Separation of light gases from halogens

1. A process for separating light gas(es) from bromine, comprising:

(a) providing a feed of bromine and one or more light gas(es) to a distillation column or flash vaporizer;

(b) operating the distillation column or flash vaporizer to separate the feed into (i) a first liquid containing a major amount of bromine and no more than a minor amount of the light gas(es), and (ii) a first vapor containing a major amount of the light gas(es) and no more than a minor amount of bromine; and

(c) providing the first vapor to a chemical scrubber comprising a solid bromine scavenger to recover bromine from the first vapor, wherein the bromine scavenger sorbs the bromine through a chemical reaction with the bromine.

2. A process as recited in claim 1 , further comprising providing the first liquid to a distillation column or flash vaporizer to separate the first liquid into (i) a second liquid containing a major amount of bromine and no more than a minor amount of the light gas(es), and (ii) a second vapor containing a major amount of the light gas(es) and no more than a minor amount of bromine; and

(c) providing the second vapor to a chemical scrubber comprising a bromine scavenger to recover bromine from the second vapor.

3. A process as recited in claim 1 , wherein the light gas(es) comprise nitrogen.

4. A process as recited in claim 1 , wherein the light gas(es) comprise nitrogen and one or more of additional gas(es) selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide and a C 1 -C 4 hydrocarbon.

5. A process as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bromine scavenger is supported on a support material.

6. A process as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bromine scavenger comprises a material selected from the group consisting of CuBr, FeBr 2 , AuBr, InBr, FeO, Cu 2 O, Hg 2 Br 2 , Cu, Ag, Au, Hg, Pt, Pd, Ru, Rh, Fe, Os, Ir and mixtures thereof.

7. A process as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bromine scavenger comprises CuBr.

8. A process as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bromine scavenger is supported on a material selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal carbides, metal nitrides, carbon, clay, and mixtures thereof.

9. A process as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bromine scavenger is supported on a material selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , ZrO 2 , TiO 2 , WO 3 , CaO, MgO, Cr 2 O, SiC, Mo 4 C, TiN, W 2 N, carbon, zeolite, vermiculite, and mixtures thereof.

10. A process as recited in claim 1 , further comprising heating the bromine scavenger to release bromine therefrom.

11. A process for separating light gas(es) from a halogen, comprising:

(a) providing a feed of a halogen and one or more light gas(es) to a distillation column or flash vaporizer;

(b) operating the distillation column or flash vaporizer to separate the feed into (i) a first liquid containing a major amount of the halogen and no more than a minor amount of the light gas(es), and (ii) a first vapor containing a major amount of the light gas(es) and no more than a minor amount of the halogen; and

(c) providing the first vapor to a chemical scrubber comprising a solid halogen scavenger to recover the halogen from the vapor, wherein the halogen scavenger sorbs the halogen through a chemical reaction with the halogen.

12. A process as recited in claim 11 , wherein the halogen comprises bromine.

13. A process as recited in claim 11 , wherein the halogen scavenger comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Cu 2 O, Cu, Ag, Au, Hg, Pt, Pd, Ru, Rh, Fe, Os, Ir and mixtures thereof.

14. A process as recited in claim 11 , wherein the halogen scavenger comprises a material selected from the group consisting of CuBr, CuCl, FeBr 2 , FeCl 2 , AuCl, AuBr, InBr, InCl, FeO, Hg 2 Br 2 , and mixtures thereof.

15. A process as recited in claim 11 , wherein the halogen scavenger is supported on a material selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal carbides, metal nitrides, carbon, clay, and mixtures thereof.

16. A process as recited in claim 11 , wherein the halogen scavenger is supported on a material selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , ZrO 2 , TiO 2 , WO 3 , CaO, MgO, Cr 2 O, SiC, Mo 4 C, TiN, W 2 N, carbon, zeolite, vermiculite, and mixtures thereof.

17. A process as recited in claim 11 , further comprising heating the halogen scavenger to release the halogen therefrom.

18. A process for separating light gas(es) from a halogen, comprising:

(a) providing a feed of a halogen and one or more light gas(es) to a distillation column or flash vaporizer, wherein the light gas(es) comprise a C 1 -C 4 hydrocarbon;

(b) operating the distillation column or flash vaporizer to separate the feed into (i) a first liquid containing a major amount of the halogen and no more than a minor amount of the light gas(es), and (ii) a first vapor containing a major amount of light gas(es) and no more than a minor amount of halogen; and

(c) providing the first vapor to a chemical scrubber comprising a solid halogen scavenger to recover the halogen from the first vapor, wherein the halogen scavenger sorbs the halogen through a chemical reaction with the halogen.

19. A process as recited in claim 18 , wherein the halogen comprises bromine.

20. A process as recited in claim 18 , wherein the halogen scavenger comprises a material selected from the group consisting of CuBr, CuCl, FeBr 2 , FeCl 2 , AuCl, AuBr, InBr, InCl, FeO, Cu 2 O, Hg 2 Br 2 , Cu, Ag, Au, Hg, Pt, Pd, Ru, Rh, Fe, Os, Ir and mixtures thereof.