Simultaneous removal of water and hydrogen sulfide from gases

Claim 1

A process for simultaneously removing water and hydrogen sulfide from gases containing both water and hydrogen sulfide, which comprises: (a) treating the gases, in an absorption zone under superatmospheric pressure, with polyethylene glycol dialkyl ethers as a solvent, said solvent additionally containing from 0.01 to 20% by weight, based on the solvent mixture, of an alcohol or ether boiling in the range of from 50° to 140° C., (b) introducing the charged solvent, obtained from the absorption zone, into the upper half of a desorption zone, (c) stripping the hydrogen sulfide from the charged solvent in the desorption zone by using the vapor, formed in the desorption zone, of the alcohol or ether boiling at from 50° to 140° C. and contained in the solvent, as stripping agent, said stripping agent being led in counter-current to the charged solvent, (d) taking off at the top of the desorption zone the stripped-off hydrogen sulfide, (e) condensing the alcohol or ether vapor contained in the hydrogen sulfide taken off at the top of the desorption zone and recycling the condensed alcohol or ether, (f) taking off the regenerated solvent from the desorption zone and recycling it to the absorption zone, (g) taking off a branch stream from the recycled solvent and removing the water completely or partially from the branch stream in a separation zone, and (h) recycling the branch stream, obtained from the separation zone to the absorption zone.