Abstract: The invention is directed to the purification of gas streams comprising methane and hydrophobic pollutants. The invention provides a method for purifying a gas stream comprising methane and one or more hydrophobic pollutants comprising the steps of contacting the gas stream with a lean liquid stream comprising micelles of a surfactant or a separate surfactant phase. The resulting rich liquid stream comprises at least part of the hydrophobic pollutants. By subsequently changing the temperature of the rich liquid stream, a system of a pollutants-poor phase and a pollutants-rich phase is obtained. These phases are optionally separated and from the aqueous stream the lean liquid stream comprising micelles and/or surfactant can be regenerated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gas desorption unit and a process for desorbing gas absorbed in an absorption liquid, and a gas separation process. A gas desorption unit, comprising an assembly of plates, wherein plates comprise a corrugated part comprising ridges and valleys, and a first channel there between, adapted for counter-current flow of said gaseous and liquid stream in said first channel, and a said second channel for a liquid stream in counter-current flow with the liquid stream in the first channel, wherein a first channel comprises a corrugated part of a first plate comprising ridges crossing with ridges of the corrugated part of a second plate, and wherein a second channel comprises ridges of a corrugated part of a second plate comprising ridges aligned with valleys of a corrugated part of a third plate.