Plant and process for separating sulfur-containing components from laden methanol
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorsSophia SCHMIDT, Alfred GUBRINSKI, Sharon CORBET, Hincal LEICHNER
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Abstract
Plant and process for separation of sulfur-containing components, H2S, COS and mercaptans from methanol which is used as absorbent within the Rectisol process by hot regeneration of the methanol laden in the absorption and an additional step for separation of the mercaptans from the methanol by stripping.
Claims7
1-11. (canceled)
A plant for separation of sulfur-containing components from laden methanol that has been used as absorbent for scrubbing of synthesis gas, comprising:
- a distillation column comprising:
- a feed for the introduction of a laden methanol stream,
- an outlet for an unladen methanol stream,
- an outlet for a top product stream,
- a feed for the return of the top product stream,
- internals for mass transfer, and
- a heat exchanger for the introduction of heat into the laden methanol stream,
- a circuit for the top product stream, comprising:
- at least one heat exchanger for cooling the top product stream and for condensing out a condensable component stream present therein,
- a liquid separator for separation of the condensable component stream from the top product,
- a stripping column for separation of volatile components from the condensable component stream, and
- a heater arranged upstream of the stripper for heating of the condensable component stream.
A process for separating sulfur-containing components including H2S, COS and mercaptans from a liquid phase comprising mainly methanol, comprising the following process steps:
- introducing the liquid phase into a distillation column,
- distilling the liquid phase while separating off a sulfur-containing component stream and discharging sulfur-containing component stream from the distillation column as a gaseous top product stream,
- cooling the top gaseous product stream while condensing out a condensed liquid phase comprising mainly methanol and mercaptans,
- separating the condensed liquid phase from the top gas product stream,
- introducing the condensed liquid phase comprising mainly methanol and mercaptans as a return stream into the distillation column,
- wherein the mercaptans are separated by stripping from the condensed liquid phase that has been separated out, thereby producing a gas mixture stream comprising mercaptans and the gas stream used for stripping, and wherein the gas mixture stream comprising mercaptans is sent to a further treatment outside the process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.