A process for sweetening a syngas stream, the process comprising the steps of: providing a syngas stream to a nonselective amine absorption unit, the sour syngas stream comprising syngas, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide; separating the syngas stream in the nonselective amine absorption unit to obtain an overhead syngas stream and an acid gas stream; introducing the acid gas stream to a membrane separation unit, the acid gas stream comprising hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide; separating the acid gas stream in the membrane separation unit to produce a retentate stream and a permeate stream, wherein the retentate stream comprises hydrogen sulfide, wherein the permeate stream comprises carbon dioxide; introducing the retentate stream to a sulfur recovery unit; processing the retentate stream in the sulfur recovery unit to produce a sulfur stream and a tail gas stream, wherein the sulfur stream comprises liquid sulfur.

The invention relates to a process for removal of metal carbonyls from crude synthesis gas in a gas scrubbing process with a physical scrubbing medium. Scrubbing medium laden with hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) and metal carbonyls is sent to a treatment vessel having a residence time region and a scrubbing region. Metal carbonyls are precipitated from the laden scrubbing medium as metal sulfides in the residence time region. The scrubbing region is supplied with a regenerated scrubbing medium. According to the invention it is provided that the residence time region and the scrubbing region are separated from one another by a gas-permeable tray, a regenerated scrubbing medium-comprising liquid layer adjacent to the gas-permeable tray is formed in the scrubbing region, metal carbonyls outgassing from the residence time region pass through the gas-permeable tray and are absorbed by regenerated scrubbing medium in the scrubbing region, wherein scrubbing medium comprising metal carbonyls is obtained and metal carbonyls outgassing from the residence time region are cooled by the liquid layer. The invention further relates to a treatment vessel, to the use of the process, treatment vessel or apparatus according to the invention in a gas scrubbing process with methanol as the physical scrubbing medium and to the use of the treatment vessel in a process according to the invention.

The invention relates to a process for aftertreatment of gas streams in which unwanted components are present in an amount that varies irregularly in a periodic manner or over time and/or in a varying concentration, by means of an absorption or gas scrubbing process. For this purpose, during the entry of the desorption peak into the gas scrubbing apparatus, the amount of scrubbing medium is increased proceeding from a normal value during a first phase and, after the end of the desorption peak, the amount of scrubbing medium is returned back to the normal value during a second phase, wherein the laden scrubbing media are collected in different intermediate vessels during the two phases, mixed and released as a mixture to a downstream scrubbing medium regeneration apparatus.

The invention provides a scrubbing column for cleaning gas streams laden with absorbent residues, for example with methanol, and also with solid particles, for example with fuel dust. The gas scrubbing is effected by means of a random packing disposed in the lower region of the scrubbing column and the gas scrubbing of the gas stream laden solely with absorbent residues but not with solid particles by means of a structured packing disposed in the upper region of the scrubbing column. The use of the scrubbing column according to the invention in the integrated plant system between a gasification plant and a plant for gas scrubbing which is operated by the Rectisol process, for example, offers particular advantages with regard to its industrial employability owing to the possible connections described, which bring synergies for efficient operation of the integrated plant system.

The disclosure provides seven integrated methods for the chemical sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO.sub.2) (collectively NO.sub.x, where x=1, 2) and sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2) using closed loop technology. The methods recycle process reagents and mass balance consumable reagents that can be made using electrochemical separation of sodium chloride (NaCl) or potassium chloride (KCl). The technology applies to marine and terrestrial exhaust gas sources for CO.sub.2, NOx and SO.sub.2. The integrated technology combines compatible and green processes that capture and/or convert CO.sub.2, NOx and SO.sub.2 into compounds that enhance the environment, many with commercial value.

A process is proposed for producing pure hydrogen by steam reforming of a feed gas comprising hydrocarbons, preferably natural gas or naphtha, with a simultaneously low and preferably adjustable export steam flow rate. The process includes the steam reforming of the feed gas, for which the heat of reaction required is provided by combustion of one or more fuel gases with combustion air in a multitude of burners arranged within the reformer furnace. According to the invention, the combustion air, before being introduced into the burners, is heated by means of at least one heat exchanger in indirect heat exchange with the hot flue gas to temperatures of at least 530° C.

The invention includes a gas processing system for transforming a hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into outflow gas products, where the system includes a gas delivery subsystem, a plasma reaction chamber, and a microwave subsystem, with the gas delivery subsystem in fluid communication with the plasma reaction chamber, so that the gas delivery subsystem directs the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the plasma reaction chamber, and the microwave subsystem directs microwave energy into the plasma reaction chamber to energize the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas, thereby forming a plasma in the plasma reaction chamber, which plasma effects the transformation of a hydrocarbon in the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the outflow gas products, which comprise acetylene and hydrogen. The invention also includes methods for the use of this gas processing system.

A system and method for simultaneously removing water and acid gases from methane in a single process without requiring dehydration prior to acid gas removal. A feed stream comprising these components and little or no hydrocarbons heavier than methane is separated in a series of separators, including an absorber column using methanol as an absorber. A treated methane stream comprising at least 90%, more preferably at least 95%, most preferably at least 99%, of the methane from the feed stream and an acid gas waste stream comprising less than 10%, more preferably less than 5%, most preferably less than 1%, of the methane from the feed stream are produced. Using methanol as a physical solvent allows removal of water and acids gases in a single step using substantially less energy than conventional separation methods. The system and method are particularly useful in treating landfill gas feed streams.

The invention relates to a process for removal of metal carbonyl from a gas mixture. The gas mixture is subjected to a gas scrubbing in an absorber with methanol as the physical scrubbing liquid to obtain the laden methanol. The metals of the metal carbonyls are at least partially precipitated from the laden methanol as metal sulfides to obtain a first suspension comprising metal sulfides and at least a proportion of the laden methanol. The first suspension is sent to a treatment vessel and therein brought into direct contact with water vapor in countercurrent to obtain a second suspension comprising at least water, methanol and metal sulfides and a gaseous product. The second suspension and the gaseous product are withdrawn from the treatment vessel as separate streams.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, processes, and systems for safely and reliably purifying hydrogen from a gas mixture containing hydrogen and oxygen.