Process for purifying inert gases

US5871563A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hoechst GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Peter Roth · Eppstein, DE
• Regina Witt · Bad Vilbel, DE
• Joachim Burschapers · Hattersheim, DE
• Norbert Schadler · Riedstadt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 20, 1996
• Grant date: Feb 16, 1999
• Expiry date: May 20, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B01D53/1487
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for the purification of an inert gas by subjecting the inert gas to a sorption treatment, especially gas scrubs. The invention comprises compressing the inert gas to a higher pressure before the sorption treatment, performing the sorption treatment at this higher pressure, and then expanding the purified inert gas. The advantages of the process of the invention can be seen to be essentially that, for example, streams of waste air which contain as impurities volatile solvents such as methyl chloride, isopropyl chloride, or dichloromethane, can be cleaned up with low consumption of energy and scrubbing liquid. Correspondingly, the equipment can have smaller dimensions.