Aeci Limited

John W Hemmings

Gerald M O'Shaughnessy

Peter Allan

Peter Allen

A process 10 for removing acid gas components such as CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 S and/or COS from a gas stream includes feeding the gas stream into an absorption zone 54, and passing a suitable physical solvent at elevated pressure and reduced temperature counter-currently through the zone. Acid gas components are thus absorbed from the gas stream into the solvent. The absorption zone is maintained at substantially isothermal condition.

Purification of gases

In a gas treatment process, a liquid tail product from a nitrogen wash column, which is typically incorporated into a process for the manufacture of ammonia from hydrocarbons, coal or other carbonaceous material, is separated in cryogenic distillation columns into product streams. Streams rich in hydrogen and carbon monoxide are available at elevated pressure and may be beneficially recycled to the ammonia manufacturing process. The process requires no external source of refrigeration and no compressor is incorporated therein. A stream of liquid nitrogen, which may typically be available in an ammonia manufacturing plant, may optionally be used and, when used, will result in improved separation in the distillation columns.

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Randburg, South Africa

John W Hemmings