초록 ▼

A pressure swing adsorption method for separating gas components includes pressurizing an adsorption bed to an adsorption pressure using a first gas component of a feed gas, the adsorption bed including an adsorbent for substantially adsorbing a second gas component of a feed gas; introducing the fe

A pressure swing adsorption method for separating gas components includes pressurizing an adsorption bed to an adsorption pressure using a first gas component of a feed gas, the adsorption bed including an adsorbent for substantially adsorbing a second gas component of a feed gas; introducing the feed gas to the pressurized adsorption bed, wherein the first gas component of the feed gas substantially passes through the pressurized adsorption bed and the second gas component of the feed gas substantially adsorbs onto the adsorbent; and depressurizing the pressurized adsorption bed to recover at least a portion of the second gas component of the feed gas in the pressurized adsorption bed.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A pressure swing adsorption method for separating gas components, comprising: pressurizing an adsorption bed to an adsorption pressure using a first gas component of a feed gas, the adsorption bed including an adsorbent for substantially adsorbing a second gas component of a

What is claimed is: 1. A pressure swing adsorption method for separating gas components, comprising: pressurizing an adsorption bed to an adsorption pressure using a first gas component of a feed gas, the adsorption bed including an adsorbent for substantially adsorbing a second gas component of a feed gas; introducing the feed gas to the pressurized adsorption bed, wherein the first gas component of the feed gas substantially passes through the pressurized adsorption bed and the second gas component of the feed gas substantially adsorbs onto the adsorbent; terminating the introducing of the feed gas to the pressurized adsorption bed and thereafter introducing the second gas component of the feed gas to the pressurized adsorption bed to recover the feed gas in the pressurized adsorption bed; introducing the recovered feed gas to a second adsorption bed already pressurized to the adsorption pressure, wherein the first gas component of the recovered feed gas substantially passes through the second adsorption bed and the second gas component of the recovered feed gas substantially adsorbs onto a second adsorbent in the second adsorption bed; and depressurizing the pressurized adsorption bed to recover at least a portion of the second gas component of the feed gas in the pressurized adsorption bed. 2. The pressure swing adsorption method of claim 1, further comprising: after the first gas component of the feed gas substantially passes through the pressurized adsorption bed, introducing the first gas component of the feed gas to a second adsorption bed to pressurize the second adsorption bed to the adsorption pressure. 3. The pressure swing adsorption method of claim 2, further comprising: after the first gas component of the feed gas substantially passes through the pressurized adsorption bed and after the second adsorption bed reaches the adsorption pressure, venting the first gas component of the feed gas to atmosphere. 4. The pressure swing adsorption method of claim 1, further comprising: evacuating the depressurized adsorption bed to recover at least a second portion of the second gas component of the feed gas in the depressurized adsorption bed. 5. The pressure swing adsorption method of claim 4, further comprising: introducing the recovered second portion of the second gas component of the feed gas to a second adsorption bed to recover second feed gas in the second adsorption bed. 6. The pressure swing adsorption method of claim 1, wherein the adsorption pressure is about 35 to about 100 pounds per square inch absolute (psia). 7. The pressure swing adsorption method of claim 1, wherein the feed gas is substantially natural gas comprising between about 5% and about 50% nitrogen. 8. The pressure swing adsorption method of claim 1, wherein the first gas component of the feed gas is substantially nitrogen. 9. The pressure swing adsorption method of claim 1, wherein the second gas component of the feed gas includes one or more of methane, ethane, and propane. 10. The pressure swing adsorption method of claim 1, wherein the second gas component of the feed gas is substantially methane, ethane, or propane comprising between about 0% and about 5% nitrogen. 11. A pressure swing adsorption system for separating gas components, comprising: a first adsorption bed operable to receive a feed gas, wherein a first gas component of the feed gas substantially passes through the first adsorption bed and a second gas component of the feed gas substantially adsorbs onto an adsorbent in the first adsorption bed, the first adsorption bed further operable to transmit the first gas component of the feed gas passing through the first adsorption bed to a second adsorption bed; a second adsorption bed coupled to the first adsorption bed, the second adsorption bed operable to receive the first gas component of the feed gas and to pressurize the second adsorption bed to an adsorption pressure using the first gas component of the feed gas; and a third adsorption bed coupled to the first adsorption bed, the third adsorption bed operable to receive the second gas component of the feed gas and to displace feed gas in the third adsorption bed. 12. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 11, wherein the first adsorption bed is further operable to receive the feed gas only after the first adsorption bed is pressurized to the adsorption pressure using the first gas component of the feed gas. 13. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 11, wherein the first adsorption bed is further operable to transmit the first gas component of the feed gas passing through the first adsorption bed to the second adsorption bed without storing the first gas component of the feed gas. 14. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 11, further comprising: a vent valve coupled to the second adsorption bed, wherein the vent valve is operable to vent the first gas component of the feed gas to atmosphere when the second adsorption bed reaches the adsorption pressure. 15. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 11, further comprising: a fourth adsorption bed; and a product buffer coupled to the fourth adsorption bed, the product buffer operable to receive and store the second gas component of the feed gas from the fourth adsorption bed. 16. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 11, further comprising: a fifth adsorption bed; and a vacuum pump coupled to the fifth adsorption bed, wherein the vacuum pump is operable to evacuate the second gas component of a feed gas from the fifth adsorption bed. 17. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 11, wherein the adsorption pressure is about 35 to about 100 pounds per square inch absolute (psia). 18. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 11, wherein the feed gas is substantially natural gas comprising between about 5% and about 50% nitrogen. 19. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 11, wherein the first gas component of the feed gas is substantially nitrogen. 20. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 11, wherein the second gas component of the feed gas includes one or more of methane, ethane, and propane. 21. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 11, wherein the second gas component of the feed gas is substantially methane, ethane, or propane comprising between about 0% and about 5% nitrogen. 22. A pressure swing adsorption system for separating gas components, comprising: a plurality of adsorption beds, each respective adsorption bed including an adsorbent; a plurality of check valves, each respective adsorption bed coupled to a respective check valve, each respective check valve operable to control flow of gas such that a first gas component of a feed gas received from another adsorption bed flows through the check valve into the respective adsorption bed to pressurize the respective adsorption bed to an adsorption pressure; a plurality of feed valves, each respective adsorption bed coupled to a respective feed valve, each respective feed valve operable to control flow of gas such that after the respective adsorption bed reaches the adsorption pressure the feed gas flows through the feed valve into the respective adsorption bed, the first gas component of the feed gas substantially passing through the respective adsorption bed and a second gas component of the feed gas substantially adsorbing onto the adsorbent in the respective adsorption bed; a plurality of back pressure regulators, each respective adsorption bed coupled to a respective back pressure regulator, each respective back pressure regulator operable to regulate a back pressure such that the first gas component of the feed gas passing through the respective adsorption bed flows through the back pressure regulator to a second adsorption bed to pressurize the second adsorption bed to the adsorption pressure; and a plurality of recycle valves, each respective adsorption bed coupled to a respective recycle valve, each respective recycle valve operable to control flow of gas such that the second gas component of the feed gas flows through the recycle valve into the respective adsorption bed to displace feed gas in voids of the respective adsorption bed. 23. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 22, further comprising: a vent valve coupled to each adsorption bed; wherein the vent valve is operable to control flow of gas such that the first gas component of the feed gas flows through the vent valve to atmosphere when the respective adsorption bed reaches the adsorption pressure. 24. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 22, further comprising: a product buffer coupled to each adsorption bed; and a plurality of depressure valves, each respective adsorption bed coupled to a respective depressure valve, each respective depressure valve operable to control flow of gas such that the second gas component of the feed gas flows through the depressure valve into the product buffer to recover the second gas component of the feed gas in the respective adsorption bed. 25. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 22, further comprising: a vacuum pump coupled to each adsorption bed; a product buffer coupled to the vacuum pump; and a plurality of evacuation valves, each respective adsorption bed coupled to a respective evacuation valve, each respective evacuation valve operable to control flow of gas such that the vacuum pump evacuates the second gas component of the feed gas from the respective adsorption bed through the respective evacuation valve and the product buffer stores the evacuated second gas component of the feed gas. 26. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 22, further comprising: a product buffer coupled to each adsorption bed; and a compressor coupled to the product buffer, wherein the compressor is operable to compress the second gas component of the feed gas received from the product buffer. 27. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 22, wherein the adsorption pressure is about 35 to about 100 pounds per square inch absolute (psia). 28. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 22, wherein the feed gas is substantially natural gas comprising between about 5% and about 50% nitrogen. 29. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 22, wherein the second gas component of the feed gas includes one or more of methane, ethane, and propane. 30. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 22, wherein the second gas component of the feed gas is substantially methane, ethane, or propane comprising between about 0% and about 5% nitrogen. 31. The pressure swing adsorption system of claim 22, wherein the first gas component of the feed gas is substantially nitrogen. 32. A pressure swing adsorption system for separating gas components, comprising: means for pressurizing an adsorption bed to an adsorption pressure using a first gas component of a feed gas, the adsorption bed including an adsorbent for substantially adsorbing a second gas component of a feed gas; means for introducing the feed gas to the pressurized adsorption bed, wherein the first gas component of the feed gas substantially passes through the pressurized adsorption bed and the second gas component of the feed gas substantially adsorbs onto the adsorbent; means for terminating the introducing of the feed gas to the pressurized adsorption bed and thereafter introducing the second gas component of the feed gas to the pressurized adsorption bed to recover the feed gas in the pressurized adsorption bed; means for introducing the recovered feed gas to a second adsorption bed already pressurized to the adsorption pressure, wherein the first gas component of the recovered feed gas substantially passes through the second adsorption bed and the second gas component of the recovered feed gas substantially adsorbs onto a second adsorbent in the second adsorption bed; and means for depressurizing the pressurized adsorption bed to recover at least a portion of the second gas component of the feed gas in the pressurized adsorption bed.