PRODUCTION OF PURE METHANE: LOW-TEMPERATURE PROCESSES USING NATURAL GAS AND METHANE-RICH INDUSTRIAL GASES AS FEEDS.

Low-temperature processes for the recovery of pure methane from natural gas or methane-rich industrial gases as described in this paper and developed and built by Linde AG, Division TVT Munich, meet the high requirements of the chemical industry with respect to the quality of the pure methane product, plant flexibility and operational availability. The high operational availability and reliability required to avoid costly shut-downs of downstream plants and low maintenance requirements are reached by the simplicity of the process design; minimizing of rotating equipment and; utilization of proven design and equipment. The process calculation and design is based on extensive know-how in the field of multiple-phase thermodynamics of multicomponent mixtures at low-temperatures.