US3918934A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for purifying gases
Assignee: GEA Group AG
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Filing: 1973-05-22
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Granted: 1975-11-11
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Expires: 1993-05-22
Abstract
Abstract Gases such as commercial fuel gases and synthesis gases are purified by scrubbing under pressure with an organic absorbent which is circulated through an absorption stage and a regeneration stage. Absorbent entrained as a vapor and/or mist in the gas leaving the absorption stage is removed by scrubbing with a solvent having a vapor pressure lower by at least one power of 10 than that of the absorbent. Thereafter the absorbent-solvent mixture is distilled to remove the absorbent from the solvent. The process is particularly useful for removing sulfur containing impurities from fuel gases. N-methyl-pyrrolidone can be used as the absorbent and polyethylene glycols can be used as the solvent.
Inventors
- 👤 Manfred Kriebel
- 👤 Gerhard Hochgesand
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 14:35
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/14; B01D53/1425; B01D53/1493
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
IN A PROCESS FOR PURIFYING GASES BY SCRUBBING UNDER PRESSURE WITH AN ORGANIC ABSORBENT WHICH IS CIRCULATED THROUGH AN ABSORPTION STAGE AND A REGENERATION STAGE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES REMOVING ABSORBENT ENTRAINED AS A VAPOR AND/OR MIST IN THE GAS LEAVING THE ABSORPTION STAGE BY SCRUBBING WITH A SOLVENT HAVING A VAPOR PRESSURE LOWER BY AT LEAST ONE POWER OF 10 THAN THAT OF THE ABSORBENT AND THEREAFTER DISTILLING THE SOLVENT-ABSORBENT MIXTURE WHICH RESULTS FROM SCRUBBING OF THE GAS WITH SAID SOLVENT, RECOVERING SAID ABSORBENT AS THE OVERHEAD PRODUCT AND RETURNING SAME TO THE ABSORBENT BEING CIRCULATED THROUGH THE ABSORPTION AND REGENERATION STAGES, RECOVERINNG SAID SOLVENT AS THE SUMP PRODUCT AND RECYCLING SAME TO THE SOLVENT SCRUBBING STEP.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
IN A PROCESS FOR PURIFYING GASES BY SCRUBBING UNDER PRESSURE WITH AN ORGANIC ABSORBENT WHICH IS CIRCULATED THROUGH AN ABSORPTION STAGE AND A REGENERATION STAGE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES REMOVING ABSORBENT ENTRAINED AS A VAPOR AND/OR MIST IN THE GAS LEAVING THE ABSORPTION STAGE BY SCRUBBING WITH A SOLVENT HAVING A VAPOR PRESSURE LOWER BY AT LEAST ONE POWER OF 10 THAN THAT OF THE ABSORBENT AND THEREAFTER DISTILLING THE SOLVENT-ABSORBENT MIXTURE WHICH RESULTS FROM SCRUBBING OF THE GAS WITH SAID SOLVENT, RECOVERING SAID ABSORBENT AS THE OVERHEAD PRODUCT AND RETURNING SAME TO THE ABSORBENT BEING CIRCULATED THROUGH THE ABSORPTION AND REGENERATION STAGES, RECOVERINNG SAID SOLVENT AS THE SUMP PRODUCT AND RECYCLING SAME TO THE SOLVENT SCRUBBING STEP.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
Process of claim 1 wherein said solvent is a polyethylene glycol.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
Process of claim 2 wherein said solvent is triethylene glycol or tetraethylene glycol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
Process of claim 1 wherein said solvent-absorbent mixture is distilled under subatmospheric pressure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
Process of claim 1 wherein said solvent-absorbent mixture is distilled with the aid of a stripping gas which is recovered and recycled with said overhead product to said regeneration stage where said gas is used as a stripping gas in the regeneration stage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
Process of claim 1 wherein a reflux for the distillation of the absorbent-solvent mixture is produced by feeding a branch stream of absorbent diverted from the regeneration stage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
Process of claim 6 wherein higher-boiling impurities contained in the absorbent fed as a reflux to the distillation are continuously removed from the sump of the distillation in a branch stream of the solvent.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-10 | 1979-05-12 | 1979-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-10 | 1983-05-12 | 1983-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-10 | 1987-05-12 | 1987-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |