Processes and apparatuses for separating hydrogen from hydrocarbons
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorsShubhra J. Bhadra, Kathryn R. Bjorkman Marrou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Processes and apparatuses for providing a high purity hydrogen stream by removing hydrocarbons with a thermal swing adsorption process. An adsorbent is used to remove the hydrocarbons and provide a product stream that is an enriched hydrogen stream. A portion of the product stream is heated and used as a purge stream to desorb the hydrocarbons from the adsorbent. A contaminated stream including hydrogen and the hydrocarbons is cooled and separated in a gaseous stream and a liquid steam. The vapor stream is mixed with the feed stream. A blower may be used with the vapor stream.
Claims20
A process for separating hydrogen from hydrocarbons, the process comprising:
- passing a feed stream comprising hydrogen and hydrocarbons to an adsorption zone;
- separating the hydrogen from the hydrocarbons in the adsorption zone by selectively adsorbing the hydrocarbons to provide an enriched hydrogen product stream;
- heating a portion of the enriched hydrogen product stream as a purge stream;
- desorbing the hydrocarbons with the purge stream and to provide a contaminated stream;
- and,
- separating the contaminated stream into a hydrogen stream and a hydrocarbon stream in a separation zone.
A temperature swing adsorption process for recovering hydrogen from a stream comprising hydrogen and hydrocarbons, the process comprising the steps of:
- adsorbing, at a predetermined pressure and temperature, hydrocarbons from a feed stream containing hydrogen and hydrocarbons with an adsorbent and producing a product stream enriched in hydrogen;
- heating a portion of the product stream as a purge stream;
- desorbing the hydrogens from the adsorbent with the purge stream and producing a contaminated stream comprising hydrogen and hydrocarbons at a pressure substantially the same as the predetermined pressure of the adsorbing step;
- and,
- separating the contaminated stream into a liquid stream comprising hydrocarbons and a vapor stream comprising hydrogen.
An apparatus for separating hydrogen from hydrocarbons, the apparatus comprising:
- an adsorption zone comprising a first vessel configured to receive a feed stream comprising hydrogen and hydrocarbons, the first vessel comprising an adsorbent configured to selectively adsorb the hydrocarbons, and the first vessel configured to provide an enriched hydrogen product stream;
- a heater configured to receive a portion of the enriched hydrogen product stream and provide a purge stream;
- a line configured to transfer the purge stream from the heater to the first vessel to desorb the hydrocarbons with the purge stream and provide a contaminated stream;
- and,
- separation zone having a vessel configured to separate the contaminated stream into a hydrogen stream and a hydrocarbon stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.