초록 ▼

Void space gas is released from an adsorbent bed at a higher adsorption pressure by cocurrent depressurization of the bed. The released gas is passed to another bed of a pressure swing adsorption system to equalize the pressure therebetween, the other bed being initially at a lower pressure. A porti

Void space gas is released from an adsorbent bed at a higher adsorption pressure by cocurrent depressurization of the bed. The released gas is passed to another bed of a pressure swing adsorption system to equalize the pressure therebetween, the other bed being initially at a lower pressure. A portion of the product effluent withdrawn from yet another bed of the system is not passed to the bed undergoing repressurization, as in conventional practice, but is passed to an external repressurization storage tank during said pressure equalization step. Upon completion of this step, the product effluent is withdrawn from the repressurization tank and passed to said bed undergoing repressurization.

대표청구항 ▼

In a pressure swing adsorption process for the selective adsorption of at least one gas component from a feed gas mixture in an adsorption system having at least three adsorbent beds, each of which undergoes, on a cyclic basis, higher pressure adsorption, cocurrent depressurization to intermediate p

In a pressure swing adsorption process for the selective adsorption of at least one gas component from a feed gas mixture in an adsorption system having at least three adsorbent beds, each of which undergoes, on a cyclic basis, higher pressure adsorption, cocurrent depressurization to intermediate pressure with release of void space gas from the bed, countercurrent depressurization to a lower desorption pressure, and repressurization to said higher pressure, and in which the void space gas released from one bed is passed to the product end of another bed initially at a lower pressure to equalize the pressure therebetween, said other bed also being repressurized by a portion of the product eflluent withdrawn from a bed undergoing adsorption at said higher pressure, the improvement comprising: (a) introducing released void space gas to be used for said pressure equalization purposes directly into the bed undergoing repressurization to equalize the pressure between the beds at an intermediate pressure; (b) simultaneously passing a portion of the product effluent withdrawn from a bed undergoing adsorption at said higher pressure to an external repressurization storage tank; and (c) upon completion of said pressure equalization, passing said gas from said repressurization storage tank to said bed undergoing repressurization, together with an additional portion of product effluent withdrawn from a bed undergoing adsorption at said higher pressure, whereby product recovery is enhanced without discontinuity in the substantially uniform flow of product effluent from the adsorption system.