초록

The present invention relates to large scale pressure swing adsorption systems (i.e., ranging from twelve to sixteen beds) utilizing new and advanced cycles to obtain enhanced hydrogen recovery from a hydrogen containing feed gas (i.e., synthesis gas).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A pressure swing adsorption process for separating a pressurized supply feed gas containing one or more strongly adsorbable component from at least one less strongly adsorbable product gas component in a twelve bed pressure swing adsorption system to produce a continuous stream of product gas enr

1. A pressure swing adsorption process for separating a pressurized supply feed gas containing one or more strongly adsorbable component from at least one less strongly adsorbable product gas component in a twelve bed pressure swing adsorption system to produce a continuous stream of product gas enriched in the less strongly adsorbable component and a continuous stream of offgas that is enriched in strongly adsorbable components, wherein the process cycle has four bed-to-bed equalizations steps, four of the beds are in production, and utilizes purge gas of increasing concentrations of the less strongly adsorbable product gas during the purging steps, in accordance to the following cycle chart: Step:Bed#123456781A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A82E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A63E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A44PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A25PG3PG2PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PP6PPG3/BD2PG3PG2PG1E4′E3′E2′BD17PPG1PPG2PPG3/BD2PG3PG2PG1E4′BD18E3E4PPG1PPG2PPG3/BD2PG3PG2BD19E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG2PPG3/BD2BD110A7A8E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG211A5A6A7A8E1E2E3E412A3A4A5A6A7A8E1E2Step:Bed#9101112131415161E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG2PPG3/BD2BD12A7A8E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG23A5A6A7A8E1E2E3E44A3A4A5A6A7A8E1E25A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A86E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A67E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A48PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A29PG3PG2PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PP10PPG3/BD2PG3PG2PG1E4′E3′E2′BD111PPG1PPG2PPG3/BD2PG3PG2PG1E4′BD112E3E4PPG1PPG2PPG3/BD2PG3PG2BD1Step:Bed#17181920212223241PG3PG2PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PP2PPG3/BD2PG3PG2PG1E4′E3′E2′BD13PPG1PPG2PPG3/BD2PG3PG2PG1E4′BD14E3E4PPG1PPG2PPG3/BD2PG3PG2BD15E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG2PPG3/BD2BD16A7A8E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG27A5A6A7A8E1E2E3E48A3A4A5A6A7A8E1E29A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A810E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A611E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A412PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2where:A1=First Adsorption StepA2=Second Adsorption StepA3=Third Adsorption StepA4=Fourth Adsorption StepA5=Fifth Adsorption StepA6=Sixth Adsorption StepA7=Seventh Adsorption StepA8=Eighth Adsorption StepE1=First Equalization DownE2=Second Equalization DownE3=Third Equalization DownE4=Fourth Equalization DownPPG1=First Provide Purge GasPPG2=Second Provide Purge GasPPG3/BD1=Third Provide Purge Gas/First BlowdownBD2=Second BlowdownPG3=Purge using gas from PPG3 stepPG2=Purge using gas from PPG2 stepPG1=Purge using gas from PPG1 stepE4′=Equalization Up (using gas from E4 step)E3′=Equalization Up (using gas from E3 step)E2′=Equalization Up (using gas from E2 step)E1′=Equalization Up (using gas from E1 step)PP=Product Pressurization. 2. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 1, wherein said less strongly adsorbable product gas is hydrogen. 3. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 1, wherein the supply feed gas containing one or more strongly adsorbable component is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, argon, nitrogen, helium and water vapor. 4. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 1, wherein each adsorbent bed contains alumina, carbon and zeolite material configured in layers disposed in this particular order for feed gas processing. 5. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 4, where the carbon and zeolite layers are each subdivided into two layers with different particle size. 6. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 5, where the first of the subdivided carbon layers encountered by the supply feed gas has a particle size of about 0.5 to 1.5 mm and an affinity for the carbon dioxide impurity. 7. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 5, where the second of the subdivided carbon layers encountered by the supply feed gas has a particle size of about 2.0 to 3.0 mm and an affinity for the methane impurities. 8. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 5, where the first of the subdivided zeolite layers encountered by the supply feed gas has a particle size of about 0.5 to 2.0 mm and an affinity for the carbon monoxide impurity. 9. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 5, where the second of the subdivided zeolite layers encountered by the supply feed gas has a particle size of about 2.0 to 3.0 mm and an affinity for the nitrogen impurity. 10. A pressure swing adsorption process for separating a pressurized supply feed gas containing one or more strongly adsorbable component from at least one less strongly adsorbable product gas component in a eleven bed pressure swing adsorption system to produce a continuous stream of product gas enriched in the less strongly adsorbable component and a continuous stream of offgas that is enriched in strongly adsorbable components, wherein the process cycle has four bed-to-bed equalizations steps, while four of the beds are in production, and utilize purge gas of increasing concentrations of the less strongly adsorbable product gas during the purging steps. 11. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 10, wherein the PSA cycle comprises at-least twenty two steps. 12. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 10, in accordance to the following cycle chart: Step:Bed#12345678910111A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8E1E2E32E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8E13E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A74PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A55BDPG2PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A36PPG1PPG2BDPG2PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA17E3E4PPG1PPG2BDPG2PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′8E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG2BDPG2PG1E4′E3′9A7A8E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG2BDPG2PG110A5A6A7A8E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG2BD11A3A4A5A6A7A8E1E2E3E4PPG1Step:Bed#12131415161718192021221E4PPG1PPG2BDPG2PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PP2E2E3E4PPG1PPG2BDPG2PG1E4′E3′E2′3A8E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG2BDPG2PG1E4′4A6A7A8E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG2BDPG25A4A5A6A7A8E1E2E3E4PPG1PPG26A2A3A4A5A6A7A8E1E2E3E47PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8E1E28E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A89E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A610PG2PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A411PPG2BDPG2PG1E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2where:A1=First Adsorption StepA2=Second Adsorption StepA3=Third Adsorption StepA4=Fourth Adsorption StepA5=Fifth Adsorption StepA6=Sixth Adsorption StepA7=Seventh Adsorption StepA8=Eighth Adsorption StepE1=First Equalization DownE2=Second Equalization DownE3=Third Equalization DownE4=Fourth Equalization DownPPG1=First Provide Purge GasPPG2=Second Provide Purge GasBD=BlowdownPG2=Purge using gas from PPG2 stepPG1=Purge using gas from PPG1 stepE4′=Equalization Up (using gas from E4 step)E3′=Equalization Up (using gas from E3 step)E2′=Equalization Up (using gas from E2 step)E1′=Equalization Up (using gas from E1 step)PP=Product Pressurization. 13. A pressure swing adsorption process for separating a pressurized supply feed gas containing one or more strongly adsorbable component from at least one less strongly adsorbable product gas component in a twelve bed pressure swing adsorption system to produce a continuous stream of product gas enriched in the less strongly adsorbable component and a continuous stream of offgas that is enriched in strongly adsorbable components, wherein the process cycle has five bed-to-bed equalizations steps, three of the beds are in production, and utilize purge gas of increasing concentrations of the less strongly adsorbable product gas during the purging steps, in accordance to the following cycle chart: Step:Bed#1234567891011121A1A2A3A4A5A6E1E2E3E4E5PPG12E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6E1E2E3E43E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6E1E24E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A65PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A46BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E2′E2′E1′PPA1A27PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PP8E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′9E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′10E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG111A5A6E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG312A3A4A5A6E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3Step:Bed#1314151617181920212223241PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PP2E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′3E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′4E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG15A5A6E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG36A3A4A5A6E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG37A1A2A3A4A5A6E1E2E3E4E5PPG18E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6E1E2E3E49E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6E1E210E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A611PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A412BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2where:A1=First Adsorption StepA2=Second Adsorption StepA3=Third Adsorption StepA4=Fourth Adsorption StepA5=Fifth Adsorption StepA6=Sixth Adsorption StepE1=First Equalization DownE2=Second Equalization DownE3=Third Equalization DownE4=Fourth Equalization DownPPG1=First Provide Purge GasPPG2=Second Provide Purge GasPPG3=Third Provide Purge Gas/First BlowdownBD=Second BlowdownPG3=Purge using gas from PPG3 stepPG2=Purge using gas from PPG2 stepPG1=Purge using gas from PPG1 stepE5′=Equalization Up (using gas from E5 step)E4′=Equalization Up (using gas from E4 step)E3′=Equalization Up (using gas from E3 step)E2′=Equalization Up (using gas from E2 step)E1′=Equalization Up (using gas from E1 step)PP=Product Pressurization. 14. A pressure swing adsorption process for separating a pressurized supply feed gas containing one or more strongly adsorbable component from at least one less strongly adsorbable product gas component in a fourteen bed pressure swing adsorption system to produce a continuous stream of product gas enriched in the less strongly adsorbable component and a continuous stream of offgas that is enriched in strongly adsorbable components, wherein the process cycle has five bed-to-bed equalizations steps, five of the beds are in production, and utilize purge gas of increasing concentrations of the less strongly adsorbable product gas during the purging steps. 15. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 14, wherein the PSA cycle comprises at-least twenty eight steps. 16. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 14, in accordance to the following cycle chart: Step:Bed#12345678910111213141A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10E1E2E3E42E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10E1E23E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A104E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A85PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A66BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A47PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A28E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PP9E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′10E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′11A9A10E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG112A7A8A9A10E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG313A5A6A7A8A9A10E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG314A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10E1E2E3E4E5PPG1Step:Bed#15161718192021222324252627281E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PP2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′3E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′4A9A10E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG15A7A8A9A10E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG 3BDPG36A5A6A7A8A9A10E1E2E3E4E5PPG1PPG2PPG37A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10E1E2E3E4E5PPG18A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10E1E2E3E49E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10E1E210E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A1011E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A812PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A613BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A414PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2where:A1=First Adsorption StepA2=Second Adsorption StepA3=Third Adsorption StepA4=Fourth Adsorption StepA5=Fifth Adsorption StepA6=Sixth Adsorption StepA7=Seventh Adsorption StepA8=Eighth Adsorption StepA9=Ninth Adsorption StepA10=Tenth Adsorption StepE1=First Equalization DownE2=Second Equalization DownE3=Third Equalization DownE4=Fourth Equalization DownE5=Fifth Equalization DownPPG1=First Provide Purge GasPPG2=Second Provide Purge GasPPG3=Third Provide Purge GasBD=BlowdownPG3=Purge using gas from PPG3 stepPG2=Purge using gas from PPG2 stepPG1=Purge using gas from PPG1 stepE5′=Equalization Up (using gas from E5 step)E4′=Equalization Up (using gas from E4 step)E3′=Equalization Up (using gas from E3 step)E2′=Equalization Up (using gas from E2 step)E1′=Equalization Up (using gas from E1 step)PP=Product Pressurization. 17. A pressure swing adsorption process for separating a pressurized supply feed gas containing one or more strongly adsorbable component from at least one less strongly adsorbable product gas component in a sixteen bed pressure swing adsorption system to produce a continuous stream of product gas enriched in the less strongly adsorbable component and a continuous stream of offgas that is enriched in strongly adsorbable components, wherein the process cycle has six bed-to-bed equalizations steps, six of the beds are in production, and utilize purge gas of increasing concentrations of the less strongly adsorbable product gas during the purging steps. 18. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 17, wherein the PSA cycle comprises at-least thirty two steps. 19. The pressure swing adsorption process of claim 17, in accordance to the following cycle chart: Step:Bed#123456789101112131415161A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A12E1E2E3E42E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A12E1E23E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A124E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A105PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A86PG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A67PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A48PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A29E5E6PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PP10E3E4E5E6PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′11E1E2E3E4E5E6PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′12A11A12E1E2E3E4E5E6PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′13A9A10A11A12E1E2E3E4E5E6PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG214A7A8A9A10A11A12E1E2E3E4E5E6PPG1PPG2PPG3BD15A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A12E1E2E3E4E5E6PPG1PPG216A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A12E1E2E3E4E5E6Step:Bed#171819202122232425262728293031321E5E6PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PP2E3E4E5E6PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′3E1E2E3E4E5E6PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′4A11A12E1E2E3E4E5E6PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′5A9A10A11A12E1E2E3E4E5E5PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG26A7A8A9A10A11A12E1E2E3E4E5E6PPG1PPG2PPG3BD7A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A12E1E2E3E4E5E6PPG1PPG28A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A12E1E2E3E4E5E69A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A12E1E2E3E410E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A12E1E211E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A1212E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A1013PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A6A7A814PG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A4A5A615PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2A3A416PPG1PPG2PPG3BDPG3PG2PG1E6′E5′E4′E3′E2′E1′PPA1A2where:A1=First Adsorption StepA2=Second Adsorption StepA3=Third Adsorption StepA4=Fourth Adsorption StepA5=Fifth Adsorption StepA6=Sixth Adsorption StepA7=Seventh Adsorption StepA8=Eighth Adsorption StepA9-A12=Ninth to Twelfth Adsorption StepsE1=First Equalization DownE2=Second Equalization DownE3=Third Equalization DownE4=Fourth Equalization DownE5=Fifth Equalization DownE6=Sixth Equalization DownPPG1=First Provide Purge GasPPG2=Second Provide Purge GasPPG3=Third Provide Purge GasBD=BlowdownPG3=Purge using gas from PPG3 stepPG2=Purge using gas from PPG2 stepPG1=Purge using gas from PPG1 stepE6′=Equalization Up (using gas from E6 step)E5′=Equalization Up (using gas from E5 step)E4′=Equalization Up (using gas from E4 step)E3′=Equalization Up (using gas from E3 step)E2′=Equalization Up (using gas from E2 step)E1′=Equalization Up (using gas from E1 step)PP=Product Pressurization.