Separation process

Claim 1

A process for separating first, second and third components from a fluid feed stream comprising a mixture of said components, which process employs an adsorbent and desorbent material which in combination exhibit relative selectivities for said first, second and third components, respectively, in descending order of magnitude, which process comprises the steps of: (a) maintaining net fluid flow through a column of said adsorbent in a single direction, which column contains at least three zones having separate operational functions occurring therein and being serially interconnected with the terminal zones of said column connected to provide a continuous connection of said zones; (b) maintaining an adsorption zone in said column, said zone defined by the adsorbent located between a feed input stream at an upstream boundary of said zone and a raffinate output stream at a downstream boundary of said zone; (c) maintaining a purification zone immediately upstream from said adsorption zone, said purification zone defined by the adsorbent located between an extract output stream at an upstream boundary of said purification zone and said feed input stream at a downstream boundary of said purification zone; (d) maintaining a desorption zone immediately upstream from said purification zone, said desorption zone defined by the adsorbent located between a desorbent input stream at an upstream boundary of said desorption zone and said extract output stream at a downstream boundary of said desorption zone; (e) passing said feed stream into said adsorption zone at adsorption conditions to effect the selective adsorption of said first component by said adsorbent in said adsorption zone and withdrawing said raffinate output stream from said adsorption zone; (f) passing said desorbent material into said desorption zone at desorption conditions to effect the displacement of said first component from the adsorbent in said desorption zone; (g) withdrawing said extract stream comprising said first component and desorbent material from said desorption zone; (h) withdrawing said raffinate output stream comprising a stream of substantially pure third component and desorbent material from said adsorption zone at said downstream boundary thereof; (i) withdrawing an intermediate raffinate stream comprising a mixture of said second component, said third component and desorbent material from said adsorption zone in an amount sufficient to provide said substantially pure third component raffinate stream in admixture with said desorbent material withdrawn in (h), said intermediate raffinate stream being withdrawn at a locus approximately midway between the upstream and downstream boundaries of said adsorption zone; and (j) periodically advancing through said column of adsorbent in a downstream direction with respect to fluid flow in said adsorption zone the feed input stream, raffinate output stream, desorbent input stream, extract output stream and the intermediate raffinate output stream to effect the shifting of zones through said adsorbent and the production of extract output, raffinate output and intermediate raffinate output streams.