US4229188A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Selective adsorption process
Assignee: Permea Inc
•
Filing: 1979-06-18
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Granted: 1980-10-21
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Expires: 1999-06-18
Abstract
Abstract There is provided an improved, environmentally acceptable adsorption process for the recovery of hydrogen and normally liquid hydrocarbon from a feed gas mixture by utilizing a membrane permeator unit selectively permeable to hydrogen to recover a permeated hydrogen gas from the purge gas obtained from the regeneration of a selective adsorption unit, recycling the permeated hydrogen gas to a guard adsorber of the selective adsorption unit as purge gas and blending said gas with the feed gas mixture for recovery of normally liquid hydrocarbon and of the added proportion of hydrogen as purified hydrogen product.
Inventors
- 👤 George M. Intille
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 01:18
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/22; B01D53/229; B01D53/02; B01D53/04; C; C01; C01B; C01B3/00; C01B3/50; C01B3/501; B01D2256/00; B01D2256/16; B01D2257/00; B01D2257/50; B01D2257/502; B01D2257/70; B01D2257/702; B01D2259/00; B01D2259/40; B01D2259/402; B01D2259/41; C01B2203/00; C01B2203/04; C01B2203/0405; C01B2203/0465; C01B2203/047; C01B2203/048
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
In a selective adsorption process wherein a feed gas mixture containing hydrogen, at least one heavier gas and vapors of at least one normally liquid hydrocarbon is directed to a guard adsorber of a selective adsorption unit, vapors of normally liquid hydrocarbons are adsorbed by said guard adsorber, said feed gas mixture substantially freed of said vapors is thereafter directed to a selective adsorber of said selective adsorption unit, a hydrogen product is obtained from said selective adsorption unit and a first purge gas comprising hydrogen is obtained from said selective adsorption unit, the improvement comprising directing said first purge gas to a membrane permeator selectively permeable to hydrogen, recovering from said permeator permeated gas comprising hydrogen, sequentially directing said permeated gas to said guard adsorber, purging said guard adsorber with said permeated gas of at least a portion of said adsorbed vapors, blending the resulting second purge gas from the guard adsorber with said feed gas mixture and recovering at least a portion of said normally liquid hydrocarbon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
169 words
In a selective adsorption process wherein a feed gas mixture containing hydrogen, at least one heavier gas and vapors of at least one normally liquid hydrocarbon is directed to a guard adsorber of a selective adsorption unit, vapors of normally liquid hydrocarbons are adsorbed by said guard adsorber, said feed gas mixture substantially freed of said vapors is thereafter directed to a selective adsorber of said selective adsorption unit, a hydrogen product is obtained from said selective adsorption unit and a first purge gas comprising hydrogen is obtained from said selective adsorption unit, the improvement comprising directing said first purge gas to a membrane permeator selectively permeable to hydrogen, recovering from said permeator permeated gas comprising hydrogen, sequentially directing said permeated gas to said guard adsorber, purging said guard adsorber with said permeated gas of at least a portion of said adsorbed vapors, blending the resulting second purge gas from the guard adsorber with said feed gas mixture and recovering at least a portion of said normally liquid hydrocarbon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a portion of said vapors purged from the guard adsorber are recovered as liquid hydrocarbon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said vapors are recovered by condensing and coalescing same.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said first purge gas is directed to said membrane permeator at an elevated pressure of from about 3 to about 50 atmospheres.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said first purge gas is compressed to said elevated pressure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 1 wherein at least one desorbed heavier gas and said first purge gas are mixed, and said gas mixture is directed to said membrane permeator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said heavier gas comprises at least one of carbon monoxide and methane.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said normally liquid hydrocarbon comprises at least one of an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 8 wherein said normally liquid hydrocarbon comprises benzene.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said membrane permeator is comprised of multicomponent hollow fiber membranes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 10 wherein said multicomponent hollow fiber membranes comprise a porous hollow fiber separation membrane and a coating in occluding contact with the outside surface thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 11 wherein said porous hollow fiber separation membrane comprises polysulfone and said coating comprises poly(siloxane) crosslinked to provide a silicone rubber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a non-permeated gas mixture is recovered from said membrane permeator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 13 wherein said non-permeated gas mixture is burned.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a selective adsorption process wherein a feed gas mixture containing hydrogen, at least one heavier gas and vapors of at least one normally liquid hydrocarbon is directed to a guard adsorber of a selective adsorption unit, said vapors are adsorbed by said guard adsorber, said feed gas mixture substantially freed of said vapors is thereafter directed to a selective adsorber of said selective adsorption unit, a hydrogen product is obtained from said selective adsorption unit and at least one desorbed heavier gas and purge gas are joined in a regenerating gas obtained from said selective adsorption unit, the improvement comprising directing said regenerating gas to a membrane permeator selectively permeable to hydrogen, recovering from said permeator a permeated gas comprising hydrogen, sequentially directing said permeated gas to said guard adsorber, purging said guard adsorber with said permeated gas of at least a portion of said adsorbed vapors, blending the resulting second purge gas from the guard adsorber with said feed gas mixture and recovering at least a portion of said normally liquid hydrocarbon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a selective adsorption process wherein a feed gas mixture containing hydrogen, at least one heavier gas and vapors of at least one normally liquid hydrocarbon is directed to a guard adsorber of a selective adsorption unit, said vapors are adsorbed by said guard adsorber, said feed gas mixture substantially freed of said vapors is thereafter directed to a selective adsorber of said selective adsorption unit, a hydrogen product is obtained from said selective adsorption unit and at least one desorbed heavier gas and purge gas are joined in a regenerating gas obtained from said selective adsorption unit, the improvement comprising directing said regenerating gas to a membrane permeator selectively permeable to hydrogen, recovering from said permeator a permeated gas comprising hydrogen, sequentially directing said permeated gas to said guard adsorber, purging said guard adsorber with said permeated gas of at least a portion of said adsorbed vapors, blending the resulting second purge gas from the guard adsorber with said feed gas mixture and recovering at least a portion of said normally liquid hydrocarbon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said regenerating gas is directed to said membrane permeator at an elevated pressure of from about 3 to about 50 atmospheres.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 16 wherein said regenerating gas is compressed to said elevated pressure.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 15 wherein a portion of said vapors purged from the guard adsorber are recovered as liquid hydrocarbon.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said vapors are recovered by condensing and coalescing same.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said heavier gas comprises at least one of carbon monoxide and methane.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said normally liquid hydrocarbon comprises at least one of an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 21 wherein said normally liquid hydrocarbon comprises benzene.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 15 wherein a non-permeated gas mixture is recovered from said membrane permeator.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 23 wherein said non-permeated gas mixture is burned.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said membrane permeator is comprised of multicomponent hollow fiber membranes.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 25 wherein said multicomponent hollow fiber membranes comprise a porous hollow fiber separation membrane and a coating in occluding contact with the outside surface thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 26 wherein said porous hollow fiber separation membrane comprises polysulfone and said coating comprises poly(siloxane) crosslinked to provide a silicone rubber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-10-21 | 1984-04-21 | 1984-10-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-10-21 | 1988-04-21 | 1988-10-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-10-21 | 1992-04-21 | 1992-10-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |