Inert gas purifier especially suited for bulk nitrogen without the use of hydrogen or other reducing gases.

摘要

The present invention relates to a three stage process using copper, copper oxide and molecular sieve adsorbent beds for the sequential removal of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioixde and water from an inert feed gas. The process is especially suited to the purification of nitrogen gas from an air separation plant, which can be purified from a contaminant level of 30 vppm oxygen + carbon monoxide + hydrogen to less than 10 vppb each of oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and water, without the addition of hydrogen or another reducing gas to the process.