Patent · US Expired

Process and apparatus for recovering hydrocarbons from air-hydrocarbon vapor mixtures

US4343629A · kind A · utility

45Cited by
18References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 5, 1981
Grant dateAug 10, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 5, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB01D2259/4516
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A process and apparatus for recovering hydrocarbons from an air-hydrocarbon vapor mixture such as the mixture of air and vaporized light hydrocarbon compounds expelled as a result of loading gasoline or the like into storage tanks, tank cars and tank trucks. The air-hydrocarbon vapor mixture is caused to flow through a bed of solid adsorbent whereby the hydrocarbons ar removed from the mixture and a residue gas stream comprised of substantially hydrocarbon-free air is produced. The substantialy hydrocarbon-free air is vented to the atmosphere and while the first bed is removing hydrocarbons from the air-hydrocarbon vapor mixture, a second bed of solid adsorbent having hydrocarbons adsorbed thereon is simultaneously regenerated by evacuating the bed with vacuum pumping and the air-hydrocarbon vapor mixture produced in the regeneration of the bed is contacted with a liquid absorbent whereby a major portion of the hydrocarbons are absorbed therefrom and recovered. The beds of solid adsorbent are cooled, at least while the air-hydrocarbon vapor mixture is flowing therethrough and hydrocarbons are being adsorbed on the bed, to prevent the beds from overheating due to side exothermic rea…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.