Sepn. of gaseous mixts. by selective adsorption-desorption - using adsorption agent with increased heat capacity compared with pure adsorbent

摘要

In a process for separating gaseous components by selective adiabatic adsorption and desorption, the gas mixt. to be separated is passed under high pressure into the inlet side of an adsorbent bed which selectively adsorbs >=1 component out of the gas mixt. so that >=1 adsorption front moves from the inlet in the direction of the outlet, and a stream of non-adsorbed gas is removed. The pressure in the bed is then reduced so that gas in the spaces between the adsorbent particles and in the macropores of the particles is released and part of the adsorbed gas is desorbed and removed. The bed may than be swept with a stream of rinsing gas at the prevailing pressure so that the remaining adsorbed components are largely desorbed and driven out. The bed is then returned to the original pressure and the successive stages are repeated. The adsorption aent used is one whose volumetric heat capacity is larger than that of the pur adsorption agent. Process gives higher yields than in prior art processes, possibly by suppression of adverse thermal effects which affect the adsorption and desorption capacity of the bed.