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US 5,861,049 AGranted
Chlorine separation process combining condensation, membrane separation and flash evaporation
AssigneeMembrane Technology and Research, Inc.
InventorKaaeid A. Lokhandwala
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for separating chlorine from other low-boiling components of a gas-phase mixture. The invention involves three separation steps: condensation, flash evaporation and membrane separation. The steps are integrated together in such a way as to provide a good separation between the components, and to avoid creation of secondary streams that need additional treatment. The invention is particularly useful for treatment of gas streams from chlor-alkali processes.
Claims18
A process for separating chlorine from a gas mixture containing chlorine and at least one component of lower boiling point;
- said process comprising the following steps:
- (a) compressing said gas mixture to a pressure no higher than about 1,000 psig;
- (b) cooling said gas mixture to a temperature no lower than about -100.degree. C.;
- steps (a) and (b) causing partial condensation of said gas mixture and resulting in a condensed portion enriched in chlorine and an uncondensed portion depleted in chlorine;
- (c) flashing said condensed portion to at least partially remove additional amounts of said at least one component of lower boiling point as a flash stream thereby creating a more-enriched chlorine product stream;
- (d) treating said uncondensed portion in a membrane separation unit, containing a membrane selective for chlorine over said at least one component of lower boiling point, thereby creating a permeate stream enriched in chlorine compared with said uncondensed portion and a residue stream depleted in chlorine compared with said uncondensed portion;
- (e) recirculating said permeate stream to said step (a);
- (f) recirculating said flash stream to said step (a).
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.