# US 9,039,807 B2 · Regenerative adsorption process for removal of silicon-containing contaminants from process gas using a neutral adsorbent media > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,039,807 B2 - Document ID: US9039807B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/920,161 - Filed: 2013-06-18 - Published: 2014-12-18 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-18 - Assignees: Guild Associates, Inc. - Applicants: Guild Associates, Inc. - Inventors: Michael J. Mitariten; Roy Brown; Wayne Ballantyne; Joseph Rossin; Michael Knapke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039807B2 ## CPC - B01D 53/0462: {Temperature swing adsorption} - C10L 3/101: {Removal of contaminants} - B01D 2253/102: Carbon - B01D 2253/30: Physical properties of adsorbents - B01D 2256/245: Methane - B01D 2257/55: Compounds of silicon, phosphorus, germanium or arsenic - B01D 2258/05: Biogas - C10L 2290/12: Regeneration of a solvent, catalyst, adsorbent or any other component used to treat or prepare a fuel - C10L 2290/26: Composting, fermenting or anaerobic digestion fuel components or materials from which fuels are prepared - C10L 2290/542: Adsorption of impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS ## Abstract A natural gas-containing stream such as biogas from landfills and sewage treatment plants is freed of siloxane contaminants by passing the biogas through a bed containing an adsorbent having a neutral surface, which adsorbs the siloxanes. When the bed of neutral adsorbent is filled to capacity, the adsorbent bed is heated to remove the siloxanes and regenerate the bed. The neutral adsorbent reduces disadvantageous reactions between the adsorbent and siloxane and other impurities in the natural gas-containing stream. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for removing siloxanes from a natural gas feed comprising: passing the natural gas feed through an adsorbent bed comprising an adsorbent having a neutral surface to adsorb onto the adsorbent at least a portion of the siloxanes in the natural gas feed; and regenerating the adsorbent by removing the siloxanes adsorbed on the adsorbent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein said regenerating comprises heating the adsorbent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein said natural gas feed is a biogas. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein said adsorbent produces a pH of between 5 and 9, when slurried in water. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The process of claim 4, wherein said adsorbent produces a pH of between 6 and 8, when slurried in water. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The process of claim 2, wherein said adsorbent is heated to a temperature of greater than 250° F. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The process of claim 6, wherein said adsorbent is heated to a temperature of at least 350° F. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The process of claim 7, wherein said adsorbent is heated to a temperature of at least 450° F. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein said adsorbent is obtained by neutralizing an acidic or basic adsorbent. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The process of claim 9, wherein said adsorbent is activated carbon. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein said natural gas feed is at a temperature of 100-125° F. when passed through said adsorbent bed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The process of claim 3, wherein said biogas further includes water, VOC's, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The process of claim 11, wherein said biogas is obtained from a landfill, digester or sewage treatment plant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3) The process of claim 3, wherein said biogas being passed through the adsorbent bed has a relative humidity of less than 50%. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The process of claim 3, wherein said adsorbent produces a pH of between 5 and 9, when slurried in water. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) The process of claim 3, wherein said regenerating comprises heating said adsorbent to a temperature of greater than 250° F. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The process of claim 16, wherein said adsorbent is heated to a temperature of at least 350° F. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The process of claim 17, wherein said adsorbent is heated to a temperature of at least 450° F. ### Claim 19 (depends on 3) The process of claim 3, wherein said adsorbent is obtained by neutralizing an acidic or basic adsorbent. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The process of claim 19, wherein said adsorbent is activated carbon.