Method and apparatus for processing a natural gas stream

Claim 1

THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROCESS OF ADSORBING COMPONENTS FROM A NATURAL GAS STREAM IN WHICH AT LEAST THREE ADSORBENT BEDS REMOVE CONDENSABLES FROM THE STREAM AND ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY AND CONTINUOUSLY BUT ALTERNATELY GOING THROUGH AN ADSORPTION CYCLE WHERE THE BED ADSORBS AND BECOMES SATURATED WITH THE COMPONENTS, A HEATING CYCLE WHERE THE SATURATED BED IS HEATED TO DRY THE ADSORBED COMPONENTS OUT OF THE SATURATED BED, AND A COOLING CYCLE WHERE THE HEATED BED IS COOLED IN PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT ADSORPTION CYCLE COMPRISING, WHEN THE FLOW OF THAN NATURAL GAS STREAM IS NORMAL PLACING THE FIRST OF SAID BEDS ON THE ADSORPTION CYCLE, THE SECOND OF SAID BEDS ON THE COOLING CYCLE, AND THE THIRD OF SAID BEDS ON THE HEATING CYCLE, DURING THE PERIOD WHEN THE FLOW OF SAID NATURAL GAS STREAM IS GREATER THAN NORMAL PLACING TWO OF SAID BEDS ON THE ADSORPTION CYCLE WHILE THE THIRD BED GOES THROUGH THE HEATING AND COOLING CYCLES.