Method for purifying gas containing hydrocarbons

Abstract

This invention relates to a process of cleaning gas, in particular hydrocarbonaceous gas such as e.g. natural gas, which is contaminated with sulfur in the form of H2S and mercaptans as well as CO2. To create an improved process of cleaning hydrocarbonaceous gas, in which the energy consumption and hence the costs for generating a feed gas rather rich in H2S for the Claus plant can be decreased distinctly, it is proposed in accodance with the invention that before the absorption and regeneration plant (23) operated at a pressure of the feed gas of 20-80 bar abs another absorption plant (21) is provided, which operates with a selective solvent at the same pressure of 20-80 bar abs and which roughly desulfurizes the feed gas to 100-10,000 ppmV H2S, a solvent stream (17) loaded with hydrogen sulfide being withdrawn from this preceding absorption plant (21) and being supplied to a succeeding regeneration (22), that from the preceding absorption plant (21) a third gas stream (2), the roughly desulfurized crude gas, is supplied to the absorption and regeneration plant (23), and from this absorption and regeneration plant (23) the valuable gas (5) is withdrawn, which is supplied to a further use.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.