Cyclic adsorption processes for removal and/or recovery of condensable hydrocarbons from natural gas

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS OF TREATING WET NATURAL GAS TO REMOVE AND/OR RECOVER WATER VAPOR AND CONDENSATE HYDROCARBONS THEREFROM INVOLVING THE CONTACT OF ADSORBENT MATERIAL WITH THE GAS TO BE TREATED WITH RESULTANT ADSORPTION OF THE WATER VAPOR AND CONDENSABLE HYDROCARBONS BY THE ADSORBENT MATERIALS AND SUBSEQUENT TREATMENT OF THE ADSORBENT MATERIAL WITH A HEATED MEDIUM TO VAPORIZE AND REMOVE THE WATER AND CONDENSABLE HYDROCARBONS AND THEREBY REACTIVATE THE ADSORBENT MATERIAL FOR FURTHER CONTACT WITH THE GAS TO BE TREATED, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES ROTATING A SERIES OF SEPARATED BEDS OF ADSORBENT MATERIAL DIRECTLY IN SUCCESSION AND SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUSLY RELATIVE TO AND THROUGH A FIRST PURGING STAGE, A FIRST ACTIVATION STAGE, A SECOND PURGING STAGE, A SECOND ACTIVE TION STAGE, A THIRD PURGING STAGE AND AT LEAST ONE ADSORBTION STAGE, CONTINUOUSLY DIRECTING A FLOW OF THE GAS BEING TREATED, UNDER HIGH PRESSURE AND IN SUCCESSION, THROUGH THE ADSORPTION STAGES SO THAT THE WATER VAPOR AND CONDENSABLE HYDROCARBON CONTENT THEREOF WHICH IS TO BE REMOVED WILL BE ADSORBED BY THE ADSORBENT MATERIAL THEREIN, CONTINUOUSLY HEATING AND RECYCLING A FLOW OF ACTIVATION MEDIUM THROUGH SAID FIRST ACTIVATION STAGE TO DESORB THE WATER AND CONDENSABLE HYDROCARBONS CONTAINED IN THE BEDS OF ADSORBENT MATERIAL THEREIN AND REACTIVATE THE ADSORBENT MATERIAL; CONTINUOUSLY HEATING AND RECYCLING A FLOW OF ACTIVATION MEDIUM THROUGH SAID SECOND ACTIVATION STAGE TO DESORB THE WATER AND CONDENSABLE HYDROCARBONS CONTAINED IN THE BEDS OF ADSORBENT MATERIAL THEREIN AND THE ADSORBENT MATERIAL; CONTINUOUSLY DIVERTING A PORTION OF THE FLOW OF THE RECYCLING ACTIVATION MEDIUM USED IN THE FIRST ACTIVATION STAGE AND DIRECTING ITS FLOW THROUGH THE FIRST PURGING STAGE TO REMOVE ALL OF THE GAS BEING TREATED THEREFROM, CONTINUOUSLY DIRECTING THE FLOW OF THE EFFLUENT GAS FROM THE FIRST PURGING STAGE INTO THE FLOW OF THE GAS BEING TREATED ON ITS WAY TO THE FIRST ADSORPTION STAGE OF THE ADSORBER, CONTINUOUSLY DIVERTING A PORTION OF THE FLOW OF THE RECYCLING ACTIVATION MEDIUM USED IN THE SECOND ACTIVATION STAGE AND DIRECTING ITS FLOW THROUGH THE SECOND PURGING STAGE TO REMOVE ALL OF THE ACTIVATION MEDIUM THEREFROM, CONTINUOUSLY DIRECTING THE FLOW OF THE EFFLUENT GAS FROM THE SECOND PURGING STAGE INTO THE FLOW OF THE RECYCLING ACTIVATION MEDIUM USED IN THE FIRST ACTIVATION STAGE, CONTINUOUSLY DIVERTING A PORTION OF THE FLOW OF THE EFFLUENT STRIPPED GAS BEING TREATED FROM THE LAST OF THE ADSORPTION STAGES AND DIRECTING ITS FLOW THROUGH THE THIRD PURGING STAGE TO REMOVE ALL OF THE ACTIVATION MEDIUM THEREFROM, CONTINUOUSLY DIRECTING THE FLOW OF THE EFFLUENT GAS FROM THE THIRD PURGING STAGE INTO THE FLOW OF THE RECYCLING ACTIVATION MEDIUM USED IN THE SECOND ACTIVATION STAGE, AND CONTINUOUSLY DIRECTING THE FLOW OF THE CAPTIVE ACTIVATION MEDIUM USED IN THE FIRST ACTIVATION STAGE AS IT IS RECYCLED AND AFTER ITS PASSAGE THROUGH THE FIRST ACTIVATION STAGE, THROUGH A CONDENSING AND SEPARATING STAGE AND THERE CONDENSING AND REMOVING THE WATER AND CONDENSATE HYDROCARBONS THEREFROM.