Purification of oxygen by adsorption.

摘要

Hydrocarbon impurities such as methane are removed from a gaseous air or oxygen stream by temperature swing adsorption. The stream is passed through a bed of adsorbent which is at a temperature of 150K or less. The adsorbent is selected so as to be able to adsorb selectively hydrocarbon impurities in preference to oxygen. A product stream essentially free of hydrocarbon impurities is produced. If the gaseous stream is oxygen it may be produced by fractional distillation of air and the adsorbent preferably also selectively adsorbs nitrogen in preference to air. If the gaseous stream is air, an oxygen product essentially free of hydrocarbon impurities is produced by fractional distillation of the purified air.