The Boc Group, Inc.

Graeme John Dunn

John Douglas Oakey

Robert A Mostello

David J Kamrath

Robert Owen

The present invention provides for a process for producing carbon monoxide. A feed gas stream of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide is directed to a membrane unit which separates the feed gas stream into two streams. The stream containing carbon monoxide is directed to second membrane unit for further purification and the steam containing the carbon dioxide and hydrogen is fed to a reverse shift reactor to produce more carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide recovered from the reverse shift reactor is purified in a third membrane unit and directed back to the first membrane unit and is further purified and recovered as additional carbon monoxide product.

Carbon monoxide production process

The present invention provides for a monolith reactor process for the production of syngas from hydrocarbon and oxygen feeds. The syngas is cooled and separated to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and the purification equipment utilized in this separation process recycles tail gas and fuel gas to the syngas feed gas line and recycles methane from the carbon monoxide separation system for feed back to the monolith reactor. This process results in almost complete carbon to carbon monoxide conversion and very high carbon monoxide and hydrogen recoveries.

High recovery carbon monoxide production process

In order to provide `ultra high purity` nitrogen having diminished concentrations of light and heavy impurities in comparison with nitrogen produced by conventional cryogenic air separation, the nitrogen product from a conventional cryogenic air separation column is introduced into the bottom of a liquid-vapor contract column 2 fitted with a condenser 8 to provide reflux. A liquid nitrogen stream having a reduced concentration of heavy impurities is withdrawn from the column 2 through an outlet 22 situated at a level a few trays below the top tray in the column 2. The liquid nitrogen is then subjected to two stages of flash separation. In the first stage the liquid is passed through valve 24 into a phase separator 26. In the second stage, the resulting liquid from the first stage, having a reduced concentration of light impurities, is passed through valve 32 into a phase separator 34. Liquid nitrogen product is withdrawn from the phase separator 34 through outlet 38.

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Onslow Village, United Kingdom

Graeme John Dunn