Method for separating gas mixtures by means of a pressure changing technique

US4406674A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Bergwerksverband GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Karl Knoblauch
• Ekkehard Richter · Essen, DE
• Klaus D. Giessler · Menlo Park, US
• Werner Korbacher

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 1, 1982
• Grant date: Sep 27, 1983
• Expiry date: Jun 1, 2002

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02C20/40
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Method for separating gas mixtures resulting from direct flow loading of adsorption reactors by means of a pressure change technique in a two stage adsorption reactor consisting of a prefilter and a separating filter, whereby strongly adsorbable impurities from the gas mixture are adsorbed in the prefilter and the remainder of the undesirable gas components are adsorbed in the separating reactor. Thereby, product gas flows off at the end of the separating reactor shortly before the passage therethrough of a non-desirable gas component. Thereafter, the prefilter and the separating reactor are disconnected and the prefilter is partially relieved by a gas counter flow and the separating reactor is partially relieved by direct gas flow. After reconnection of prefilter and separating reactor the unit is further released in the counter current, subsequently rinsed and is again brought to charge pressure in the direct or counter current. The prefilter can be prerinsed before the gas like reconnection with the separating reactor. During rinsing and pressure build up one can use relieve gas. Preferably, four coupled two stage adsorption reactors are used as well as an additional prefilter.