The current disclosure provides systems and methods for multiple beds undergoing a feed step at the same time with the same feed flow rate and multiple beds undergoing a light reflux step at the same time with the same light reflux flow rate to process a gas stream in a multi-bed, multi-unit vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) process using reasonably sized beds.

The current disclosure provides systems and methods for multiple beds undergoing a feed step at the same time with the same feed flow rate and multiple beds undergoing a light reflux step at the same time with the same light reflux flow rate to process a gas stream in a multi-bed, multi-unit vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) process using reasonably sized beds.

Disclosed are methods for removing acid gas from a feed stream of natural gas including acid gas, methane and ethane. The methods include alternating input of the feed stream between at least two beds of adsorbent particles comprising zeolite SSZ-13 such that the feed stream contacts one of the at least two beds at a given time in an adsorption step and a tail gas stream is simultaneously vented from another of the at least two beds in a desorption step. The contact occurs at a feed pressure of from about 50 to about 1000 psia for a sufficient period of time to preferentially adsorb acid gas from the feed stream. A product gas stream is produced containing no greater than about 2 mol % carbon dioxide and at least about 65 mol % of methane recovered from the feed stream and at least about 25 mol % of ethane recovered from the feed stream. The feed stream is input at a feed end of each bed. The product gas stream is removed from a product end of each bed. The tail gas stream is vented from the feed end of each bed. The methods require lower vacuum power consumption and allow improved hydrocarbon recoveries compared with known methods.

Disclosed herein are multi-bed rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption (RCPSA) processes for separating O.sub.2 from N.sub.2 and/or Ar, wherein the process utilizes at least five adsorption beds each comprising a kinetically selective adsorbent for O.sub.2 having an O.sub.2 adsorption rate (1/s) of at least 0.20 as determined by linear driving force model at 1 atma and 86 F.

Disclosed herein is a stator plate for a rotary bed PSA apparatus that has an exhaust slot that has first and second sections for receiving blowdown and purge exhaust gas streams, the sections being separated by a flow restriction that restricts but does not full prevent gas flow between the sections, or that has separate exhaust slots for separately receiving the blowdown and purge exhaust gas streams. Also disclosed is pressure swing adsorption (PSA) apparatus including such a stator plate, and a rotary bed PSA process using such an apparatus.

Disclosed herein is a stator plate for a rotary bed PSA apparatus that has an exhaust slot that has first and second sections for receiving blowdown and purge exhaust gas streams, the sections being separated by a flow restriction that restricts but does not full prevent gas flow between the sections, or that has separate exhaust slots for separately receiving the blowdown and purge exhaust gas streams. Also disclosed is pressure swing adsorption (PSA) apparatus including such a stator plate, and a rotary bed PSA process using such an apparatus.

Disclosed herein are multi-bed rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption (RCPSA) processes for separating O.sub.2 from N.sub.2 and/or Ar, wherein the process utilizes at least five adsorption beds each comprising a kinetically selective adsorbent for O.sub.2 having an O.sub.2 adsorption rate (1/s) of at least 0.20 as determined by linear driving force model at 1 atma and 86 F.

Disclosed is a method of sequentially separating and recovering one or more NGLs (129, 229) from a natural gas feedstream (3). Specifically, a raw natural gas feedstream (3) is passed through two or more NGLs separation unit (100, 200) wherein each separation unit removes one or more NGLs from the natural gas feedstream to provide a methane-rich natural gas supply (205). Each separation unit employs an adsorption media and has an adsorption step and a media regeneration step wherein the regeneration step may be operated as a batch process, a semi-continuous process, or a continuous process. One embodiment of this method provides for the use of a different regenerable adsorbent media in each separation unit.