Dehydration of gases

Claim 1

A METHOD OF DEHYDRATING NATURAL GAS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF FLOWING THE GAS THROUGH A GAS-LIQUID CONTACT APPARATUS WITHIN A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE RANGE, INTRODUCING INTO THE APPARATUS A WATER-ABSORBING SOLUTION COMPRISING A HYDROCARBON MATERIAL WHICH IS A LIQUID IN SAID PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE RANGES AND A DESICCANT OF THE ETHER STRUCTURE TYPE DISSOLVED IN SAID HYDROCARBON MATERIAL AND BALANCE TO FORM AN EMULSION WITH WATER WHICH IS STABLE I THE APPARATUS IN SAID PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE RANGES, CAUSING WATER-ABSORBING CONTACT OF THE SOLUTIO WITH THE GAS IN SAID APPARATUS, REMOVING FROM THE APPARATUS THE RESULTING EMULSION FORMED BY ABSORPTION OF WATER FROM THE GAS INTO THE SOLUTION, PASSING THE SAID EMULSION TO A SEPARATOR AND MAINTAINING THE SAID EMULSION AT A PRESSURE WITHIN OR CLOSE TO SAID PRESSURE RANGE, INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SAID EMULSION APPROXIMATELY 30*F. WHILE AT SAID PRESSURE TO CAUSE THE WATER WHILE IN THE LIQUID STATE TO SETTLE OUT FROM THE EMULSION, REMOVING THE SETTLED OUT WATER FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID SEPARATOR AND REINTRODUCING THE PRODUCT REMAINING AFTER SAID REMOVAL OF THE WATER INTO SAID APPARATUS TO PROVIDE AT LEAST IN PART SAID LIQUID SOLUTION INTRODUCED INTO THE APPARATUS.