Patent ID: 6483001
Filing Date: 2002-11-19
Classification: B01D,C01B

Abstract:
A process for providing purified hydrogen comprisingfeeding into a feed end of a pressure swing adsorption apparatus a feed gas mixture containing hydrogen, methane, and heavy hydrocarbons having at least six carbons; and recovering from a product end of said apparatus a product gas containing at least 95% hydrogen, wherein said apparatus comprising at least one bed containing at least three layers; a feed-end layer containing a feed-end adsorbent having a first surface area sufficiently small to separate a heavy hydrocarbon having at least six carbons from a light hydrocarbon having less than six carbons, wherein said first surface area is too small to substantially separate methane from hydrogen; a product-end layer containing a product-end adsorbent having a second surface area sufficiently large to separate methane from hydrogen; and an intermediate layer containing an intermediate adsorbent having an intermediate surface area intermediate to said first surface area and said second surface area.