초록 ▼

A feed gas stream is separated by the use of one or more permeable membranes for bulk separation and for residual product gas recovery, in combination with a pressure swing adsorption process for the recovery of high purity product gas, e.g., hydrogen from mixtures thereof with methane. Waste gas fr

A feed gas stream is separated by the use of one or more permeable membranes for bulk separation and for residual product gas recovery, in combination with a pressure swing adsorption process for the recovery of high purity product gas, e.g., hydrogen from mixtures thereof with methane. Waste gas from the PSA system is passed to one or more of such permeable membranes for enhanced product recovery, the recovery levels achieved being advantageously reconciled with the corresponding compression and other cost factors pertaining to the overall process for the production of such high purity product gas.

대표청구항 ▼

A process for the enhanced separation of gases comprising: (a) contacting a feed gas stream at an elevated pressure with a permeable membrane capable of selectively permeating a first component thereof, thereby obtaining a first component enriched, second component depleted permeate portion of said

A process for the enhanced separation of gases comprising: (a) contacting a feed gas stream at an elevated pressure with a permeable membrane capable of selectively permeating a first component thereof, thereby obtaining a first component enriched, second component depleted permeate portion of said feed stream at a reduced pressure, and a second component enriched, first component depleted non-permeate portion of said feed stream essentially at said elevated pressure; (b) withdrawing said non-permeate gas from the permeable membrane; (c) passing said permeate gas to a feed end of an adsorbent bed in a pressure swing adsorption system capable of selectively adsorbing additional amounts of said second component therefrom at an upper adsorption pressure, with unadsorbed, purified first component gas being withdrawn as a high purity gas from a product end of the bed; (d) countercurrently depressurizing the bed to a lower desorption pressure and/or purging said bed to desorb and release a first and second component-containing regeneration stream from the feed end of the bed; and (e) recycling at least a first portion of said regeneration stream for combination with additional quantities of the feed gas stream, whereby the separation of the first component is achieved at a high purity and desirable recovery levels, with said second component being available at a desirably high pressure level.