Apparatus and process for working up a hydrogen- and methane-comprising stream

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus ( 100 ) for working up a hydrogen- and methane-comprising stream ( 1.1 ), which comprises the following components: (i) at least one heat exchanger (KS 1 ) for cooling a stream ( 1.1 ) to be worked up; (ii) at least one separation unit (A, A 1 , A 2 , A 2 ′) for purifying the stream ( 3 ) to be worked up to give a stream ( 5 ) rich in hydrogen and methane; (iii) at least one cooling unit (KS 2 ) for cooling the stream ( 5 ) rich in hydrogen and methane; and (iv) at least one cryogenic gas separation unit (KS 3 ) for separating the stream ( 6 ) rich in hydrogen and methane into at least one hydrogen-rich stream ( 7 ) and at least one methane-rich stream ( 8, 9 ). The invention further relates to a process for working up a stream of material.

1 . An apparatus ( 100 ) for working up a hydrogen- and methane-comprising stream ( 1 . 1 ), which comprises the following components:
 (i) at least one heat exchanger (KS 1 ) for cooling a stream ( 1 . 1 ) to be worked up;   (ii) at least one separation unit (A, A 1 , A 2 , A 2 ′) for purifying the stream ( 3 ) to be worked up to give a stream ( 5 ) rich in hydrogen and methane;   (iii) at least one cooling unit (KS 2 ) for cooling the stream ( 5 ) rich in hydrogen and methane; and   (iv) at least one cryogenic gas separation unit (KS 3 ) for separating the stream ( 6 ) rich in hydrogen and methane into at least one hydrogen-rich stream ( 7 ) and at least one methane-rich stream ( 8 ,  9 ).   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the stream ( 1 . 1 ,  1 . 2 ,  3 ) to be worked up comprises at least 40% by volume of hydrogen and at least 15% by volume of methane. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger (KS 1 ) is configured as a plate, helical or shell-and-tube heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger (KS 1 ) is made of steel, copper, aluminum, glass, plastic, enamel and/or silicon carbide. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the separation unit (A, A 1 , A 2 , A 2 ′) comprises at least one phase separator (A 1 ) and/or at least one gas purification unit (A 2 , A 2 ′). 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 5 , wherein the gas purification unit (A 2 , A 2 ′) is configured as an adsorptive gas purification unit. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 5 , wherein the gas purification unit (A 2 , A 2 ′) is configured as a continuously operated temperature-swing adsorption. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit (KS 2 ) is located directly upstream of the cryogenic gas separation unit (KS 3 ). 
     
     
         9 . A process for working up a hydrogen- and methane-comprising stream ( 1 . 1 ,  1 . 2 ), which comprises the following steps:
 (a) cooling of a stream ( 1 . 1 ,  1 . 2 ) to be worked up in at least one heat exchanger (KS 1 );   (b) purification of the stream ( 3 ) to be worked up to give a stream ( 5 ) rich in hydrogen and methane in at least one separation unit (A, A 1 , A 2 , A 2 ′);   (c) cooling of the stream ( 5 ) rich in hydrogen and methane in at least one cooling unit (KS 2 );   (d) separation of the stream ( 6 ) rich in hydrogen and methane into at least one hydrogen-rich stream ( 7 ) and at least one methane-rich stream ( 8 ,  9 ) in at least one cryogenic gas separation unit (KS 3 ).   
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the stream ( 1 . 1 ,  1 . 2 ) to be worked up is cooled by means of the at least one heat exchanger (KS 1 ) from an inlet temperature of not more than 100° C. to a temperature of not more than 15° C. 
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein corrosive and/or high-boiling components are separated off in the separation unit (A, A 1 , A 2 , A 2 ′) from the stream ( 1 . 1 ,  1 . 2 ,  3 ) to be worked up. 
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the cooling unit (KS 2 ) cools the stream ( 5 ) rich in hydrogen and methane to an essentially constant temperature level. 
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the cooling by means of the cooling unit (KS 2 ) is carried out directly before the separation of the stream ( 6 ) rich in hydrogen and methane in the cryogenic gas separation unit (KS 3 ). 
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the stream ( 6 ) rich in hydrogen and methane is cooled to a temperature of less than −100° C. in the cryogenic gas separation unit. 
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the hydrogen-rich stream ( 7 ) is reused in a process for the dealkylation of alkyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the methane-rich stream ( 8 ,  9 ) is utilized as heating gas. 
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the hydrogen- and methane-comprising stream ( 1 . 1 ,  1 . 2 ) is taken from a process for the dealkylation of alkyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbons.