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A valve assembly for use in a gas purification system having a plurality of vessels each having a first port opening and a second port opening. The gas purification system includes a first valve element having a first aperture to selectively connect a first port opening of a vessel to an outlet of t

A valve assembly for use in a gas purification system having a plurality of vessels each having a first port opening and a second port opening. The gas purification system includes a first valve element having a first aperture to selectively connect a first port opening of a vessel to an outlet of the first valve element. The gas purification system also includes a second valve element having a second aperture to selectively connect a second port opening of a vessel to an input of the second valve element. Also provided are a motor adapted to rotate continuously and a converting mechanism that converts continuous movement of the motor into intermittent movement. The first and second valve elements are intermittently moved by the motor and the converting mechanism such that the intermittent movement changes the vessel connected to the second aperture and the vessel connected to the first aperture.

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1. A method of handling a fluid in a gas purification system including a plurality of vessels selectively connected to apertures of a first valve element, comprising the steps of:(i) positioning said first valve element in a first position to remove a product fluid from a first port opening of a fir

1. A method of handling a fluid in a gas purification system including a plurality of vessels selectively connected to apertures of a first valve element, comprising the steps of:(i) positioning said first valve element in a first position to remove a product fluid from a first port opening of a first one of said plurality of vessels; (ii) moving said first valve element by intermittent rotation to a second position to depressurize said first vessel in a first direction; (iii) moving said first valve element by intermittent rotation to a third position to depressurize said first vessel in a second direction, said second direction being directly opposite to said first direction; (iv) moving said first valve element by intermittent rotation to a fourth position to purge impurities from said first vessel; and (v) moving said first valve element by intermittent rotation to a fifth position to repressurize said first vessel. 2. The method of claim 1, said step (i) comprising the step of:removing impurities from a feed fluid to create said product fluid. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:converting a continuous movement of a motor to an intermittent rotation for moving said first valve element to each of said second, third, fourth, and fifth positions. 4. The method of claim 1, said step (iv) comprising the step of:purging said impurities from said first vessel with a product fluid transferred from a second one of said plurality of vessels via a first passageway of said first valve element, said first valve element being positioned at said second position with respect to said second vessel. 5. The method of claim 4, said step (v) comprising the step of:repressurizing said first vessel with product fluids transferred from third and fourth ones of said plurality of vessels respectively via second and third passageways of said first valve element, said first valve element being positioned at said first position with respect to said third vessel and at said second position with respect to said fourth vessel. 6. The method of claim 5, said step (v) comprising the step of:controlling a flow of said product fluid within said third passageway with a check valve. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (i) comprises the step of:positioning a second valve element at said first position to provide said feed fluid to a second port opening of said first vessel. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein step (iii) comprises the step of:positioning said second valve element at said third position to remove an initial tail fluid from said second port opening of said first vessel. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein step (iv) comprises the step of:positioning said second valve element at said fourth position to remove a purged tail fluid from said second port opening of said first vessel. 10. A valve assembly for a gas purification system in which the gas purification system includes a plurality of vessels each having a first port opening and a second port opening, the valve assembly comprising:a motor adapted to rotate continuously; a converting mechanism that converts continuous movement of said motor into intermittent movement; a first valve element having a first aperture to selectively connect a first port opening of one of said plurality of vessels to an outlet of the first valve element, said first valve element further including a first passageway for selectively interconnecting first port openings of a pair of said plurality of vessels, wherein said first valve element is intermittently moved by said motor and said converting mechanism such that each intermittent movement changes the vessel connected to said first aperture and changes the pair of vessels connected by said first passageway; and a second valve element having a second aperture to selectively connect a second port opening of one of said plurality of vessels to an input of the second valve element, wherein said second valve element is intermittently moved by said motor and said converting mechanism such that each intermittent movement changes the vessel connected to said second aperture. 11. The valve assembly of claim 10, wherein said first aperture and said second aperture are concurrently connected to a first port opening and a second port opening, respectively, of a same one of said plurality of vessels.12. The valve assembly of claim 10, further comprising:a flow control member arranged to control a fluid flow within said first passageway. 13. The valve assembly of claim 10, wherein said second valve element comprises:a third aperture to selectively connect a second port opening of another one of said plurality of vessels to an output of the second valve element, wherein each intermittent movement of said motor and said converting mechanism changes the vessel connected to said third aperture. 14. A valve element comprising:a first disc including two holes; a second disc positioned adjacent to said first disc, said second disc including, two apertures arranged to align with said two holes, and a first passageway arranged to allow fluid communication between said two apertures; and a driving unit arranged to rotate said second disc relative to said first disc in an intermittent manner such that a positional relationship between said two holes and said two apertures is changed. 15. The valve element of claim 14, further comprising:a flow control member arranged to control a fluid flow within said first passageway. 16. The valve element of claim 14, wherein said driving unit is arranged to rotate said second disc in an intermittent manner such that one of said two apertures is rotated from one of said two holes to another one of said two holes.17. The valve element of claim 14, wherein said driving unit comprises:a motor arranged to produce continuous rotational movement; and a converting mechanism arranged to translate said continuous rotational movement into an intermittent rotation. 18. The valve element of claim 14, wherein,said first disc includes five holes including said two holes, and said second disc includes five apertures including said two apertures, said five apertures including a first aperture, a second aperture, a third aperture, a fourth aperture, and a fifth aperture respectively arranged to align with said five holes. 19. The valve element of claim 18, wherein,said first and fifth apertures are connected by a second passageway, said second and fourth apertures are connected by a third passageway, and said two apertures correspond to said second aperture and said fifth aperture. 20. The valve element of claim 19, further comprising:adjusting components arranged to vary a fluid flow rate within said second and third passageways. 21. The valve element of claim 14, wherein,said first disc is positioned between said driving unit and said second disc, said first disc includes a center hole, and said driving unit is rotatably connected to said second disc via a shaft positioned in said center hole. 22. The valve element of claim 14, further comprising:sealing components positioned between said first and second discs, said sealing components being arranged to maintain a fluid seal between said first and second discs during an intermittent rotation between said first and second discs. 23. A fluid treatment system comprising:a plurality of vessels each having a first port opening and a second port opening; a first valve element having a first aperture to selectively connect a first port opening of one of said plurality of vessels to an outlet of the first valve element; a second valve element having a second aperture to selectively connect a second port opening of one of said plurality of vessels to an input of the second valve element; a motor adapted to rotate continuously; and a converting mechanism that converts continuous movement of said motor into intermittent movement, wherein said first and second valve elements are intermittently moved by said motor and said converting mechanism such that the intermittent movement changes the vessel connected to said second aperture and the vessel connected to said first aperture. 24. The fluid treatment system of claim 5, wherein,said first and second valve elements are connected by a rod, and said plurality of vessels are positioned on different sides of said rod and between said first and second valve elements. 25. The fluid treatment system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the plurality of vessels includes adsorbent material.26. The fluid treatment system of claim 23, wherein each of said first and second valve elements is cylindrically shaped.27. A valve assembly for a gas purification system in which the gas purification system includes a plurality of vessels each having a first port opening and a second port opening, the valve assembly comprising:a first valve element having first through fifth apertures arranged in a circular manner on a first surface of said first valve element, wherein, said first aperture is arranged to selectively connect a first port opening of one of said plurality of vessels to an outlet of the first valve element, said outlet being positioned on a second surface of said first valve element, said fourth aperture is connected to said second aperture by a first passageway, and said fifth aperture is connected to said first aperture by a second passageway and to said second aperture by a third passageway; a second valve element having sixth through eighth apertures on a first surface of said second valve, wherein, said sixth aperture is arranged to selectively connect a second port opening of said one of said plurality of vessels to an input of the second valve element, said input being positioned on a second surface of said second valve element, and said seventh and eighth apertures are arranged to selectively and respectively connect second ports of two of said plurality of vessels to two outlets positioned on a third surface of said second valve element. 28. The valve assembly of claim 27, wherein said first and second valve elements are rotatable relative to said plurality of vessels.29. The valve assembly of claim 27, whereinsaid first and second valve elements are connected by a rod, and said plurality of vessels is arranged on different sides said rod. 30. The valve assembly of claim 27, further comprising:a flow control member adapted to control a fluid flow within said third passageway.