eliminates the need for high surface area supports and polymeric materials for the preparation of CO2 capture systems, and provides sorbents with absorption capabilities that are independent of the sorbents' surface areas. The sorbents can be regenerated by heating at temperatures in excess of 35° C.

A carbon dioxide separation system includes a compressor for receiving an exhaust gas comprising CO2 and generate a compressed exhaust gas and a separator configured to receive the compressed exhaust gas and generate a CO2 lean stream. The separator includes a first flow path for receiving the compressed exhaust gas, a second flow path for directing a sweep fluid therethrough, and a material with selective permeability of carbon dioxide for separating the first and the second flow paths and for promoting carbon dioxide transport therebetween. The system further includes an expander coupled to the compressor for receiving and expanding the CO2 lean stream to generate power and an expanded CO2 lean stream.

A method and apparatus for extracting CO2 from air comprising an anion exchange material formed in a matrix exposed to a flow of the air, and for delivering that extracted CO2 to controlled environments. The present invention contemplates the extraction of CO2 from air using conventional extraction methods or by using one of the extraction methods disclosed; e.g., humidity swing or electro dialysis. The present invention also provides delivery of the CO2 to greenhouses where increased levels of CO2 will improve conditions for growth. Alternatively, the CO2 is fed to an algae culture.

Integrated systems including a photobioreactor system designed to contain a liquid medium comprising at least one species of phototrophic organism therein, and a facility associated with extracting and / or processing oil extracted from mixtures of oil and solid material, such as an oil sands facility, are described. Processes for using a photobioreactor system as part of a gas-treatment process and system able to at least partially remove certain undesirable pollutants from a byproduct gas stream produced by an oil sands facility are also described. Examples of such pollutants that may be removed include compounds contained within combustion gases, e.g., CO2 and / or NOx. These pollutants processed with the photobioreactor system, and, in some embodiments, biomass produced with the photobioreactor system may be utilized to produce a fuel source (e.g., biodiesel) and cutting stock for further operation of or use in the oil sands facility. Such uses of certain embodiments can provide an efficient means for recycling carbon, thereby reducing CO2 emissions, fuel, and / or cutting stock requirements for a given quantum of energy produced. In addition, in some cases the photobioreactor can be integrated with a holding pond and waste heat from the oil extraction process can be used to maintain the photobioreactor temperature and / or provide energy for other processes. Accordingly, embodiments described herein can improve the overall environmental and economic profile of the oil sands facility.

One aspect of the invention relates to controlling the ammonia feed rate to an SCR reactor using a NOx sensor cross-sensitive to ammonia. The sensor, positioned downstream of the reactor, is interrogated by introducing a pulse in the ammonia feed rate. A positive response to a positive pulse indicates ammonia slip. A negative response to a positive pulse indicates NOx breakthrough. Another aspect of the invention related to a combination of feed-back and feed-forward control. Upon detecting ammonia slip, the controller enters into an ammonia slip recovery mode in which the ammonia feed rate is reduced for a period to restore the reactor's ammonia or NOx buffering capacity. After the recovery period, feed-forward control is restored, optionally with an updated control objective. A further aspect of the invention relates to a learning probabilistic model for feed-forward control trained according to the occurrence or non-occurrence of NOx breakthrough and ammonia slip.

One aspect of the invention relates an exhaust treatment system having an SCR reactor following a NOx adsorber. Syn gas is used to regenerate the NOx adsorber. Another aspect relates to an LNT / SCR provided with an ammonia source separate from the LNT. A further aspect relates to a system comprising first and second LNTs and one or more SCRs downstream of the LNTs. A still further aspect relates to a device comprising first and second NOx adsorbers contained in a single housing. Another aspect relates to coating a surface of a moving part in an exhaust system with an oxidation catalyst to mitigate fouling. Additional aspects of the invention relate to strategies for controlling one or more of the time to initiate a regeneration cycle, the time to terminate a regeneration cycle, and the reductant injection rate during regeneration of LNT / SCR exhaust treatment systems.

Embodiments of nanoelectronic sensors are described, including sensors for detecting analytes such ammonia. An environmental control system employing nanoelectronic sensors is described. A personnel safety system configured as a disposable badge employing nanoelectronic sensors is described. A method of dynamic sampling and exposure of a sensor providing a number of operational advantages is described.

A diesel engine exhaust treatment system and method is provided which utilizes a diesel particulate filter positioned in the exhaust gas stream of a vehicle which includes an SCR catalyst, an ammonia oxidation catalyst, and / or a diesel oxidation catalyst. The system is capable of performing multiple functions including converting NOx to N2, converting HC and CO to H2O and CO2, trapping particulates, and minimizing ammonia emissions. The system is more compact and efficient than prior systems utilizing separate catalyst units, and minimizes backpressure while maximizing catalyst performance.

Use of physical vapor deposition methodologies to deposit nanoscale gold on activating support media makes the use of catalytically active gold dramatically easier and opens the door to significant improvements associated with developing, making, and using gold-based, catalytic systems. The present invention, therefore, relates to novel features, ingredients, and formulations of gold-based, heterogeneous catalyst systems generally comprising nanoscale gold deposited onto a nanoporous support.

A remedial pollution control system for treating volatile organic compounds that may include a vapor concentrator connected to a line that is laden with volatile organic compounds, the concentrator has an organic condensate output line and a vapor output line; a mixing chamber adapted to receive air provided from an air supply line, combustible fuel from an alternate fuel supply line, and a vapor stream from the vapor output line to produce a mixed fuel supplied to an internal combustion engine, a control mixing system with a controller for producing a proper air to fuel ratio in the mixed fuel supply, and power generated to operate other devices used to more efficiently abate volatile organic compounds and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Certain embodiments of the invention involve methods and systems for preselecting, adapting, and preconditioning one or more species of photosynthetic organisms, such as algae, to specific environmental and / or operating conditions to which the photosynthetic organisms will subsequently be exposed during utilization in a photobioreactor apparatus of a gas treatment system. Also disclosed are new algal strains and cultures that can be produced by practicing the preselection, adaption, and preconditioning methods.

Catalysts and catalytic articles for treating exhaust gas streams are described. In one or more embodiments, a catalyst system includes a first zone to abate nitrogen oxides by selective catalytic reduction, a second zone to oxidize ammonia and a third zone to oxidize carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. Methods for treating the exhaust gas stream are also provided. Methods of making and using such catalysts and catalytic articles are also described.

One concept of the inventors relates to a system and method in which a particulate filter comprises at least about 40% by weight of an NOx adsorbant. The filter can be used as both an NOx trap and a particulate filter. By constructing the filter elements using a substantial amount of NOx adsorbant, a large volume of NOx adsorbant can be incorporated into the particulate filter, which substantially reduces the volume and expense of an exhaust system that includes both a catalytic diesel particulate filter and an NOx trap having a large quantity of NOx adsorbant. In a preferred embodiment, the filter also oxidizes NO to NO2. In another preferred embodiment, an SCR catalyst is position downstream of the filter elements.

In an embodiment, a method determines one or more sources of carbon monoxide (CO) in a smart-home environment that includes a plurality of smart devices that have at least measurement and communication capabilities. The method includes measuring a level of CO in the smart-home environment to generate a CO measurement, and providing the CO measurement and one or more current characteristics of the smart-home environment, from one or more of the smart devices to an analyzing device. The method further includes evaluating, by the analyzing device and with the CO measurement and the current characteristics of the smart-home environment, a set of CO correlation scenarios that attribute generation of CO to a corresponding one of a set of specific sources, and selecting one or more of the specific sources as the most likely source of the CO, by aggregating results of the correlation scenarios.

An automobile catalytic converter that utilizes the energy of the exothermic reactions that take place in the catalysis substrate to produce electrical energy with a thermoelectric generator. On vehicle cold start, the thermoelectric generator is used as a heat pump to heat the catalyst substrate to reduce the time to catalyst light-off. In this way, the catalytic converter comes up to operating temperature more rapidly, reducing the amount of pollutant emissions at vehicle start-up.

An exhaust aftertreatment system comprises an injector for injecting urea water into an exhaust duct, and a denitration catalyst disposed downstream of the injector with respect to a flow of exhaust gas. The exhaust aftertreatment system reduces nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas by the denitration catalyst while using ammonia produced from the urea water injected from the injector. The urea water is injected along a direction of the flow of the exhaust gas within the exhaust duct, and a porous plate is disposed in multiple stages in a space of the exhaust duct such that droplets of the injected urea water impinge against the porous plate before reaching a wall surface of the exhaust duct. A surface of the porous plate subjected to the impingement of the droplets is arranged to face downstream with respect to the flow of the exhaust gas. Deposition of the urea water is prevented by causing film boiling when the droplets impinge against the porous plate, and the urea water reflected by the porous plate is uniformly dispersed into the exhaust gas. Thus, the urea water is uniformly dispersed into the exhaust gas without increasing a pressure loss of the exhaust gas. The urea water is prevented from depositing on the wall surface and producing a precipitate in the form of a solid.

A new method for the removal of environmental compounds from gaseous streams, in particular, flue gas streams. The new method involves first oxidizing some or all of the acid anhydrides contained in the gas stream such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O) to sulfur trioxide (SO3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The gas stream is subsequently treated with aqua ammonia or ammonium hydroxide which captures the compounds via chemical absorption through acid-base or neutralization reactions. The products of the reactions can be collected as slurries, dewatered, and dried for use as fertilizers, or once the slurries have been dewatered, used directly as fertilizers. The ammonium hydroxide can be regenerated and recycled for use via thermal decomposition of ammonium bicarbonate, one of the products formed. There are alternative embodiments which entail stoichiometric scrubbing of nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides with subsequent separate scrubbing of carbon dioxide.

Certain embodiments and aspects of the present invention relate to a photobioreactor including covered photobioreactor units through which a liquid medium stream and a gas stream flow. The liquid medium comprises at least one species of phototrophic organism therein. Certain methods of using the photobioreactor system as part of fuel generation system and / or a gas-treatment process or system at least partially remove certain undesirable pollutants from a gas stream. In certain embodiments, a portion of the liquid medium is diverted from a photobioreactor unit and reintroduced upstream of the diversion position. In certain embodiments, the disclosed photobioreactor system, methods of using such systems, and / or gas treatment apparatus and methods provided herein can be used as part of an integrated combustion method and system, wherein photosynthetic organisms used within the photobioreactor are harvested from the photobioreactor, processed, and used as a fuel source for a combustion system such as an electric power plant.

A closed loop system for increasing yield, reducing post process pollution, reducing energy consumed during and after extraction of fuels or contaminants in formations and for sequestering of carbon dioxide C02 from various sources is converted to a critical fluid for use as a flushing and cooling medium. Electrical energy heats a hydrocarbon rich formation resulting in the extraction of hot fluids which are fed to heat exchangers, gas / liquid separator, and steam turbine whereby oil, electric power, carbon dioxide and methane are produced for reuse in the system or for external use. Further, a method for sequestering of carbon dioxide in a formation comprises the steps of injecting CO2 into the reservoir, flushing with cool pressurized CO2 for heat removal, infiltrating with ultra-fine low density suspended catalyst particles of dry sodium hydroxide in CO2, pumping water moistened CO2 into the reservoir to activate the catalysts, binding the CO2 with reacting materials and capping the reservoir.

A process and method for separating CO2 from a gaseous stream such as natural gas. An ionic liquid comprising an anion having a carboxylate function is used as an adsorbent to selectively complex the CO2 yielding a gaseous stream with a greatly reduced CO2 content. The ionic liquid can then be readily be regenerated and recycled.