Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)

Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) is a well-known technology for economic and rapid purification of wide range of Process Gases e.g. O2, N2 and H₂. Despite Temperature Swing Adsorption technology which is an energy consuming method to regenerate saturated adsorbents, PSA is not temperature dependent and pressure reduction is the fundamental of this technique for regeneration of the adsorbents. Based on adsorbent structure and its Adsorption Capacity and operating pressure of system, it will be determined how much impurity (commonly moisture) will be removed from the feedstock.

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The PSA process comprises five basic steps as following:

• Adsorption Process

• Co-Current Depressurization Process

• Counter-Current Depressurization Process

• Purge Process

• Counter-Current Repressurization

When that pressure is dropped to ambient air pressure, the adsorbent can only adsorb a smaller amount of moisture or other impurities. Applying swing pressure from high to low, large quantities of impurities could be adsorbed at the higher pressure, after that in order to release that impurity from adsorbent pores, pressure shall be decreased. Commonly two or more solid bed vessels will be utilized in PSA packages. One vessel being on line and removing impurity at high pressure the other one would be in regeneration mode to release the trapped impurity at low pressure. This operation is applicable to purify gases removing moisture, Sulphur compounds, CO2, CO and etc.

The main application for PSA plants is the recovery and purification of hydrogen from raw gases, such as synthesis gases from steam reforming, partial oxidation or gasification processes, as well as refinery off-gases, ethylene off-gases, coke oven gases, methanol and ammonia purge gases. The hydrogen could be purified by PSA up to 99.9999 mol%.

PSA technology is also proposed as the most economic method for CO2 purification, Nitrogen and Oxygen purification.

PETROSADID utilizing qualified reputable European manufacturers, could offer whole PSA package including Vessels, Machineries, Adsorbents and etc. to satisfy all requirements of Clients.

Steel: Blast furnace oxygen-rich coal injection, electric furnace steelmaking.

Non- ferrous metallurgy: combustion-supporting for non-ferrous metals metallurgy including copper, lead, nickel, zinc. tin and gold.

Chemical: gasification furnace oxygen-rich gas making, carbon black production, sulfura trioxyde production etc.

Kiln energy-saving: combustion supporting for glass kilns, cement kilns and oxygen-rich combustion supporting for waste incinerators

Papermaking: pulp bleaching process.

Sewage treatment: OEAA technology, oxygen source for ozonizer.

Chemical synthesis: Currently H₂ is mainly used as intermediate or raw material for chemical synthesis, for example, of ammonia, methanol, ethylene glycol, butyl alcohol and phosgene for further generating TDI and MDI, etc.

Petroleum refining: H₂ is applied in various processes of petroleum refining and petrochemicals, including hydrocracking, catalytic hydrogenation, hydrotreating, hydrodesulphurization and benzene hydrogenation to cyclohexane. Modern coal chemical industry: H₂ can be used for direct or indirect synthesis of liquid fuels, olefins and other important chemical products, for example, direct coal liquefaction, indirect coal liquefaction (F-T synthesis) and coal- to-substitute natural gas (methanation), etc.

Reduction: H₂ is widely used as reducing gas in heat treatment and production of metal hydride.