Cryogenic adsorption process for xenon recovery

An adsorption process for the recovery of xenon from a cryogenic feed stream containing xenon which comprises:

• i. feeding the feed stream at cryogenic temperatures into the inlet of an adsorption vessel having an inlet and an outlet and containing an adsorbent bed therein, wherein said adsorbent bed contains at least one AgX adsorbent selective for xenon,
• ii. maintaining said adsorbent bed on feed until the xenon concentration at the outlet of said bed is greater than or equal to 70% of the xenon concentration at the inlet to said adsorbent bed,
• iii. ending the feed to the adsorption bed and purging same with a purge gas,
• iv. increasing the temperature of said adsorbent bed to a temperature effective to desorb substantially all of said xenon from the adsorbent in said adsorbent bed,
• v. recovering the xenon product desorbed from said adsorbent bed,
• vi. cooling said adsorbent bed to cryogenic temperatures with a cryogenic fluid, and
• repeating steps i.-vi. in a cyclic manner.