Separation of acetylene from gaseous hydrocarbon mixtures

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF SEPARATING ACETYLENE FROM A GASEOUS HYDROCARBON MIXTURE CONTAINING SAME TOGETHER WITH AT LEAST ONE MORE SATURATED HYDROCARBON WHICH COMPRISES INTIMATELY COUNTERCURRENTLY CONTACTING SAID MIXTURE IN THE GASEOUS STATE IN THE ABSENCE OF WATER WITH LIQUID ACETIC ANHYDRIDE AND THEREBY EFFECTING PREFERENTIAL DISSOLUTION OF ACETYLENE CONTAINED IN THE MIXTURE IN THE ACETIC ANHYDRIDE WHILE ALLOWING THE MORE SATURATED HYDROCARBON TO REMAIN UNDISSOLVED, WITHDRAWING THE UNDISSOLVED GAS THEREBY DEPLETED IN ACETYLENE FROM THE TOP OF THE CONTACTING ZONE, WITHDRAWING THE RESULTING ACETYLENE-ENRICHED ACETIC ANHYDRIDE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CONTACTING ZONE, PASSING SAID ENRICHED ACETIC ANHYDRIDE TO A SEPARATE STRIPPING STEP AND THERE STRIPPING THE DISSOLVED ACETYLENE FROM THE ACETIC ANHYDRIDE.