Separation of gas mixtures utilizing plural sorbent zones in series and parallel

• US 3,306,006 A
• Filed: 03/23/1964
• Issued: 02/28/1967
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1964
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Peter Urban
• Original Assignee: Peter Urban
• Inventors: Urban, Peter
• Application Number:
  US04/354,020
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• US Class Current: 95/97
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/102 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/104 Alumina
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/106 Silica or silicates
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/108 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/116 Molecular sieves other than zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/25 Coated, impregnated or composite adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/308 Pore size
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/1021 Platinum
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/20753 Nickel
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/2092 Aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/30 Silica
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/10 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/12 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/16 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/245 Methane
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/30 Sulfur compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/302 Sulfur oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/304 Hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/306 Organic sulfur compounds, e.g. mercaptans
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/702 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/80 : Water
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40005 : using rotary valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40056 : Gases other than recycled product or process gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40081 : Counter-current
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0407 : Constructional details of adsorbing systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/047 : Pressure swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/06 : with moving adsorbents, e.g. rotating beds B01D53/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/261 : by adsorption

Claims

1. A PROCESS FOR SEPARATING A MIXTURE OF GASES AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH IS SELECTIVELY SORBED BY CONTACT WITH A SORBENT AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER GAS IS RELATIVELY LESS SORBED BY THE SORBENT WHICH COMPRISES:

(1) INTRODUCING A FEED STREAM OF SAID MIXTURE INTO THE FIRST OF THE SERIES OF N DISCRETE SORPTION ZONES EACH CONTAINING SAID SORBENT;

(2) PASSING THE EFFLUENT FROM EACH SORPTION ZONE INTO THE NEXT SUCCEEDING SORPTION ZONE AND WITHDRAWING FROM THE NTH ZONE OF SAID SERIES A RAFFINATE STREAM OF REDUCED SELECTIVELY SORBED GAS CONTENT;

(3) MAINTAINING UNDER LOWER PRESSURE THAN THE SORPTION ZONES A SERIES OF N DISCRETE DEPRESSURIZATION ZONES PARALLEL TO AND SEPARATE FROM SAID SERIES OF SORPTION ZONES, EACH DEPRESSURIZATION ZONE BEING A COUNTERPART OF A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID SORPTION ZONES AND CONTAINING SAID SORBENT HAVING SORBED THEREIN THE SELECTIVELY SORBED GAS AND MINOR AMOUNTS OF LESS SORBED GAS;

(4) DISENGAGING LESS SORBED GAS FROM THE SORBENT IN SAID DEPRESSURIZATION ZONES AND WITHDRAWING LESS SORBED GAS THEREFROM;

(5) INTRODUCING A GASEOUS DESORBENT STREAM INTO THE NTH OF A SERIES OF N DISCRETE DESORPTION ZONES PARALLEL TO AND SEPARATE FROM SAID SERIES OF SORPTION ZONES AND DEPRESSURIZATION ZONES, EACH DESORPTION ZONE BEING A COUNTERPART OF A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID DEPRESSURIZATION ZONES AND CONTAINING SAID SORBENT HAVING SORBED THEREIN THE SELECTIVELY SORBED GAS;

(6) PASSING THE EFFLUENT FROM EACH DESORPTION ZONE INTO THE NEXT PRECEDING DESORPTION ZONE IN COUNTERFLOW RELATIONSHIP TO SAID FEED STREAM AND WITHDRAWING FROM THE FIRST OF SAID SERIES OF DESORPTION ZONES A SORBATE STREAM COMPRISING DESORBENT AND SELECTIVELY SORBED GAS;

AND (7) PERIODICALLY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY INTERCHANGING IN A ROTATING SEQUENCE THE RESPECTIVE COUNTERPART SORPTION, DEPRESSURIZATION AND DESORPTION ZONES WHEREBY EACH DISCRETE MASS OF SORBENT IS REPETITIVELY SUBJECTED TO SORPTION, DEPRESSURIZATION AND DESORPTION CONDITIONS IN THAT ORDER.