Process for the purification of the inert gases
AssigneeThe BOC Group, Inc.
InventorsRavi Jain, Satish S. Tamhankar, Alberto I. LaCava
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for producing a substantially oxygen-free gaseous product such as argon containing not more than one ppm by volume of oxygen is disclosed. The process comprises introducing hydrogen into a gas stream which contains oxygen and moisture, contacting the gas stream with a dessicant to remove substantially all of the moisture therefrom, contacting the substantially anhydrous gas stream with an oxidation catalyst to convert substantially all of the oxygen in the gas stream to water, and contacting the resultant gas stream with a dessicant to remove the water created in the oxidation step. The product stream may be further purified to remove residual hydrogen contained therein.
Claims18
A process for the removal of oxygen from a gas stream containing water vapor and up to about 3 vol % oxygen comprising:
- a) introducing hydrogen into the gas stream to the extent necessary to ensure that the gas stream contains at least sufficient hydrogen to enable all of the oxygen in the gas stream to be converted to water;
- b) contacting the gas stream with an oxidation catalyst in a first catalysis zone, thereby combining a substantial amount of the oxygen in the stream with hydrogen to form water, and producing a gaseous effluent containing not greater than about 500 vpm oxygen;
- c) cooling the gaseous effluent from said first catalysis zone;
- d) contacting the cooled gaseous effluent with an solid adsorbent in a first adsorption zone, thereby removing substantially all of the water and any oxidation catalyst poisons contained in the cooled gaseous effluent;
- e) contacting the substantially anhydrous effluent from said first adsorption zone with an oxidation catalyst in a second catalysis zone, thereby combining substantially all of the oxygen in said substantially anhydrous effluent with hydrogen to produce water;
- and
- f) contacting the gaseous effluent from said second catalysis zone with an adsorbent in a second adsorption zone, thereby producing a gaseous stream containing not more than about 1 vpm of oxygen, and not more than about 1 vpm water.
A process for the removal of oxygen from a crude argon stream containing water vapor and about 0.5 to about 3 vol % oxygen comprising:
- (a) introducing hydrogen into the crude argon stream to the extent necessary to ensure that said crude argon stream contains sufficient hydrogen to enable substantially all of the oxygen in the crude argon stream to be converted to water;
- p1 (b) contacting the rude argon stream with a supported noble metal oxidation catalyst in a first catalysis zone, thereby producing a gaseous effluent containing not more than about 500 vpm oxygen;
- (c) cooling the gaseous effluent from said first catalysis zone to a temperature in the range of about 5.degree. to 70.degree. C.;
- (d) contacting the cooled gaseous effluent with an adsorbent selected from alumina, silica gel, zeolites and mixtures thereof in a first adsorption zone, thereby removing substantially all of the water and any oxidation catalyst poisons contained in the crude argon stream;
- (e) contacting the substantially anhydrous effluent from said first adsorption zone with a supported noble metal oxidation catalyst in a second catalysis zone, thereby combining substantially all of the oxygen in aid substantially anhydrous effluent with hydrogen to produce water;
- and
- (f) contacting the gaseous effluent from said second catalysis zone with an adsorbent selected from alumina, silica gel, zeolites and mixtures thereof in a second adsorption zone, thereby producing an argon product stream containing not more than about 1 vpm of oxygen, and not more than about 1 vpm water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.