Adsorptive separation process

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR SEPARATION OF STRAIGHT CHAIN HYDROCARBONS FROM MIXTURES THEREOF WITH NON-STRAIGHT CHAIN HYDROCARBONS WITH AN ALUMINO-SILICATE MOLECULAR SIEVE ADSORBENT WHICH SELECTIVELY ADSORBS STRAIGHT CHAIN HYDROCARBONS TO THE SUBSTANTIAL EXCLUSION OF NON-STRAIGHT CHAIN HYDROCARBONS COMPRISING INTRODUCING A LIQUID FEED MIXTURE OF SAID HYDROCARBONS INTO ONE END OF A ZONE CONTAINING A MASS OF SAID MOLECULAR SIEVE ADSORBENT WHICH IS AT LEAST PARTIALLY SATURATED WITH ADSORBED LIQUID C4 HYDROCARBONS; WITHDRAWING RESULTING EFFLUENT HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED STRAIGHT CHAIN HYDROCARBON CONTENT FROM THE OTHER END OF SAID ZONE; DISCONTINUING INTRODUCTION OF SAID MIXTURE TO SAID ZONE; THEREAFTER INTRODUCING VIA SAID OTHER END OF SAID ZONE A GASEOUS DESORPTION MEDIUM COMPRISING A C4 HYDROCARBON FRACTION INTO CONTACT WITH SAID ADSORBENT AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO DESORB ADSORBED STRAIGHT CHAIN HYDROCARBONS THEREFROM; WITHDRAWING FROM SAID ONE END OF SAID ZONE RESULTING GASEOUS DESORPTION EFFLUENT COMPRISING DESORBED STRAIGHT CHAIN HYDROCARBONS TOGETHER WITH SAID DESORPTION MEDIUM, DISCONTINUING THE FLOW OF GASEOUS DESORPTION MEDIUM TO SAID ZONE WHEN DESORPTION IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE; THEREAFTER COOLING SAID GASEOUS DESORPTION EFFLUENT EFFECTING CONDENSATION OF A PORTION OF THE DESORBED STRAIGHT CHAIN HYDROCARBONS PRESENT THEREIN AND SEPARATING RESULTING CONDENSATE FROM UNCONDENSED GASEOUS RESIDUAL DESORPTION EFFLUENT; COMPRESSING AND FURTHER COOLING SAID RESIDUAL DESORPTION EFFLUENT EFFECTING LIQUEFACTION OF AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE C4 HYDROCARBONS PRESENT THEREIN; INTRODUCING INTO SAID ONE END OF SAID ZONE SAID FURTHER COOLED RESIDUAL EFFLUENT COMPRISING LIQUID C4 HYDROCARBONS INTO CONTACT WITH HEATED DESORBED ADSORBENT EFFECTING VAPORIZATION OF A PORTION OF SAID LIQUID C4 HYDROCARBONS WITH CONCOMITANT COOLING OF SAID ADSORBENT AND SATURATION OF AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID COOLED ADSORBENT WITH LIQUID C4 HYDROCARBONS; WITHDRAWING FROM SAID OTHER END OF SAID ZONE RESULTING HEATED RESIDUAL EFFLUENT OF REDUCED C4 HYDROCARBON CONTENT; AND CONTAINING VAPORIZED C4 HYDROCARBONS; FURTHER HEATING SAID RESULTING RESIDUAL EFFLUENT AND SUPPLYING SAME AS SAID GASEOUS DESORPTION MEDIUM FOR SAID DESORPTION STEP; THEREAFTER REINTRODUCING SAID LIQUID FEED MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS INTO SAID INLET END OF SAID VESSEL INTO CONTACT WITH COOLED ADSORBENT CONTAINING SAID LIQUID C4 HYDROCARBONS.