Patent ID: 8192525

Claim:
A method for producing carbon monoxide and, hydrogen by separating a gas mixture, comprising an adsorption separation step followed by a cryogenic separation step in which: a) during the adsorption step, N adsorbers are used, with N equal to or greater than two, which each follow, in a staggered sequence, the same cycle of time T, during which an adsorption phase and a regeneration phase occur in succession, and, at the start of the adsorption phase, each adsorber is subjected to an elution phase during which only part of the nominal flow of the mixture is sent to the adsorber until it is substantially saturated with carbon monoxide, while maintaining at least one other adsorber in an adsorption phase; and b) characterized in that throughout the cycle, a purified gas mixture is partially liquefied to produce liquefied gas mixture, the said liquefied gas mixture is stored in a vessel and liquefied gas mixture is sent from the vessel to at least one column for separating into a carbon monoxide rich fluid and, during at least part of the adsorber elution phases, the liquid level in the vessel drops and, during at least part of the cycle outside the elution phases, this level rises.