Patent ID: 9381460
Filing Date: 2016-07-05
CPC Classification: B01D,C01B,Y02C,Y02P

Claim Text:
1. A process for separating a primary gas component from a feed gas mixture comprising the primary gas component and secondary gas components in a plurality of twelve adsorption beds, each adsorption bed containing an adsorbent selective for the secondary gas components, the process comprising subjecting each of the plurality of adsorption beds to at least one of a first repetitive cycle and a second repetitive cycle, the first repetitive cycle comprising, in sequence, (a) a production step or hybrid step thereof, (b) a plurality of five depressurizing equalization steps, (c) a supply purge gas step, (d) a blowdown step, (e) a purge step, (f) a plurality of five pressurizing equalization steps, and (g) a repressurization step, and the second repetitive cycle comprising, in sequence, (a) a production step or hybrid step thereof, (b) a plurality of five depressurizing equalization steps, (c/d) a hybrid supply purge gas/blowdown step, (e) a purge step, (f) a plurality of five pressurizing equalization steps, and (g) a repressurization step; wherein no effluent from the blowdown step and no effluent from the purge step is recycled to the plurality of twelve adsorption beds as rinse gas; wherein the plurality of five depressurizing equalization steps (b) comprises, in sequence, a first depressurizing equalization step, a second depressurizing equalization step, a third depressurizing equalization step, a fourth depressurizing equalization step, and a fifth pressure decreasing equalization step; wherein the plurality of five pressurizing equalization steps (f) comprises, in sequence, a fifth pressurizing equalization step, a fourth pressurizing equalization step, a third pressurizing equalization step, a second pressurizing equalization step, and a first pressurizing equalization step; wherein the fifth depressurizing equalization step comprises co-currently withdrawing an effluent gas from an adsorption bed undergoing the fifth depressurizing equalization step, and passing at least a portion of the effluent gas from the adsorption bed undergoing the fifth depressurizing equalization step as pressure equalization gas to an adsorption bed undergoing the fifth pressurizing equalization step thereby equalizing the pressure between the adsorption bed undergoing the fifth depressurizing equalization step and the adsorption bed undergoing the fifth pressurizing equalization step; and wherein the purge step (e) comprises counter-currently introducing the purge gas from the adsorption bed undergoing the fifth depressurizing equalization step into the adsorption bed undergoing the purge step and the fifth depressurizing equalization step further comprises passing a second portion of the effluent gas from the adsorption bed undergoing the fifth depressurizing equalization step to at least one of the adsorption beds undergoing the purge step as the purge gas.