Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene, comprising a reaction step which comprises subjecting a gas stream comprising ethane and air to ethane oxidative dehydrogenation conditions resulting in a gas stream comprising nitrogen, ethane and ethylene; a sorption step which comprises contacting the gas stream comprising nitrogen, ethane and ethylene resulting from the reaction step with a sorption agent which has an affinity for nitrogen which is lower than that for ethane which in turn is lower than that for ethylene, resulting in sorption of ethylene and optionally ethane by the sorption agent and in a gas stream comprising nitrogen and optionally ethane; and a desorption step which comprises desorbing sorbed ethylene and optionally ethane resulting in a gas stream comprising ethylene and optionally ethane.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene which comprises subjecting a gas stream comprising one or more light components, ethane and ethylene, resulting from subjecting ethane and oxygen to ethane oxidative dehydrogenation conditions, to two consecutive sorption steps which comprise contacting said gas stream comprising one or more light components, ethane and ethylene with a selective sorption agent, resulting in sorption of part of said gas stream, comprising ethylene and ethane, by the sorption agent and in a gas stream comprising the remainder of said gas stream, comprising one or more light components and ethane, which latter gas stream is subjected to a second sorption step resulting in a further separation, finally resulting in a gas stream comprising ethane which is optionally recycled to the ethane oxidative dehydrogenation (reaction) step, wherein each sorption step is followed by a desorption step which comprises desorbing the sorbed components orig