The present disclosure includes a column (1) having a cylindrical, vertical column body (2) forming a column cavity (3), and a mass transfer tray (4) disposed in the column cavity (3) and forming a collecting area (5). The column (1) is characterized by a circulation device (9) having at least one drain orifice (10) formed in the column body (2) above the collecting area (5), a circulation line (11) in fluid connection with the drain orifice (10) and at least one recycling orifice (14; 14-1 to 14-3) which is in fluid connection with the circulation line (11) and is formed in the column body (2) above the collecting area (5). Also disclosed herein is a thermal separating process in which a gas ascends within a column (1) of the present disclosure, and a liquid descends within the column (1), said gas and/or liquid containing (meth)acrylic monomers.

A process and apparatus for separating a feed containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, and optionally nitrogen to form a product gas having a desired H.sub.2:CO molar ratio and optionally a hydrogen product gas and a carbon monoxide product gas. The feed is partially condensed to form a hydrogen-enriched vapor fraction and a carbon monoxide-enriched liquid fraction. The hydrogen-enriched vapor fraction and carbon monoxide-enriched liquid fraction are combined in a regulated manner to form an admixture, which is cryogenically separated to form the product mixture having the desired H.sub.2:CO molar ratio.

A system and method for producing acetic acid, including dry reforming methane with carbon dioxide to give syngas, cryogenically separating carbon monoxide from the syngas giving a first stream including primarily carbon monoxide and a second stream including carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The method includes synthesizing methanol from the second stream via hydrogenation of carbon monoxide in the second stream, synthesizing dimethyl ether from the methanol, and generating acetic acid from the dimethyl ether and first-stream carbon monoxide.

The invention relates to a method fro treating a mixture in order to separate carbon dioxide and hydrogen from said mixture, in which: i) the mixture is cooled and partially condensed and a first liquid is separated from the rest of the mixture in a first phase separator; ii) a gas from or derived from a gas from the first phase separator is treated in a hydrogen pressure swing adsorption module in order to produce a hydrogen-rich gas and a hydrogen-depleted residual gas; and iii) said hydrogen-depleted residual gas or a gas derived from said depleted gas is cooled and partially condensed and a second liquid is separated from the remaining gas in a second phase separator, separate from the first phase separator, wherein the first and/or second liquid being rich in carbon dioxide. The invention also relates to an installation for implementing such a method.

A process and plant are proposed for separating a feed mixture predominantly or exclusively containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen, in which the feed mixture is subjected to a cryogenic separation process in which a carbon monoxide-rich liquid and at least one residual gas mixture which is depleted in carbon monoxide and enriched in hydrogen, in comparison with the feed mixture, are formed. It is intended that the at least one residual gas mixture is subjected to a membrane separation process in which at least one hydrogen-rich permeate and at least one carbon monoxide-rich retentate are formed, wherein the or at least one of the carbon monoxide-rich retentates is recirculated to the cryogenic separation process.

Gas separation processes are provided for separating dehydrogenation reaction products from a raw gas stream to recover hydrocarbons, specifically olefins, such as propylene and iso-butene, as well as unreacted feedstock. The processes employ a sequence of partial condensation steps, interspersed with membrane separation steps to raise the hydrocarbon dewpoint of the uncondensed gas, thereby avoiding the use of low-temperature or cryogenic conditions.

A method for producing direct reduced iron having increased carbon content, comprising: providing a carbon monoxide-rich gas stream; and delivering the carbon-monoxide-rich gas stream to a direct reduction furnace and exposing partially or completely reduced iron oxide to the carbon monoxide-rich gas stream to increase the carbon content of resulting direct reduced iron. The carbon monoxide-rich gas stream is delivered to one or more of a transition zone and a cooling zone of the direct reduction furnace. Optionally, providing the carbon monoxide-rich gas stream comprises initially providing one of a reformed gas stream from a reformer and a syngas stream from a syngas source. Optionally, the carbon monoxide-rich gas stream is derived, at least in part, from a carbon monoxide recovery unit that forms the carbon monoxide-rich gas stream and an effluent gas stream. Optionally, the method still further includes providing a hydrocarbon-rich gas stream to one or more of a transition zone and a cooling zone of the direct reduction furnace, with and/or separate from the carbon monoxide-rich gas stream.