Patent ID: 6102985
Filing Date: 2000-08-15
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A pressure swing adsorption process for the separation of a pressurized feed gas containing at least one more strongly adsorbable component and at least one less strongly adsorbable component to recover a final product gas enriched in one of the components, which process comprises:(a) introducing the pressurized feed gas at a feed pressure into a feed inlet end of an adsorber vessel containing a solid adsorbent which preferentially adsorbs the more strongly adsorbable component, and withdrawing from an outlet end of the adsorber vessel an adsorber effluent gas enriched in the less strongly adsorbable component;(b) depressurizing the adsorber vessel by withdrawing therefrom a gas stream enriched in the more strongly adsorbable component until the pressure therein reaches a minimum adsorber pressure;(c) repressurizing the adsorber vessel from the minimum adsorber pressure to the feed pressure by introducing repressurization gas into the adsorber vessel; and(d) repeating steps (a) through (c) in a cyclic manner;wherein the final product gas is a gas enriched in the more strongly adsorbable component, and wherein the process comprises the additional steps of(1) introducing a rinse gas enriched in the more strongly adsorbable component from a first gas storage tank into the feed inlet end of the adsorber vessel while simultaneously withdrawing gas from the outlet end of the adsorber vessel;(2) during step (b), storing a portion of the gas stream enriched in the more strongly adsorbable component in the first storage tank and storing another portion of the gas stream enriched in the more strongly adsorbable component in a second storage tank; and(3) withdrawing the final product gas from the second gas storage tank during steps (a), (b), and (c).