HYDROGEN RECYCLE AND ACID GAS REMOVAL USING A MEMBRANE

The present invention is a process to recover a high purity, high pressure hydrogen gas stream from synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is contacted with a membran e that separates the synthesis gas into a hydrogen-enriched permeate and a hydrogen - depleted non-permeate. The permeate is conveyed to a carbon dioxide absorber. The carbon dioxide absorber removes carbon dioxide using a solvent. The carbon dioxide- rich solvent from the absorber is heated and sent to a gas-liquid contactor, wher e the solvent is regenerated by nitrogen stripping. A small recycle stream of a regenerati ng gas, i.e., hydrogen, is subsequently contacted with the solvent, stripping entrained an d dissolved nitrogen from the solvent. This stripping gas, the regenerating gas, or preferably both, are then mixed with the non-permeate for combustion in a combustion turbine.