Patent ID: 8075742

Claim:
A process for separating a refrigerant mixture comprising a first and second refrigerant component comprising the steps of: introducing the refrigerant mixture into a first and second sorters and contacting the refrigerant mixture with a sorter agent, wherein the step of contacting the refrigerant mixture with the sorter agent preferentially absorbs the first refrigerant component from the refrigerant mixture; heating the first sorter to a first pre-selected temperature to produce a second refrigerant vapor; cooling the second refrigerant vapor using a first distillation column and producing a second refrigerant component condensate in a first condenser, the second refrigerant component condensate being essentially free of the first refrigerant component; transferring the condensate from the first condenser to a second distillation column; collecting a first product stream from the first distillation column, wherein the first product stream comprises the second refrigerant component; heating the second sorter to a second preselected temperature to produce a first refrigerant vapor; cooling the first refrigerant vapor using the second distillation column and producing a first refrigerant component condensate in a second condenser, the first refrigerant component condensate being essentially free of the second refrigerant component; transferring the condensate from the second condenser to the first distillation column; and collecting a second product stream from the second distillation column, wherein the second product stream comprises the first refrigerant component, wherein the transferring steps of the condensates from the first and second condensers to the second and first distillation columns respectively is accomplished using a heat exchanger that is fluidly connected to the first and second condensers and to the first and second distillation columns.