Patent ID: 7276153

Claim:
A process for deacidifying a fluid hydrocarbon stream which comprises CO 2 and/or other acid gases as impurities, in which the fluid stream is brought into intimate contact with an absorption liquid in an absorption or extraction zone, the substantially purified fluid stream and the absorption liquid loaded with CO 2 and/or other acid gases are separated from one another, and the absorption liquid is subsequently regenerated and then again fed to the absorption or extraction zone, which comprises, to regenerate the absorption liquid, (a) expanding the loaded absorption liquid in a first low-pressure expansion stage to a pressure of from 1.1 to 2 bar (absolute), (b) heating the partially regenerated absorption liquid in the first low-pressure expansion stage and liquid in the first low-pressure expansion stage, and (c) again expanding the partially regenerated absorption liquid in a second low-pressure expansion stage to a pressure of from 1.1 to 2 bar (absolute), wherein the pressure in (a) is essentially the same as the pressure in (c).