H2 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)

General Presentation
H2 Purification: Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)

• Function
• Converts a hydrogen-rich gas containing impurities into a high
purity hydrogen product (99.99+%)

•Adsorbents
• Molecular Sieve
• Activated Carbon
• Alumina
• Silca Gel
• Typical Operating Conditions
• Feed Pressure: 200 - 900 psig
• Feed H Composition: ~ 50 - 95%
2

• Tail Gas Pressure: 5 - 70 psig

• H Recovery: 65 - 90%
2

• Equipment
• Adsorber Vessels: 4 - 16
• Surge Tank: 1 - 2 (~12-13 ft Diameter)
• Valve Skid & Controls
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 H2 Purification: Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)

BASIC FLOW DIAGRAM

H2 Product

High Pressure (dP<20 psi)

High Purity
Constant Flow, Pressure
Feed Stream
PSA
PSA
High Pressure
Medium Purity
Constant Flow, Pressure
Purge Stream Purge Stream
Surge
Surge
Tank
Tank Low Pressure
Varying Flow, Composition, Constant Flow,
& Pressure Pressure, &
Low Pressure Composition

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H2 Purification: Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)
Non-Adsorbed Light Intermediate Heavy

H2 O2 CO C 3H 8
He Ar CH 4 C4H10
N2 CO2 C 5+
C 2H 6 H 2S
C 3H 8 NH 3
C 2H 4 BTX
H 2O

Trace Impurities Removed with PSA Systems

Naphthalene Cl
NO MeOH
NO2 EtOH
Organic Sulfur Styrene
Mercaptans Ethylbenzene
HCN Methyl Formate
HCl Dienes
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H2 Purification: Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)

ADSORPTION ISOTHERMS

Intermediate
Component

Weight %
Loading Delta
Loading
(Lbs Impurity/
100 Lbs
Adsorbent)
Pressure Swing
Light
Component

Delta
Loading

Impurity Partial Pressure

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H2 Purification: Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)

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H2 Purification: H2 PSA Operation – Step 1

1 2

Pressure High
Flow Up

Valve Position:
Valve 1 Open
Valve 2 Closed
Valve 3 Open
Valve 4 Closed

Operation Adsorb

3 4
Adsorption
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H2 Purification: H2 PSA Operation – Step 2

1 2

Pressure High to Low

Flow Up

Valve Position:
Valve 1 Closed
Valve 2 Open
Valve 3 Closed
Valve 4 Closed

Operation Depressure

3 4
Co-Current Depressurization
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H2 Purification: H2 PSA Operation – Step 3

1 2

Pressure Low
Flow Down

Valve Position:
Valve 1 Closed
Valve 2 Closed
Valve 3 Closed
Valve 4 Open

Operation Depressure

3 4
Counter-Current Depressurization
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H2 Purification: H2 PSA Operation – Step 4

1 2

Pressure Low
Flow Down

Valve Position:
Valve 1 Closed
Valve 2 Open
Valve 3 Closed
Valve 4 Open

Operation Purge

3 4
Purging
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H2 Purification: H2 PSA Operation – Step 5

1 2

Pressure Low to High

Flow Down

Valve Position:
Valve 1 Closed
Valve 2 Open
Valve 3 Closed
Valve 4 Closed

Operation Repressure

3 4
Repressurization
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 H2 Purification: Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)

Effect of Feed Pressure on Hydrogen Recovery

Base

-2

H2
Recovery -4
%
-6
Tail Gas Pressure = 5 psig

200 350
Feed Pressure - psig
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H2 Purification: Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)

Effect of Tail Gas Pressure on Hydrogen Recovery

Base

-5
Feed Pressure = 300 psig
H2
Recovery - 10
%

- 15

- 20

5 60
Tail Gas Pressure - psig

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H2 Purification: Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)

Effect of Product Purity on Hydrogen Recovery

Base

-1 Methane

H2
Recovery -2
%

-3 Nitrogen

-4

99.0 99.999
Product Hydrogen Purity - %

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 H2 Purification: H2 PSA Budgetary Equipment Cost

H2 6
PSA
Cost
4
$MM

30 60 90 120
PSA Feed Flow - MMSCFD
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H2 Purification: Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) - Valero

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