Process for removing nitrous oxide from a gas stream

Abstract

A process is disclosed for the removal of nitrous oxide from a gas stream having a contaminating concentration of nitrous oxide to provide a gas stream with a significantly reduced concentration of nitrous oxide. The process includes passing the feed gas stream through a first heat transfer zone that is in heat exchange relationship with a product stream whereby heat is transferred from the product stream to the feed gas stream to thereby provide a heated gas stream; passing said heated gas stream to a reaction zone containing a N2O decomposition catalyst and optionally a combination of other catalyst that provides for the decomposition of nitrous oxide or other contaminants and yielding therefrom a product stream having a reduced concentration of nitrous oxide; and passing the product stream to the first heat transfer zone to provide a cooled product stream.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.