Process and appartus for removing gaseous contaminants from gas stream comprising gaseous contaminants

A for removing gaseous contaminants from a feed gas stream which comprises methane and gaseous contaminants, the process comprising:

• 1) providing the feed gas stream;
• 2) cooling the feed gas stream to a temperature at which a slurry is formed which comprises solid contaminant, liquid phase contaminant and a methane enriched gaseous phase;
• 3) introducing the slurry as obtained in step 2) into the top part or intermediate part of a cryogenic separation device;
• 4) removing from the top part of the separation device a stream which comprises the methane enriched gaseous phase;
• 5) introducing a stream comprising liquid phase contaminant into the intermediate part or the bottom part of the separation device or both to dilute the slurry which has been introduced into the separation device in step 3);
• 6) passing the diluted slurry as obtained in step 5) through a heat exchanger which is arranged inside the separation device, whereby at least part of the solid contaminant present in the diluted slurry is melted into liquid phase contaminant;
• 7) removing from the separation device by means of a pump, preferably an eductor, a stream comprising liquid phase contaminant, which pump is situated below the heat exchanger and arranged outside or inside the separation device or partly inside or outside the separation device;
• 8) removing a stream comprising liquid phase contaminant from the separation device at a position below the slurry level in the separation device;
• 9) separating the stream of liquid phase contaminant obtained in step 8) into a liquid product stream and a recirculation stream which is used as a motive fluid in the eductor in the case that an eductor is used;
• and
• 10) introducing into the separation device as described above in step 5) at least part of the stream as removed in step 7) and at least part of the recirculation stream as obtained in step 9).