Apparatus for Decoupled Thermo-Photocatalytic Pollution Control (DIV)

A new method for design and scale-up of photocatalytic and thermocatalytic processes is disclosed. The method is based on optimizing photoprocess energetics by decoupling of the process energy efficiency from the DRE for target contaminants. The technique is applicable to photo-thermocatalytic reactor design and scale-up. At low irradiance levels, the method is based on the implementation of low pressure drop biopolymeric and synthetic polymeric support for titanium dioxide and other band-gap media. At high irradiance levels, the method utilizes multifunctional metal oxide aerogels and other media within a novel rotating fluidized particle bed reactor

Apparatus and method for separating oxygen from air

A process and apparatus for separating and concentrating breathing-grade oxygen, that is therapeutically equivalent to 100% pure oxygen, from ambient air is provided. The oxygen concentrating process employed in the method of the invention is implemented in a housing having a main chamber. A solid anion conducting membrane is situated in the main chamber so as to divide the chamber into separate first and second reaction chambers. Electrocatalytically active cathodic and anodic electrodes are situated on the respective opposed surfaces of the membrane. A direct current source is coupled between the cathodic and anodic electrodes such that when ambient air is provided to the cathodic electrode, therapeutically pure and moist oxygen is produced at the anodic electrode by electrolytic action of hydroxyl ions passing through the solid membrane. The oxygen concentrator advantageously operates at room temperature making it well suited for production of therapeutic oxygen especially for appl

Apparatus for Low Flux Photocatalytic Pollution Control

A new apparatus for design and scale-up of photocatalytic and thermocatalytic processes is disclosed. The apparatus is based on optimizing photoprocess energetics by decoupling of the process energy efficiency from the DRE for target contaminants and is applicable to both low- and high-flux photoreactor design and scale-up. The low-flux apparatus is based on the implementation of natural biopolymeric and other low-pressure drop media support for titanium dioxide and other band-gap photocatalysts and is further based on the implementation of multifunctional metal oxide aerogels and other media in conjunction with a novel rotating fluidized particle bed reactor

Catalytic dehydrogenation of amine borane complexes

A method of generating hydrogen includes the steps of providing an amine borane (AB) complex, at least one hydrogen generation catalyst, and a solvent, and mixing these components. Hydrogen is generated. The hydrogen produced is high purity hydrogen suitable for PEM fuel cells. A hydrolytic in-situ hydrogen generator includes a first compartment that contains an amine borane (AB) complex, a second container including at least one hydrogen generation catalyst, wherein the first or second compartment includes water or other hydroxyl group containing solvent. A connecting network permits mixing contents in the first compartment with contents in the second compartment, wherein high purity hydrogen is generated upon mixing. At least one flow controller is provided for controlling a flow rate of the catalyst or AB complex

Paper Session III-A - Electrolytic Oxygen Enrichment Using Supernoxide Ion in a Solid Polymer Membrane Electrolyte

Electrochemical cells are among the technologies under consideration for gaseous oxygen concentration or enrichment in both aerospace and civilian applications. Current electrochemical technology involves the electro-reduction of molecular oxygen, O2, to water at one electrode, and the electro-oxidation of water to oxygen at the other. In terms of the overall chemical mechanism, this is a 4-electron, 4-proton process. From an economic point of view, one would like to use as little energy as possible to effect oxygen transport. The simplest possible mechanistic scenario would be if the O-, reduction product is the superoxide ion, O2~, involving only a single electron exchange: O2 + e = O 2 Superoxide anion can be produced electrochemically via reduction of O 2 in an organic aprotic solvent, such as dimethyl formamide or acetonitrile. Moreover, production of superoxide via electrolysis is electrochemically reversible (i.e., the forward and reverse reaction is so rapid that it proceeds under diffusion control near the thermodynamic potential). Considerable energy savings may be realized if electrochemical O, transport could be performed using superoxide ion

Method of Photocatalytic Destruction of Harmful Volatile Compounds at Emitting Surfaces

Methods of destroying toxic volatile air-borne toxins are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a piece of formaldehyde laden wood substrate such as paneling or furniture is treated with a TiO.sub.2 solution to form a thin and translucent veneer on the surface. This layer acts like a membrane preventing outward transport of formaldehyde and other harmful compounds produced by weatherization and natural degradation of the substrate. In a prefered embodiment the photocatalytic destruction of formaldehyde is achieved. Other toxins destroyed include terpenes and other types of toxic volatile organic compounds(VOCs). While the prefered embodiment is applied to wood based supports such as paneling and furniture, the invention has applicability for other surfaces such as caskets and roof shingles. For example, the TiO.sub.2 coating can be used on flexible paper type face masks in order to destroy air-borne toxic compounds such as formaldehyde and the like that are used in medical environment

Nanocomposite for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production and Method for its Preparation

Methods and systems for reproducible technology for the synthesis of a non platinum based palladium-chromium oxide (Pd-Cr203) loaded cadmium sulfide (CdS) photocatalyst (Pd-Cr203/CdS) for solar photocatalytic hydrogen production via an aqueous ammonium sulfite ((NH4)2SO3) solution. This process is one of the important steps in solar driven photo/thermochemical water splitting cycles. The catalyst preparation follows two steps: Firstly, palladium chloride (PdC12) was used as a precursor that was reduced with sodium borohydride (NaBH4) for the preparation of nanosized palladium metal colloid. Secondly, 0.5g of CdS semiconductor powder was 10 added into the Pd colloid to immobilize Pd-Cr203 nanoparticles onto the surface of CdS forming co-catalyst loaded CdS photocatalyst. Results show that the activity of PdICdS is significantly enhanced by Pd and Cr203 nanocomposites loaded Pd-Cr203/CdS photocatalyst

Solar metal sulfate-ammonia based thermochemical water splitting cycle for hydrogen production.

Two classes of hybrid/thermochemical water splitting processes for the production of hydrogen and oxygen have been proposed based on (1) metal sulfate - ammonia cycles (2)metal pyrosulfate - ammonia cycles. Methods and systems for a metal sulfate MS04 - NH3 cycle for producing H2 and 0 2 from a closed system including feeding an aqueous (NH3)4SO3 solution into a photocatalytic reactor to oxidize the aqueous (NH3)4SO3 into aqueous(NH3)2S04 and reduce water to hydrogen, mixing the resulting aqueous (NH3)2S04 with metal oxide (e.g. ZnO) to form a slurry, heating the slurry of aqueous (NH4)2S04 and ZnO(s)in the low temperature reactor to produce a gaseous mixture of NHs and H20 and solid 10 ZnS04(s), heating solid ZnS04 at a high temperature reactor to produce a gaseous mixture of SO2 and 0 2 and solid product ZnO, mixing the gaseous mixture of SO2 and 02 with an NH3 and H20 stream in an absorber to form aqueous (NH4)2SO3 solution and separate O2 for aqueous solution, recycling the result

Apparatus and Method for Photocatalytic Conditioning of Flue Gas Fly-Ash Particles

A process for the in-situ transformation of chemical species present in the flue gas to form sulfur trioxide, wherein the fly-ash particles are conditioned by altering their surface electrical properties. More specifically, the subject invention is concerned with fly ash conditioning using plural lamps located at specific positions in a specific arrangements most advantageous to the chemical conversion that would take place. The novel invention conditions flue gas emissions by treating the flue gas with SO.sub.3, where the SO.sub.3 is generated in the flue gas by photocatalytic conversion of SO.sub.2 using selectively spaced and arranged ultra violet light emitting lamps and related automated components. A preferred embodiment of the invention describes the novel process with a large-scale flue gas emission plant having an electrostatic precipitator(ESP) and flue gas stack where a novel feedback control system operates the various UV lamps by measuring power output of the ESP and an o

Photocatalytic Face Mask

Methods of destroying toxic volatile air-borne toxins are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a piece of formaldehyde laden substrate(wood) such as paneling and furniture is treated with TiO.sub.2 solution to form a thin and translucent veneer on the surface. This layer acts like a membrane preventing outward transport of formaldehyde and other harmful compounds produced by weatherization and natural degradation of the substrate. In a prefered embodiment the photocatalytic destruction of formaldehyde is achieved. Other toxins destroyed include terpenes and other types of toxic volatile organic compounds(VOCs). While the prefered embodiment is applied to wood based supports such as paneling and furniture, the invention has applicability for other surfaces such as caskets and roof shingles. For example, the TiO.sub.2 coating can be used on flexible paper type face masks in order to destroy air-borne toxic compounds such as formaldehyde and the like that are used in medical environment