US 2026/0021435 A1Published application

System and method for propane removal in pre-purification units

OwnerAchintya Sujan, Matthias Grahl +4inventors

InventorsAchintya Sujan, Matthias Grahl, Courtney E. Elwell, Cem E. Celik, Neil A. Stephenson, Philip A. Barrett

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A system and method of propane removal in a pre-purification unit (PPU) for an air separation unit is provided. The disclosed system and method involves the use of a capping layer of zeolite exchanged with moderate amounts of barium cations, preferably a barium exchange level of 50% on an equivalent basis. This reduced or moderate level of barium exchange achieves the required propane removal but with reduced costs and reduced environmental hazards compared to prior art solutions using highly exchanged barium levels. The barium containing zeolite for the capping layer is preferably in an agglomerated form, including beads and/or pellets, having an average particle size in a range of about 1 mm to 5 mm.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A pre-purification unit for an air-separation unit comprising:

a pre-purification vessel having an inlet configured for receiving a stream of feed air and an outlet configured to direct a purified air stream free of water, carbon dioxide, and substantially reduced levels of propane to the air separation unit;
a first adsorbent layer disposed in the pre-purification vessel and configured to remove water from the stream of feed air and yield a first intermediate effluent;
a second adsorbent layer disposed in the pre-purification vessel adjacent to the first adsorbent layer and configured to remove carbon dioxide from the first intermediate effluent and yield a second intermediate effluent;
and
a third adsorbent layer disposed in the pre-purification vessel adjacent to the second adsorbent layer and configured to substantially remove propane from the second intermediate effluent;
wherein the third adsorbent layer is a barium-exchanged zeolite capping layer with a barium exchange level in a range of 10% barium to 50% barium on an equivalent basis.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.