US3745746A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dehydration process
Assignee: GAF Chemicals Corp
•
Filing: 1971-03-25
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Granted: 1973-07-17
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Expires: 1991-03-25
Abstract
Abstract A method of dehydrating gases using N-alkyllactams is described. Included are steps for the recovery of any entrained vapors of the N-alkyllactams from the dehydrated gas streams and the recirculation of the recovered lactams thus reducing the operating cost of such process.
Inventors
- 👤 H Psyras
- 👤 A Bellisio
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:39
CPC Classifications
C; C07; C07D; C07D207/00; C07D207/02; C07D207/18; C07D207/22; C07D207/24; C07D207/26; C07D207/263; C07D207/267; B; B01; B01D; B01D1/00; B01D1/14; B01D17/00; B01D17/02; B01D17/0205; B01D3/00; B01D3/34; B01D3/343; B01D3/346; B01D53/00; B01D53/14; B01D53/1493; B01D53/26; B01D53/263; B01D53/34; B01D53/46; B01D53/48; B01D53/50; B01D53/507; B01D53/52; B01D53/526; C01; C01B; C01B17/00; C01B17/48; C01B17/50; C01B17/60; C01B3/00; C01B3/50; C01B3/52; C07C; C07C7/00; C07C7/11; C07D201/00; C07D201/16; C10; C10L; C10L3/00; C10L3/06; C10L3/10; C01B2203/00; C01B2203/04; C01B2203/0415; C01B2203/0465; C01B2203/0475; C01B2203/048; C01B2203/0485; C01B2203/0495; C10G; C10G2300/00; C10G2300/10; C10G2300/1025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
12 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the gases are fuel gases.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the gases are syngas.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the liquid N-alkyllactam is N-methyl pyrrolidone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the absorber liquid is N-cyclohexyl pyrrolidone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the N-alkyllactam containing the absorbed water and the absorber liquid with the dissolved N-alkyllactam contained therein are collected together.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the N-alkyllactam used for contacting the gas containing water includes up to 20 percent of the absorber liquid for said N-alkyllactam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein in addition to the dehydrating of the gases, the gases are additionally purified by having removed therefrom those contaminants of the gas which are soluble in the N-alkyllactam, said coNtaminants including sulfur-containing sour components, carbon dioxide, and entrained heavy hydrocarbons.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 1 applied to natural gas issuing from the wellhead and simultaneously dehydrating and sweetening same to commercial pipeline standards prior to injection into the pipeline for transport.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 in which the gas stream to be dehydrated is passed upwardly through the dehydration section of the contacting zone for countercurrent contact therein with a descending stream of said liquid N-alkyllactam solvent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 10 in which the dehydrated gas stream in the dehydration section passes directly upward therefrom into the scrubber section of the contacting zone for countercurrent contact therein with a descending stream of said absorber liquid.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
358 words
A method for the enhanced dehydration of wet gas streams by solvent absorption with minimal loss of dehydrating solvent comprising: a. contacting a water vapor-containing gas stream with a liquid N-alkyllactam solvent in the dehydration section of contacting zone, said alkyllactam solvent absorbing water vapor from said gas stream to dehydrate said stream; b. passing the thus-dehydrated gas stream from said dehydration section into the scrubber section of said contacting zone for contact therein with an absorber liquid in an amount constituting a relatively minor proportion of the amount of liquid solvent employed in the dehydration section, said liquid containing a solvent or mixture of solvents for said N-alkyllactam, said absorber liquid consisting essentially of a liquid polyethylene glycol or mixture thereof having a boiling point higher than that of said N-alkyllactam solvent, said absorber liquid absorbing and recovering vaporized and/or entrained N-alkyllactam solvent present in the dehydrated gas stream passing from said dehydration section to said scrubber section of the contacting zone; c. withdrawing said liquid N-alkyllactam solvent having water vapor absorbed therein from said dehydration section; d. withdrawing said absorber liquid having recovered N-alkyllactam solvent absorbed therein from said scrubber section; e. regenerating and reconcentrating said withdrawn N-alkyllactam solvent for recycling to said dehydration section of the contacting zone; f. regenerating and reconcentrating said withdrawn absorber liquid for recycling to the scrubber section of the contacting zone, the N-alkyllactam solvent thereby removed from the absorber liquid being recycled to the dehydration section of the contacting zone; and g. withdrawing a dehydrated gas stream from the scrubber section of the contacting zone, said gas stream having substantially all of the vaporized and/or entrained N-alkyllactam content of the gas stream passed from the dehydration section to the scrubber section removed therefrom, whereby the effective recovery of N-alkyllactam solvent in the scrubber zone does not adversely affect the degree of dehydration achieved in the dehydration section, so that enhanced gas stream dehydration is achieved in the contacting zone with minimal loss of N-alkyllactam solvent, the N-alkyllactam solvent and absorber liquid both being conveniently and efficiently regenerated for contact with additional quantities of the wet gas stream to be dehydrated.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 12 in which the absorber liquid is selected from the group consisting of di-, tri- and tetra ethylene glycol and mixtures thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 13 in which said glycol is triethylene glycol.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 12 in which said N-alkyllactam solvent is N-methyl pyrrolidone.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 15 in which said absorber liquid is selected from the group consisting of di-, tri- and tetra ethylene glycol, and mixtures thereof, and N-cyclohexyl pyrrolidone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 16 in which said absorber liquid is triethylene glycol.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 16 in which said absorber liquid is N-cyclohexyl pyrrolidone.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-16 | 1977-01-15 | 1977-07-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-16 | 1981-01-15 | 1981-07-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-16 | 1985-01-15 | 1985-07-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |