Process and Apparatus for the Separation of Methane from a Gas Stream

An apparatus for separating methane from a gas stream, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a mixer configured to receive a gas stream and water and to generate a gas/water mixture, the gas stream comprising methane, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen;
• (b) a hydrate reactor configured to receive the gas/water mixture, to generate a slurry comprising methane hydrate, and to exhaust a methane-depleted gas stream, the methane-depleted gas stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, the hydrate reactor comprising:
• a reaction chamber;
• a gas/water mixture inlet for supplying the gas/water mixture to the reaction chamber, the gas/water mixture inlet in communication with the mixer;
• a gas outlet for exhausting a methane-depleted gas stream from the reaction chamber;
• a slurry outlet for removing a slurry from the reaction chamber;
• and
• a chiller for cooling the reaction chamber;
• and
• (c) a separator configured to receive the slurry comprising methane hydrate, to dissociate the methane from the methane hydrate, and to exhaust methane, the separator comprising:
• a separation chamber;
• a slurry inlet for supplying the slurry into the separation chamber, the slurry inlet in communication with the hydrate reactor;
• a methane gas outlet for exhausting methane from the separation chamber;
• a water outlet for removing water from the chamber;
• and
• a heater for heating the separation chamber.