Pressure swing adsorption process
First Claim
1. In a pressure swing adsorption process for the selective adsorption of at least one gaseous component from a feed gas mixture comprising conducting the mixture in cyclic alternation through at least three adsorbers, each of said at least three adsorbers passing through a switching cycle in staggered fashion with respect to one another, said switching cycle including (a) an adsorption phase wherein said feed gas mixture is introduced at an elevated inlet pressure into an adsorber, said at least one gaseous component is adsorbed, and unadsorbed product gas is withdrawn from the adsorber;
- (b) a cocurrent expansion phase, after termination of said adsorption phase, during which the adsorber is regenerated by being depressurized to form an expansion gas which is passed on at least in part to other adsorbers for partial repressurization thereof; and
(c) a pressurization phase during which the adsorber is subsequently repressurized to said inlet pressure, the improvement comprising each of said adsorbers being divided into a first adsorber section and a second adsorber section, said first and second adsorber sections being connected in series, and during said adsorption phase said feed gas mixture being respectively conducted through said first and second adsorber sections, said adsorber sections being isolated from each other after said cocurrent expansion phase and said first adsorber section being subjected to further depressurization while said second adsorber section is maintained at a higher pressure.
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Abstract
A pressure swing adsorption process for the selective adsorption of at least one gaseous component from a gaseous mixture and an apparatus for performing the process wherein the gaseous mixture is conducted in cyclic alternation through at least three adsorbers and each adsorber is subdivided into two serially connected adsorber sections. The feed gas mixture is passed, during an adsorption phase, through respectively two series-connected adsorber sections. After termination of at least one cocurrent expansion phase, the adsorber sections are isolated from each other, and the first adsorber section, i.e., first traversed by the feed gas mixture, is further expanded while the second adsorber section is maintained at a higher pressure. Thereafter, the second adsorber section can be expanded countercurrently and thus-withdrawn countercurrent expansion gas can be utilized for purging the first adsorber section.
38 Citations
28 Claims
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1. In a pressure swing adsorption process for the selective adsorption of at least one gaseous component from a feed gas mixture comprising conducting the mixture in cyclic alternation through at least three adsorbers, each of said at least three adsorbers passing through a switching cycle in staggered fashion with respect to one another, said switching cycle including (a) an adsorption phase wherein said feed gas mixture is introduced at an elevated inlet pressure into an adsorber, said at least one gaseous component is adsorbed, and unadsorbed product gas is withdrawn from the adsorber;
- (b) a cocurrent expansion phase, after termination of said adsorption phase, during which the adsorber is regenerated by being depressurized to form an expansion gas which is passed on at least in part to other adsorbers for partial repressurization thereof; and
(c) a pressurization phase during which the adsorber is subsequently repressurized to said inlet pressure, the improvement comprising each of said adsorbers being divided into a first adsorber section and a second adsorber section, said first and second adsorber sections being connected in series, and during said adsorption phase said feed gas mixture being respectively conducted through said first and second adsorber sections, said adsorber sections being isolated from each other after said cocurrent expansion phase and said first adsorber section being subjected to further depressurization while said second adsorber section is maintained at a higher pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
- (b) a cocurrent expansion phase, after termination of said adsorption phase, during which the adsorber is regenerated by being depressurized to form an expansion gas which is passed on at least in part to other adsorbers for partial repressurization thereof; and
- 27. In an apparatus for conducting a pressure swing adsorption process comprising at least three adsorbers, each of said adsorbers being connected by means of valves to a feed gas supply conduit, a discharge conduit for unadsorbed gas, a residual gas conduit, and at least one pressure equalization conduit, and a program control unit for controlling the operation of said valves, the improvement wherein each adsorber is subdivided into a first adsorber section and a second adsorber, said first and second adsorber sections being connected in series, and a regulating valve is arranged between said first and second adsorber sections, the position of said regulating valve being controlled by said program control unit in dependence on signals sent to said program control unit from a pressure measuring means associated with said second adsorber section.
Specification