Patent ID: 6592749
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: B01D,C10G

Abstract:
A process for separating a stream comprising hydrogen, methane, ethane and a C3+ hydrocarbon, comprising the following steps:(a) passing the stream through a pressure swing adsorption unit, thereby producing a hydrogen-enriched product stream and a tail gas stream; (b) compressing and cooling the tail gas stream; (c) passing at least a portion of the compressed, cooled tail gas stream across the feed side of a membrane separation unit containing a rubbery polymeric membrane, having a feed side and a permeate side and being selectively permeable to C1-C6 hydrocarbons over hydrogen, under conditions sufficient that the membrane exhibits an ethane/hydrogen selectivity of at least about 3.5; (d) withdrawing from the permeate side a permeate stream enriched in ethane and the C3+ hydrocarbon compared with the tail gas stream; (e) withdrawing from the feed side a residue stream enriched in hydrogen compared with the tail gas stream.