Process for the separation of landfill gas

Patent · Tue Jul 21 00:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6269852

O'Brien, J V; Holmes, A S; Hopewell, R B

A recycle process is described for the separation of a landfill feed gas stream, having a high concentration of methane and carbon dioxide and containing undesirable trace gas impurities, into a fuel-or sales-grade gas methane product stream and a liquid carbon dioxide product stream, which process comprises: (a) introducing an essentially hydrogen-free, dried, compressed, landfill feed gas stream into a cryogenic distillation column; (b) withdrawing a methane-enriched overhead product stream from the distillation column; (c) withdrawing an enriched liquid carbon dioxide bottom product stream, containing a major amount of the undesirable impurities, from the distillation column; (d) introducing the methane-enriched overhead product stream into a gas-permeation membrane apparatus; (e) withdrawing from the membrane apparatus a sales- or fuel-grade gas methane product stream; (f) withdrawing from the membrane apparatus a carbon-dioxide-enriched gas permeate stream; (g) compressing the carbon-dioxide-enriched gas permeate stream; and (h) recycling the compressed permeate stream for use in the process.

• Assignee: Koch Process Systems, Inc., Westboro, MA
• Patent Number(s): US 4681612
• OSTI ID: 6269852
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 24 Jan 1986
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
METHANE
SEPARATION PROCESSES
CARBON DIOXIDE
COMPRESSED GASES
CRYOGENICS
DISTILLATION
GAS FLOW
IMPURITIES
MEMBRANES
PERMEABILITY
QUANTITY RATIO
RECYCLING
SANITARY LANDFILLS
ALKANES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
MANAGEMENT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
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