Separation of ethylene from acetylene

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE SEPARATION OF ETHYLENE AND ACETYLENE FROM A GASEOUS MIXTURE CONTAINING THE SAME IN APPROXIMATELY EQUAL PROPORTIONS WHICH COMPRISES: INTRODUCING SAID MIXTURE TO THE LOWER PORTION OF A FIRST ABSORBER ZONE OPERATING AT A FIRST PRESSURE AND PASSING THE SAME UPWARDLY COUNTERCURRENT TO A DOWNWARDLY MOVING STREAM OF A LEAN SOLVENT SELECTIVE FOR SAID ACETYLENE; PASSING ETHYLENE CONCENTRATE CONTAINING SOME ACETYLENE FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID FIRST ABSORBER ZONE TO A FRACTIONATION ZONE; DRAWING SOLVENT ENRICHED WITH ACETYLENE FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID FIRST ABSORBER AND PASSING THE SAME TO A FIRST STRIPPING ZONE; PASSING ADDITIONAL STRIPPED ETHYLENE FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID FIRST STRIPPING ZONE TO THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID FIRST ABSORBER ZONE; DRAWING SOLVENT FURTHER ENRICHED WITH ACETYLENE FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID FIRST STRIPPING ZONE AND PASSING THE SAME TO A SECOND STRIPPING ZONE; RECOVERING ACETYLENE PRODUCT FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID SECOND STRIPPING ZONE; DRAWING STRIPPED SOLVENT FROM THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID SECOND STRIPPING ZONE SUITABLE FOR FURTHER USE; REMOVING LIGHT GASES FROM SAID FRACTIONATION ZONE; DRAWING ETHANE AND HIGHER HYDROCARBONS FROM SAID FRACTIONATION ZONE; PASSING A STREAM RICH IN ACETYLENE AND ETHYLENE FROM SAID FRACTIONATION ZONE TO A SECOND ABSORPTION ZONE OPERATING AT A SECOND PRESSURE, SAID SECOND PRESSURE BEING CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN SAID FIRST PRESSURE; RECYCLING SOLVENT RICH IN ACETYLENE FROM THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID SECOND ABSORBER TO SAID FIRST STRIPPING ZONE; AND RECOVERING ETHYL ENE PRODUCT SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF ACETYLENE FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID SECOND ABSORBER ZONE.