Process for separating CO/sub 2/ and H/sub 2/S from hydrocarbons

Patent · Tue May 20 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5674604

Chen, M S.K.; Goff, S P; Van Ommeren, J

A process is described for separating components of a feed gas containing CO/sub 2/, H/sub 2/S and C/sub 1/ and higher hydrocarbons to form a CO/sub 2/-rich stream, an H/sub 2/S-rich stream and a hydrocarbon-rich stream. The process consists of: (a) passing the feed gas to membrane separation units to form acid gas-rich streams and a hydrocarbon-rich stream; (b) compressing at least one acid gas-rich stream and passing the stream back through at least one membrane separation unit to further remove hydrocarbons and thereby form an additional hydrocarbon-rich stream; (c) combining the hydrocarbon-rich streams to form a combined hydrocarbon-rich stream containing less than 10 mole % CO/sub 2/; (d) separating the combined hydrocarbon-rich stream to form a methane-rich stream and a higher hydrocarbon-rich stream; (e) combining the acid gas-rich streams to form a combined acid gas-rich stream; (f) compressing the combined acid gas-rich stream; (g) contacting the combined acid gas-rich stream with a solvent capable of absorbing H/sub 2/S thereby forming a CO/sub 2/ product stream containing less than 100 ppm H/sub 2/S and an H/sub 2/S-rich solvent stream; (h) passing the H/sub 2/S-rich solvent stream through a series of flash units to remove CO/sub 2/ from the H/sub 2/S-rich solvent stream; (i) subsequently contacting the H/sub 2/S-rich solvent stream with the methane-rich stream in step (d) to further remove CO/sub 2/; and (j) thermally treating the resultant H/sub 2/S-rich solvent stream to form an H/sub 2/S-rich product stream having a concentration of at least 30 mole % H/sub 2/S and a regenerated solvent stream.

• Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4589896
• OSTI ID: 5674604
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010402* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Purification & Upgrading
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
ALKANES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPRESSION
DESULFURIZATION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXTRACTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HEATING
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
MEMBRANES
METHANE
NATURAL GAS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PURIFICATION
QUANTITY RATIO
REGENERATION
REMOVAL
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SOLVENTS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS