Extended vacuum swing adsorption process.

摘要

A process for separating a feed gas mixture into a more strongly adsorbable component and a less strongly adsorbable component in a plurality of adsorbent beds containing an adsorbent selective for the more strongly adsorbable component using pressure equalization between beds after initial depressurization to provide a purge gas, using countercurrent evacuation wherein at least two adsorption beds are countercurrently evacuated simultaneously in overlapping countercurrent evacuation steps in the plurality of adsorption beds, and using a combination of less strongly adsorbable component and feed gas mixture to repressurize the adsorbent bed. Oxygen product can be recovered from air at high recovery using the process. <IMAGE>