Gas: heating and illuminating – Processes – Manufacture from methane
Patent
1996-04-24
1998-05-05
Upton, Christopher
Gas: heating and illuminating
Processes
Manufacture from methane
481983, 95117, 95143, B01D 5302
Patent
active
057467889
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a process for the sorption of water and organic compounds from gases selected from the group comprising natural gas and process gases by using a sorbent comprising activated carbon in an oxidic carrier.
German patent application . . . (P 42 16 867.8= European patent application filing number 93 10 7797.9) describes sorbents comprising activated carbon in an oxidic carrier. It is pointed out that a great number of organic substances can be separated from gases with the aid of this sorbent, for instance aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons; it is also possible to absorb solvents as are found in the outlet air of paint shops or printing shops. As can be learnt from an example, a small amount of water can absorbed from test gas mixtures consisting of nitrogen, toluene and water, apart from the predominant amount of toluene.
There are very different reasons why water, CO.sub.2 and organic compounds are separated from natural gas or process gases. For instance, it may be desirable to separate water and organic compounds from waste gases so that the cleaned waste gases can be discharged into the environment. It may also be desirable to separate water and specific organic components from gases whenever said components are undesired or objectionable when the gases in question are used in a technical process. Apart from methane, natural gas, for instance, contains a complex mixture of higher hydrocarbons and some water.
The constitutional characteristics of such gas mixtures upon variation of the pressure, the volume and/or the temperature differ from the known characteristics of single-component systems. The so-called "retrograde" characteristics of such gas mixtures are due to the fact that boiling curve and dew-point curve cover a constitutional field in which saturated phases also exist above the critical point. A condensation of components of the gas mixture can also be observed upon a decrease in pressure or an increase in temperature because of the curve of that field. This phase region extends into the region of the temperatures and pressures observed during gas transportation (i.e. for example in natural gas pipelines) the further the higher the amount of higher hydrocarbons is. Furthermore, natural gas must be dried to avoid obstacles presented by ice or hydrates of hydrocarbons to pipeline transportation. So far amorphous aluminosilicate beads with the aid of which higher hydrocarbons (C5+) are separated in processes employing changing temperatures have been used for separating water and higher hydrocarbons from natural gas.
Hydrogen flows resulting from refining processes or steam reforming processes are normally contaminated with hydrocarbons and/or carbon dioxide. These impurities have so far been separated by means of activated carbon in processes employing changing pressures.
The simultaneous separation of water and organic compounds, in particular C5+ hydrocarbons, i.e. hydrocarbons which contain at least 5 hydrocarbon atoms, has so far been carried out with sorbents based on silicon dioxide. Water and C5+ hydrocarbon compounds have been separated from natural gas and waste gases resulting from the production of maleic acid anhydride, terephthalic acid anhydride or phthalic acid anhydride. C2+ carbon compounds have been separated from waste gases resulting from steam reforming.
EP-A-0369171 and EP-A-0343697 describe each a sorbent comprising particulate activated carbon and aluminum oxide which can be used for the sorption of water and organic compounds from gases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved process for the simultaneous sorption of water and organic compounds from gases selected from the group comprising natural gas and process gases.
This object is achieved according to the invention with a process for the simultaneous sorption of water and organic compounds from gases selected from the group comprising natural gas and process gases, wherein the gas is contacted with a sorbe
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patent: 4521221 (1985-06-01), Rihter et al.
patent: 4726818 (1988-02-01), Keung et al.
patent: 4784672 (1988-11-01), Sircar
patent: 5110328 (1992-05-01), Yokota et al.
patent: 5421860 (1995-06-01), Bretz et al.
Hoffmeister Michael
Schmidt Torsten
Engelhard Process Chemicals GmbH
Upton Christopher
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