Pressure swing adsorption process

Claim 1

In an adiabatic pressure swing adsorption process for separation of gas mixtures by adsorbing at least one gas component in each of at least eight phase staggered operated adsorbent beds; wherein each of the adsorbent beds is cyclically operated in subsequent operation steps including adsorption, at least two depressurization steps, countercurrent purging, and at least two; repressurization steps; depressurization and repressurization being established by pressure equalization with another adsorbent bed being operated in the operation step repressurization depressurization respectively of adjacent pressure range by means of a number of connecting tubes and valves opening from said adsorbent beds to said connecting tubes; the valves being switched according to a predetermined first valve operation pattern; switching of valves being initiated when a first characteristic physical quantity has reached a predetermined value; the improvement comprising periodically compairing measured actual values with predetermined corresponding nominal values of a second physical quantity characteristic for each operation step; in the case of deviations of the actual values from the nominal values, identifying any valve being potentially defective and therefore potentially responsible for said deviations in any of subsequent operation steps after the first occurence of deviation; identifying the actual defective valve as being the sole valve being identified as potentially defective in any of a sufficient number of operation steps to exclude other valves being also identified as potentially defective in said operation step of first occurance of a deviation; excluding the adsorption bed to which the defective valve belongs from operation by continuing operation of the remaining adsorption beds according to a second valve operation pattern predefined for a such reduced number of adsorption beds.