Patent ID: 8540803

Claim:
A process for the removal of water or water vapour from industrial gases by absorption using a physical solvent, wherein the industrial gas contains vaporous water and acid gas components, the process comprising: contacting the industrial gas to be dried and containing acid gas components and water with the physical solvent in a gas drying step, yielding an industrial gas almost free of water and containing acid gas components, and a water-containing solvent stream; directing the water-containing solvent stream to a solvent regeneration unit, yielding a solvent of reduced water content, which is then returned for absorption of water from the industrial gas by contacting the solvent of reduced water content with the industrial gas; conveying the industrial gas stream almost free of water to a downstream acid gas removal unit and removing acid gases by contacting the industrial gas almost free of water with the same solvent employed in the gas drying step for the removal of the acid gases, obtaining an industrial gas almost free of acid gas components and an acid gas-containing solvent; conveying the acid gas-containing solvent to an acid gas solvent regeneration unit and obtaining a regenerated solvent stream and an acid gas stream removed from the acid gas-containing solvent, wherein the acid gas stream obtained in the acid gas solvent regeneration unit is divided into two part-streams, a first acid gas part-stream being passed to further use outside the process or disposed of, and a second acid gas part-stream being fed to the solvent regeneration unit, removing water contained in the water-containing solvent with the aid of this second acid gas part-stream, the removed water leaving the solvent regeneration unit as water vapour together with acid gas.