| US 7,563,307 B2 | ||
| Combined use of external and internal solvents in processing gases containing light, medium and heavy components | ||
| Thomas K. Gaskin, Spring, Tex. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Advanced Extraction Technologies, Inc., Houston, Tex. (US) | ||
| Filed on Aug. 23, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/211,145. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/603933, filed on Aug. 24, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0043000 A1, Mar. 02, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. B01D 53/14 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 95—177 [95/230; 95/232; 95/235; 95/236] | 32 Claims |
| 1. A process for separating the components of a multi-component gas stream, the process comprising:
contacting the multi-component gas stream with a lean solvent in an extractor to produce an overhead stream that is enriched
in at least one unabsorbed component gas and a rich solvent bottoms stream that is enriched in at least one absorbed component
gas;
flashing the rich solvent bottoms stream in at least one reduced pressure stage to regenerate lean solvent and to produce
an overhead product stream that is enriched in at least one absorbed component gas, wherein the reduced pressure stage comprises
two or more flash vessels of which at least one is a surge vessel and wherein level control instrumentation for the extractor
and flash vessels is aligned such as to allow the surge vessel to be close to the middle of the sequence of vessels to improve
control; and
recycling the regenerated lean solvent to the extractor.
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