Pressure swing system with auxiliary adsorbent bed

A method for the removal of at least one component from a feed gas stream containing a plurality of components comprising:

• providing at least two primary adsorbent beds comprising at least a first primary adsorbent bed and a second primary adsorbent bed and further providing at least one secondary adsorbent bed, each of the beds containing an adsorbent selective for at least one component;
• flowing the feed gas stream to a first primary adsorbent bed to selectively remove the component and to recover at least a first portion of the gas stream substantially depleted of the component;
• substantially concurrently interconnecting the second primary adsorbent bed and the secondary adsorbent bed;
• substantially equalizing the pressure in the second primary adsorbent bed and the secondary adsorbent bed by depressurizing the second primary adsorbent bed through the secondary adsorbent bed and recovering a second portion of the gas stream substantially depleted of the component therefrom;
• depressurizing the second primary adsorbent bed through the secondary adsorbent bed to a lower pressure and recovering a depressurization gas;
• and
• depressurizing the second primary adsorbent bed and the secondary adsorbent bed to a further lower pressure to remove the component therefrom.

A method for the removal of at least one component from a feed gas stream containing a plurality of components comprising:

• providing at least three primary adsorbent beds comprising at least a first primary adsorbent bed, a second primary adsorbent bed, and a third primary adsorbent bed and further providing at least one secondary adsorbent bed, each of the beds containing an adsorbent selective for at least one component;
• flowing the feed gas stream to the first primary adsorbent bed and substantially removing the component therefrom;
• substantially concurrently interconnecting the second primary adsorbent bed and the secondary adsorbent bed;
• equalizing pressure in the second primary adsorbent bed and the secondary adsorbent bed and flowing a second portion of a gas substantially depleted of the component from the secondary adsorbent bed;
• flowing the second portion to the third primary adsorbent bed to increase the pressure therein;
• decreasing the pressure in the second primary adsorbent bed through the secondary adsorbent bed to a lower pressure and recovering a depressurization gas;
• further reducing the pressure in the second primary adsorbent bed and the secondary adsorbent bed to a yet lower pressure to substantially remove the component therefrom;
• and flowing the feed gas stream to the third primary adsorbent bed and recovering a first portion of a gas substantially depleted in the component.