Patent ID: 7637984

Claim:
A processing scheme for separating carbon dioxide from a fluid stream containing at least hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen, the processing scheme comprising: contacting the fluid stream with a solvent in an absorption zone to produce a sulfur-free fluid stream containing at least hydrogen and a first portion of the carbon dioxide, and a hydrogen sulfide-enriched solvent stream containing at least hydrogen sulfide and a second portion of the carbon dioxide; contacting at least one first gas separation membrane element in a first membrane separation zone with a first portion of the sulfur-free fluid stream to produce a hydrogen-enriched permeate stream and a first non-permeate stream containing at least carbon dioxide; contacting at least one second gas separation membrane element in a second membrane separation zone with a first portion of the first non-permeate stream to produce a carbon dioxide-enriched permeate stream and a second non-permeate stream; and contacting the hydrogen sulfide-rich solvent stream with at least a portion of the second non-permeate stream in a carbon dioxide stripping zone to produce a carbon dioxide-enriched fluid stream and hydrogen sulfide-enriched solvent stream.