Continuous separation of hydrocarbons with cuprous halide absorbents

Claim 1

AN ABSORPTION PROCESS FOR EFFECTING THE SEPARATION OF AN UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON CONTAINING NOT MORE THAN FIVE CARBON ATOMS FROM A GASEOUS MIXTURE CONTAINING THE SAME TOGETHER WITH CLOSE BOILING MORE SATURATED HYDROCARBONS SAID MIXTURE BEING FREE OF CYCLOPENTADIENE AND AOETYLENES, WHICH COMPRISES THE FOLLOWING STEPS: SUSPENDING IN SAID MIXTURE IN AN ABSORBING ZONE AT LEAST ONE FINELY DIVIDED, SOLID CUPROUS HALIDE ABSORBENT UNDER CONDITIONS SUCH AS TO EFFECT ABSORPTION OF UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON FROM SAID MIXTURE BY SAID ABSORBENT; SEPARATING THE RESULTING RICH SOLID ABSORBENT FROM UNSORBED TAIL GAS; SUSPENDING SAID RICH ABSORBENT IN A HEATED STREAM OF STRIPPED PRODUCT GAS IN A SEPARATE STRIPPING ZONE UNDER CONDITIONS SUCH AS TO EFFECT DESORPTION OF ABSORBED MATERIAL FROM SAID RICH ABSORBENT AND MERGER OF DESORBED MATERIAL WITH SAID STRIPPED PRODUCT GAS; SEPARATING RESULTING STRIPPED ABSORBENT FROM RESULTING PRODUCT GAS; COOLING SAID STRIPPED ABSORBENT BY SUSPENDING SAME IN A COOLED RECYCLE STREAM OF SAID UNABSORBED TAIL GAS UNDER CONDITIONS SUCH AS TO EFFECT COOLING OF SAID ABSORBENT; SEPARATING RESULTING COOLED ABSORBENT AND RECYCLING SAME TO SAID ABSORBING ZONE; AND WITHDRAWING PRODUCT GAS.