Patent ID: 6354105
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: F25J

Abstract:
A process for recovering relatively less volatile components from a gas mixture while rejecting relatively more volatile components as residue gas via a cryogenic distillation column wherein its reflux stream is generated by the steps comprising:a) dividing a vapor portion of said gas mixture into a first gaseous stream and a main gaseous stream; b) compressing said first gaseous stream and cooling it to produce a cooled, compressed first gaseous stream; c) further handling cooled, compressed first gaseous stream as selected from the group consisting of i) feeding cooled, compressed first gaseous stream as a reflux stream directly to said cryogenic distillation column, and ii) further processing cooled, compressed first gaseous stream to generate at least one reflux stream for said cryogenic distillation column; and d) cooling said main gaseous stream and separating it into a first liquid phase comprising condensed components, if any, and into a first vapor phase; and thereafter introducing said first liquid phase and said first vapor phase into said cryogenic distillation column at one or more feed trays.