Patent ID: 6238458
Filing Date: 2001-05-29
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
Process for treating a gaseous mixture by pressure swing adsorption (PSA), in which there is used at least one adsorber and in which there is carried out, in each adsorber, for a predetermined nominal production, a cycle comprising the following successive steps:a production phase by co-current admission of the gaseous mixture into the adsorber and recovery of a fraction enriched in least adsorbable components to supply to a production gas conduit, in the course of said production phase a maximum pressure PM of the cycle is reached;a regeneration phase comprising at least one depressurization step and in the course of which a minimum pressure Pm of the cycle is reached; anda repressurization phase of the adsorber to an initial pressure of the production phase; at least one of the maximum and minimum pressures of the cycle being substantially different from atmospheric pressure;wherein upon a reduction of production flow rate, there is added to the cycle, substantially at at least one of the maximum and minimum pressures of the cycle, at least one idle time in the course of which the adsorber is isolated.