Patent ID: 7695545

Claim:
A process for selectively separating hydrogen from at least one more strongly adsorbable component in a plurality of adsorption beds each containing an adsorbent selective for the at least one more strongly adsorbable component to produce a hydrogen-rich product gas, each of the plurality of adsorption beds subjected to a repetitive cycle, the process comprising: (a) an adsorption step for producing the hydrogen-rich product from a feed gas mixture comprising 5% to 50% hydrogen; (b) at least two pressure equalization by void space gas withdrawal steps; (c) a provide purge step resulting in a first pressure decrease ΔP 1 ; (d) a blowdown step resulting in a second pressure decrease ΔP 2 ; (e) a purge step; (f) at least two pressure equalization by void space gas introduction steps; and (g) a repressurization step; wherein Δ ⁢ ⁢ P 2 Δ ⁢ ⁢ P 1 ≥ 2.0 .