Process and apparatus for removing unwanted components from a gas mixture

An apparatus for removal of unwanted components from a feed gas mixture comprising the unwanted component and further components to be transferred into a purified gas mixture, the apparatus comprising:

• a temperature swing adsorption unit comprising at least two adsorption vessels, the apparatus being adapted to cyclically operate the temperature swing adsorption unit in successive operation modes in each of which a different one of the at least two adsorption vessels is operated in an adsorption mode while a further one of the at least two adsorption vessels previously operated in the adsorption mode is operated in a regeneration mode,
• the apparatus further being adapted to form, in the adsorption mode, an adsorption gas stream using a part of the feed gas mixture and to pass the adsorption gas stream through the adsorption vessel operated in the adsorption mode, thereby forming the purified gas mixture, and
• the apparatus further comprising means adapted to form a regeneration gas stream using a further part of the feed gas mixture and/or a part of the purified gas mixture, means adapted to pass, in the regeneration mode, the regeneration gas stream through the adsorption vessel operated in the regeneration mode, means adapted to perform the regeneration mode comprising a heating phase of 5 to 90 minutes in which the regeneration gas stream is heated to a desorption temperature level of 80 to 350° C. and is thereafter passed through the adsorption vessel operated in the regeneration mode, means adapted to perform the regeneration mode further comprising a cooling phase subsequent to the heating phase in which the regeneration gas stream is passed through the adsorption vessel operated in the regeneration mode without being heated to the desorption temperature level and wherein, during the regeneration mode, the heating and the cooling phase are not conducted in parallel in different adsorption vessels, and means adapted to recycle at least a part of the regeneration gas stream and use the at least a part of the regeneration gas stream in forming the adsorption gas stream, and
• means for timing the heating phase and the cooling phase such that a maximum temperature of the regeneration gas withdrawn from the adsorption vessel operated in the regeneration mode resulting from said heating of the regeneration gas stream in the heating phase occurs in the subsequent cooling phase, and not in the heating phase.