adiabatic the fractionation method for the production of virtually pure hydrogen from gaseous mixtures thereof with hydrocarbons

摘要

1,012,349. Separation of hydrogen from a hydrogen-hydrocarbon mixture. ESSO RESEARCH & ENGINEERING CO. Jan. 1, 1963 [Feb. 26, 1962], No. 151/63. Heading B1L. In an adiabatic fractionation process for separating a component of a mixture in the gaseous or vapour phase by selective adsorption at one pressure and desorption at a lower pressure, substantially pure hydrogen is separated from a gas stream containing it together with hydrocarbons by passing the gas stream through at least two adsorption zones, a first zone containing a silica gel having an average pore diameter of 100 to 200 A and a second zone containing activated carbon. Each adsorbent exhibits a substantially linear adsorption isotherm for the components adsorbed thereon, the adsorbents being arranged in such order and amount that any component toward which a later adsorbent exhibits a substantially non-linear isotherm is fully adsorbed in an earlier adsorbent. At the end of the adsorption cycle the adsorbents are depressurized in sequence, the silica gel being depressurized first. Referring to Fig. 1, the hydrogen-hydrocarbon feedstream is introduced into adsorption zone 33 via 24 and 27. The C 4 SP+/SP hydrocarbons are adsorbed on silica gel A and the C 1 to C 3 hydrocarbons on charcoal B; a substantially pure hydrogen stream leaves zone 33 and is removed as primary effluent via 41. When the adsorption cycle in zone 33 is complete, zone 34 is depressurized and purged with a portion of primary effluent from line 40, then repressurized and put on the adsorption cycle. Zone 33 is put on the desorption cycle by closing 27 and 41 and opening 31.