Patent ID: 8764883

Claim:
A process for at least partially saturating and purifying syngas, comprising: introducing a first essentially water via a first water inlet to a first end of an apparatus having the first end and a second end; introducing a second essentially water via a second water inlet to the apparatus between the first end and the second end of the apparatus; introducing a syngas via a syngas inlet to the second end of the apparatus such that the first essentially water and the second essentially water flow generally countercurrently through the apparatus with respect to the syngas, wherein a first packed bed and a second packed bed are disposed within the apparatus, wherein the first packed bed is located closer to the first end of the apparatus than the second packed bed, and wherein the second water inlet is located between the first packed bed and the second packed bed; flowing the first essentially water and an at least partially purified syngas through the first packed bed under conditions sufficient to at least partially saturate the at least partially purified syngas; withdrawing a first water from the apparatus via a first water outlet located between the first packed bed and the second packed bed; flowing the second essentially water and the syngas through the second packed bed under conditions sufficient to at least partially remove byproducts from the syngas to provide the at least partially purified syngas, wherein the byproducts extracted from the syngas are selected from the group consisting of particulate materials, C 2 -C 20 hydrocarbons, halides, ammonia containing compounds, and combinations thereof; withdrawing a second water from the apparatus via a second water outlet at the second end of the apparatus, wherein the second water exiting the apparatus via the second water outlet is first held within the apparatus for an amount of time sufficient to allow light hydrocarbons entrained in the second water to separate and rise to the surface of the held second water; and withdrawing an at least partially purified and an at least partially saturated syngas product from the apparatus via a syngas outlet at the first end of the apparatus.