Patent ID: 7189282

Claim:
A process of removing mercaptan from crude gas, in which crude gas is introduced into an absorption and regeneration column ( 2 ) and washed therein, three gas streams ( 3 , 4 , 5 ) being withdrawn from this absorption and regeneration column ( 2 ), a first exhaust gas stream ( 5 ) being introduced into a Claus plant ( 14 ), a second gas stream ( 4 ) with a H 2 S concentration of up to 30 vol-% being introduced into another absorption plant ( 15 ), characterized in that a third gas stream ( 3 ), the valuable gas with the mercaptans, is cooled ( 6 ) and supplied to an adsorption plant ( 8 ), that from this adsorption plant ( 8 ) the cleaned valuable gas ( 9 ) is withdrawn, and a mercaptan-containing gas stream ( 10 ) is subjected to a washing stage ( 11 ), and that this concentrated mercaptan-containing gas ( 13 ) is supplied to the Claus plant ( 14 ).