Adsorption/regeneration process

In an adsorption/regeneration process for removal of contaminants from a fluid stream in which said contaminants are adsorbed by an adsorbent, a regeneration fluid is passed through said adsorbent desorbing at least a portion of said adsorbed contaminants forming desorbed contaminants, and said desorbed contaminants are separated from said regeneration fluid, the improvement comprising:

• incinerating a portion of said desorbed contaminants, forming products of combustion;
• mixing a remaining portion of said desorbed contaminants with at least a portion of said products of combustion forming a mixture of said desorbed contaminants and said products of combustion;
• recirculating said mixture of said desorbed contaminants and said products of combustion through said adsorbent, forming a recirculated mixture having an increased concentration of said desorbed contaminants;
• and
• incinerating said recirculated mixture.

A process for removal of contaminants from a fluid stream comprising:

• introducing said fluid stream into an incinerator, said incinerator incinerating at least a portion of said contaminants and forming contaminant-containing products of combustion;
• adsorbing at least a portion of said contaminants with an adsorbent, forming a reduced-contaminant fluid stream;
• regenerating said adsorbent with at least a portion of said reduced-contaminant fluid stream, forming a contaminant-laden regeneration fluid;
• mixing at least a portion of said contaminant-laden regeneration fluid with said reduced-contaminant fluid stream forming a mixture of said portion of said contaminant-laden regeneration fluid and said reduced-contaminant fluid stream and recirculating said mixture through said adsorbent;
• and
• recirculating a remaining portion of said contaminant-laden regeneration fluid through said incinerator.

A system for removal of contaminants from a fluid stream comprising:

• at least one adsorber containing an adsorbent, said adsorber having a desorption fluid inlet and a desorption fluid outlet;
• valve means for separating a primary stream of a desorption fluid from said desorption fluid outlet into a plurality of desorption fluid streams in communication with said desorption fluid outlet;
• an incinerator in communication with said valve means;
• mixing means for mixing one of said plurality of desorption fluid streams with products of combustion from said incinerator forming a mixture of said one of said plurality of desorption fluid streams and said products of combustion, said mixing means in communication with said desorption fluid inlet;
• and
• means for introducing said mixture into said adsorber.