Patent Application
20190126190
The present invention relates generally to methods for adsorptive gas separation of a multi-component fluid mixture and systems therefore. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for adsorptive gas separation of carbon dioxide from a combustion gas stream and systems incorporating the same.
Temperature swing adsorptive gas separation processes and systems are known in the art for use in adsorptive gas separation of multi-component fluid mixtures. One type of industrial process where gas separation may be desirable includes combustion processes, for example, where an oxidant and a carbon-containing fuel are combusted generating at least heat and a combustion gas stream. The separation of at least one component from the combustion gas stream may be desirable, including for example, post-combustion gas separation of carbon dioxide, but may typically face several challenges including, for example, the volume of gas to be treated for separation may be large, the combustion gas stream may contain dilute amounts of the target component desired to be separated, and/or the combustion gas stream may be supplied at a low pressure.
A conventional temperature swing adsorptive gas separation process may typically employ two fundamental steps, an adsorption step and a regeneration step. During an adsorption step, a feed stream such as a multi-component fluid mixture may typically be admitted into an adsorptive separation system and contactor comprising an adsorbent material, where the adsorbent material may adsorb a component of the feed stream, separating the adsorbed component from the remaining components of the feed stream. During a subsequent regeneration step, a fluid stream, for example, a heated fluid stream, may typically be admitted into the adsorptive separation system and contactor to increase the temperature of the adsorbent material, causing the adsorbed components to release from the adsorbent material, and allow for cyclic reuse of the adsorbent material. An optional cooling or conditioning step may be employed to decrease the temperature of the adsorbent material after the desorption step, to assist in restoring the adsorptive capacity of the adsorbent material prior to a subsequent adsorbing step. A coolant or conditioning stream may commonly be admitted into the adsorptive separation system and contactor to decrease the temperature of the adsorbent material. The adsorption, regeneration and conditioning steps may then typically be sequentially repeated.
Inefficiencies in conventional temperature swing adsorptive gas separation processes and systems have typically led to undesirably inefficient integration of such temperature swing adsorptive gas separation systems into fossil fuel combustion processes. In order for wide industry acceptance, temperature swing adsorptive gas separation processes and systems must be able to meet or exceed desired thresholds including, for example, a recovery threshold of the target component, a purity threshold for a product stream comprising the target component, and an operating cost threshold. With conventional temperature swing adsorptive gas separation processes and system typical desired recovery and purity thresholds may be approached through employing large quantities of heated regeneration fluids, such as steam, however such approaches typically result in making the operating cost prohibitive and conventional techniques economically unattractive. Accordingly, an adsorptive gas separation process and system which is capable of meeting or exceeding industry desired recovery and purity thresholds while reducing steam consumption and operating costs is desired.
In various embodiments according to the present disclosure a multi-stage adsorptive gas separation process for separating at least a first component from a multi-component fluid mixture is provided. In one such embodiment, the process comprises the steps of:
admitting the multi-component fluid mixture as at least a portion of a feed stream into a first-stage adsorptive gas separator, adsorbing at least a portion of the first component of the feed stream of the first-stage adsorptive gas separator on at least one adsorbent material in a contactor in the first-stage adsorptive gas separator, recovering a first product stream from the first-stage adsorptive gas separator;
admitting a first regeneration stream into the first-stage adsorptive gas separator, desorbing at least a portion of the first component adsorbed on the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the first-stage adsorptive gas separator, recovering a second product stream from the first-stage adsorptive gas separator enriched in the first component relative to the multi-component fluid mixture,
admitting the second product stream from the first-stage adsorptive gas separator as a feed stream into a second-stage adsorptive gas separator, adsorbing at least one of the first component or a second component of the feed stream of the second-stage adsorptive gas separator on at least one adsorbent material in a contactor in the second-stage adsorptive gas separator, recovering a first product stream from the first-stage adsorptive gas separator, and
admitting a first regeneration stream into the second-stage adsorptive gas separator, desorbing at least a portion of one of the first component or the second component adsorbed on the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the second-stage adsorptive gas separator, recovering a second product stream from the first-stage adsorptive gas separator.
In various further embodiments according to the disclosure, a multi-stage adsorptive gas separation system for separating at least a first component from a multi-component fluid stream is provided. In one such embodiment, the system comprises:
a first-stage adsorptive gas separator further comprising at least one adsorbent material in at least one contactor, fluidly connected to a multi-component fluid source to receive at least a portion of the multi-component fluid stream as at least a portion of a feed stream for the first-stage adsorptive gas separator, and fluidly connected to the multi-component fluid source to receive at least a portion of the multi-component fluid stream as a first regeneration stream, and
a second-stage adsorptive gas separator further comprising at least one adsorbent material in at least one contactor, fluidly connected to the first-stage adsorptive separator to receive a second product stream from the first-stage adsorptive separator as a feed stream for the second-stage adsorptive gas separator and fluidly connected to a steam source to receive a steam stream as a first regeneration stream.
In further embodiments according to the disclosure, a multi-stage adsorptive gas separation process for separating at least a first component from a multi-component fluid mixture is provided where the process may comprise the steps of:
admitting at least a portion of the multi-component fluid mixture at a temperature equal to or less than a first threshold temperature into a first-stage adsorptive gas separator; adsorbing at least a portion of a first component of the multi-component fluid mixture on at least one adsorbent material in a contactor in the first-stage adsorptive gas separator; increasing a temperature of the at least one adsorbent material the contactor in the first-stage adsorptive gas separator to a second threshold temperature; recovering a first product stream from the first-stage adsorptive gas separator depleted in the first component relative to the multi-component fluid mixture;
admitting a first regeneration stream for the first-stage adsorptive gas separator into the first-stage adsorptive gas separator, increasing a temperature of the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the first-stage adsorptive gas separator to a third threshold temperature; desorbing at least a portion of the first component adsorbed on the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the first-stage adsorptive gas separator; recovering a second product stream from the first-stage adsorptive gas separator enriched in the first component relative to the multi-component fluid mixture from the first-stage adsorptive gas separator;
admitting a second regeneration stream for the first-stage adsorptive gas separator at a fourth threshold temperature into the first-stage adsorptive gas separator; desorbing at least a portion of the first component adsorbed on the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the first-stage adsorptive gas separator; decreasing the temperature of the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the first-stage adsorptive gas separator to a fifth threshold temperature; recovering a third product stream enriched in the first component relative to the multi-component fluid mixture from the contactor in the first-stage adsorptive gas separator and the first-stage adsorptive gas separator;
admitting a conditioning stream for the first-stage adsorptive gas separator into the first-stage adsorptive gas separator; decreasing the temperature of the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the first-stage adsorptive gas separator to a sixth threshold temperature; recovering a fourth product stream from the first-stage adsorptive gas separator;
admitting at least a portion of the second product stream of the first-stage adsorptive gas separator into a second-stage adsorptive gas separator; adsorbing at least one of the first component or a second component of the multi-component fluid mixture on the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the second-stage adsorptive gas separator; increasing the temperature of the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the second-stage adsorptive gas separator to a seventh threshold temperature; recovering a first product stream from the second-stage adsorptive gas separator depleted in at least one of the first component or the second component relative to the multi-component fluid mixture from the second-stage adsorptive gas separator;
admitting a first regeneration stream for the second-stage adsorptive gas separator into the second-stage adsorptive gas separator; increasing a temperature of the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the second-stage adsorptive gas separator to an eighth threshold temperature; desorbing at least a portion of, one of the first component or the second component on the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the second-stage adsorptive gas separator; recovering a second product stream from the second-stage adsorptive gas separator depleted in one of the first component or second component relative to the multi-component fluid mixture from the contactor in the second-stage adsorptive gas separator, and the second-stage adsorptive gas separator;
admitting a second regeneration stream for the second-stage adsorptive gas separator at a ninth threshold temperature, into the second-stage adsorptive gas separator; desorbing at least a portion of, one of the first component or the second component adsorbed on the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the second-stage adsorptive gas separator; decreasing the temperature of the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the second-stage adsorptive gas separator to a tenth threshold temperature; recovering a third product stream enriched in the first component relative to the multi-component fluid mixture from the second-stage adsorptive gas separator, and
admitting a conditioning stream for the second-stage adsorptive gas separator into the second-stage adsorptive gas separator; decreasing the temperature of the at least one adsorbent material in the contactor in the second-stage adsorptive gas separator to an eleventh threshold temperature, and recovering a fourth product stream from the second-stage adsorptive gas separator.
The systems and methods for adsorptive gas separation of at least one component from a multi-component fluid mixture according to embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing FIGURES, in which:
According to one embodiment, a multi-stage adsorptive gas separation process, herein referred to as an “MSA process”, is provided, such as for adsorptive gas separation of a component (for example, carbon dioxide), from a multi-component fluid mixture, for example, a combustion gas stream from a fuel combustor, employing an embodiment multi-stage adsorptive gas separation system (hereinafter referred to as an “MSA system”). The embodiment MSA process may be particularly suitable for gas separation applications where: a feed stream is sourced at a low pressure, making a pressure swing adsorption process less than desirable; the feed stream comprise a low or dilute concentration of the target component, for example, about 3 volume %; the volume of the feed stream to be separated is large; a product stream high in purity, for example, greater than about 80 volume % purity, of the target component is desired; recovery of the target component is high, for example, greater than about 80%, low energy consumption is desired; and/or low operating cost is desired. Exemplary applications include, for example, post-combustion gas separation of carbon dioxide from a combustion gas stream of a combined cycle power plant.
An MSA process according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may comprise a plurality of adsorption stages, wherein at least one adsorption stage further comprise an adsorptive gas separation process, herein referred as “adsorptive process” and at least one regeneration step for desorption of at least one component adsorbed on an adsorbent material is driven primarily by desorption mechanisms such as: a temperature swing, for example, a difference in temperature of the at least one adsorbent material during the adsorbing step and first regenerating step; a partial pressure swing, for example, a difference in partial pressure or concentration of at least one component of the first regeneration stream and an equilibrium partial pressure of at least one component adsorbed on the at least one adsorbent material; and/or a difference in heat of adsorption energy, for example, the difference in heat of adsorption energy of at least one component of the first regeneration stream and at least one component adsorbed on the at least one adsorbent material. Other secondary desorption mechanisms may assist in the desorption of components from the at least one adsorbent material including, for example, temperature swing, partial pressure swing, vacuum, displacement purge and/or purge. Ane exemplary MSA process may comprise adsorption stages which further comprise other gas separation processes, adsorptive gas separation processes, and/or desorption mechanisms, for example, a pressure swing adsorptive gas separation process and/or a vacuum swing adsorptive gas separation process. An adsorptive process may be cyclic and repeated sequentially.
In one embodiment, an MSA process may employ an MSA system comprising; a plurality of an adsorptive gas separator, herein referred as “adsorptive separator”, having an individual contactor, wherein each adsorptive separator and contactor are employed for a single adsorption stage of the MSA process; a single adsorptive separator having a plurality of contactors, wherein each contactor is employed for a single adsorption stage of the MSA process, or a plurality of adsorptive separators having a plurality of contactors, wherein each adsorptive separator having a plurality of contactors are employed for a single adsorption stage of the MSA process. Contactors may be stationary or moving, for example, rotating.
In an exemplary embodiment, an MSA process, a multi-component fluid mixture, for example, a flue gas stream or a combustion gas stream from a fuel combustor, may comprise at least a first component, for example, carbon dioxide (herein referred as “CO2”) and optionally a second component, for example, nitrogen, where the first component may be separated by adsorption from a multi-component fluid mixture. The exemplary MSA process and system may comprise a first adsorption stage or first-stage adsorption process and a second adsorption stage or a second-stage adsorption process. The first-stage adsorptive process and separator may be employed for bulk gas separation of the first component from a multi-component fluid mixture which may advantageously employ at least a first regeneration stream during a first regenerating step of the first-stage adsorptive process and separator, comprising a first regeneration medium, for example, a multi-component fluid mixture, a combustion mixture, a flue gas mixture, or a fluid mixture enriched in the first component relative to the multi-component fluid mixture or a, having low exergy, low value, and/or low cost, which may advantageously result in reducing the steam consumption and/or operating cost for regeneration of the at least one adsorbent material in the first-stage adsorptive process, first-stage adsorptive separator and MSA system. Optionally, the first-stage adsorptive process and separator may employ a second regeneration stream during an optional second regenerating step of the first-stage adsorptive process and separator, optionally comprising a second regeneration medium, for example, air, multi-component fluid mixture, a combustion mixture, a flue gas mixture, or a fluid mixture enriched in the first component relative to the multi-component fluid mixture. A product stream of the first-stage adsorptive process and separator, for example, a second product stream and/or a third product stream, comprising an elevated concentration of a first component relative to the multi-component fluid mixture, may be recovered from the first-stage adsorptive separator and admitted as a feed stream for the second-stage adsorptive process and separator, which may advantageously increase the efficiency of the adsorptive gas separation process in the second-stage adsorptive process. The second-stage adsorptive process and separator may be employ at least a first regeneration stream during a first regenerating step of the second-stage adsorptive process and separator, comprising a third regeneration medium, for example, steam, electricity, a condensable gas or solvent, which may result in a second product stream of the second-stage adsorptive process and separator comprising a high concentration or high purity of the first component, for example, greater than about 80% of the first component, or specifically greater than about 90% of the first component, or more specifically greater than about 95% of the first component. Optionally, the second-stage adsorptive process and separator may employ a second regeneration stream during an optional second regenerating step of the second-stage adsorptive process and separator, optionally comprising the second regeneration medium or a fourth regeneration medium, for example, air, multi-component fluid mixture, a combustion mixture, a flue gas mixture, or a fluid mixture enriched in the first component relative to the multi-component fluid mixture. The novel combination of at least a first-stage adsorptive process and separator and a second-stage adsorptive process and separator, employing and admitting at least one regeneration stream having a regeneration medium which differs between the first-stage adsorptive process and separator and second-stage adsorptive process and separator, for example, a first-stage adsorptive process and separator employing a regeneration medium comprising a combustion mixture and second-stage adsorptive process and separator employing a regeneration medium comprising steam, or a first-stage adsorptive process and separator employing a first regeneration medium comprising a combustion mixture and a second regeneration medium comprising air and a second-stage adsorptive process and separator employing a first regeneration medium comprising steam and a second regeneration medium comprising air, may provide for a product stream which is high in purity while advantageously increase the efficiency of the adsorptive gas separation process, and reduce the consumption of steam, energy and operating cost.
In one embodiment, the exemplary MSA system comprises an air source, a heat exchanger, a first-stage adsorptive separator, a second-stage adsorptive separator, a steam source, a coolant source and a condenser, for example, a condensing heat exchanger. An exemplary first-stage adsorptive separator may comprise a contactor for supporting at least one adsorbent material, housed in an enclosure which may optionally define a plurality of zones, for example, an adsorption zone, a first regeneration zone, a second regeneration zone, and a conditioning zone, wherein the contactor may cycle or rotate through the plurality of zones and further comprises a plurality of substantially parallel fluid flow passages oriented along a first axis of the contactor, between a first end and a second end which are axially opposed, and optionally a plurality of axially continuous thermally conductive filaments oriented substantially along the first axis of the contactor which are in direct contact with at least one adsorbent material in or on the walls of the contactor. In any of the presently disclosed embodiments, a first-stage adsorptive separator may employ any suitable adsorbent materials including but not limited to, for example, desiccant, activated carbon, carbon adsorbent, graphite, carbon molecular sieve, activated alumina, molecular sieve, aluminophosphate, silicoaluminophosphate, zeolite adsorbent, ion exchanged zeolite, hydrophilic zeolite, hydrophobic zeolite, modified zeolite, natural zeolites, faujasite, clinoptilolite, mordenite, metal-exchanged silico-aluminophosphate, uni-polar resin, bi-polar resin, aromatic cross-linked polystyrenic matrix, brominated aromatic matrix, methacrylic ester copolymer, graphitic adsorbent, carbon fiber, carbon nanotube, nano-materials, metal salt adsorbent, perchlorate, oxalate, alkaline earth metal particle, ETS, CTS, metal oxide, supported alkali carbonates, alkali-promoted hydrotalcites, chemisorbent, amine, organo-metallic reactant, and metal organic framework adsorbent materials, and combinations thereof. An exemplary second-stage adsorptive separator, may be substantially similar to the exemplary first-stage adsorptive separator, but need not be, for example, the second-stage adsorptive separator may comprise at least one adsorbent material, a plurality of zones and/or contactor configuration which differ from the first-stage adsorptive separator.
In a further embodiment, an exemplary multi-stage adsorptive gas separation process for separating at least a first component from a multi-component fluid mixture may comprise the following steps:
In one such embodiment, of the exemplary MSA process, the first threshold temperature may be for example, about 50° C., or specifically about 40° C., or more specifically about 30° C.; the second threshold temperature may be greater than the first threshold temperature; the third threshold temperature may be greater than the second threshold temperature; the fourth threshold temperature may be equal to or less than the third threshold temperature and equal to or greater than the second threshold temperature; the fifth threshold temperature may be equal to or greater than the second threshold temperature; the sixth threshold temperature may be equal to or less than the second threshold temperature; the seventh threshold temperature may be greater than the second threshold temperature; the eighth threshold temperature may be greater than the seventh threshold temperature; the ninth threshold temperature may be equal to or less than the eighth threshold temperature; the tenth threshold temperature may be equal to or less than the ninth threshold temperature; the eleventh threshold temperature may be equal to or less than the tenth threshold temperature and the sixth threshold temperature, and a change in temperature between the second threshold temperature and the third threshold temperature may be equal to or greater that a change in temperature between the seventh threshold temperature and the eighth threshold temperature.
In a further embodiment, in an exemplary MSA process, a multi-component fluid mixture may further comprise, a combustion gas mixture, a flue gas mixture, a product stream from another gas separation process or natural gas; the first component may be any one of, carbon dioxide, oxygen or a contaminant including, for example, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and a heavy metal, such as, mercury and beryllium; the second component may be any one of, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, or a contaminant including, for example, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and a heavy metal, such as, mercury and beryllium; the first regeneration stream and/or the second regeneration stream may optionally be low in exergy and/or optionally recovered as at least a portion of an output fluid stream or exhaust fluid stream of a process which the MSA process is integrated with, the first regeneration medium may further comprise, a product mixture from another gas separation process and/or separator, a condensable gas or solvent, air, carbon dioxide, water in the form of steam or electricity; the second regeneration medium may further comprise, a multi-component fluid mixture, a combustion gas mixture, a flue gas mixture, air, an inert gas, carbon dioxide, a product mixture from another gas separation process and/or device, a condensable gas, water in the form of steam or electricity, and the third regeneration medium may further comprise air, an inert gas or carbon dioxide.
In one such embodiment, step c. of the exemplary MSA process may be representative of an adsorbing step of a first-stage adsorptive process; step d. may be representative of a first regenerating step of the first-stage adsorptive process; step g. may be representative of an optional second regenerating step of the first-stage adsorptive process; step h. may be representative of an optional conditioning step of the first-stage adsorptive process; step i. may be representative of an adsorbing step of a second-stage adsorptive process; step j. and optionally step k. may be representative of a first regenerating step of a second-stage adsorptive process; step l. may be representative of an optional second regenerating step of a second-stage adsorptive process; step m. may be representative of an optional conditioning step of a second-stage adsorptive process; the steps of a. through m. may occur substantially simultaneously in a MSA process and MSA system; the steps of c., d., g., h., i., j., l., and m., may occur substantially simultaneously in a MSA process and MSA system; the steps of c., d., i., and j., may occur substantially simultaneously in a MSA process and MSA system; the steps of c., d., g., and h., may occur sequentially and cyclically repeated in any stage of an adsorptive process and separator; the steps of i., j., l., and m., may occur sequentially and cyclically repeated in any stage of an adsorptive process and separator.
In an alternative embodiment, in an exemplary MSA process: a plurality of adsorptive stages may be employed, for example, steps b through h and/or steps i though m, for a MSA process; a adsorptive stage may comprise an adsorbing step and a regenerating step, for example, steps b and c or steps i and j; a second regeneration stream admitted into a first adsorption stage or a first-stage adsorptive gas separator may be a different medium than a second regeneration stream admitted into a second adsorption stage or a second-stage adsorptive gas separator; a first regeneration stream admitted into a first adsorption stage or a first-stage adsorptive gas separator and a second adsorption stage or a second-stage adsorptive gas separator may further comprise a same regeneration medium, while a second regeneration stream admitted into a first adsorption stage or a first-stage adsorptive gas separator and a second adsorption stage or a second-stage adsorptive gas separator may further comprise different regeneration mediums; the fluid streams, for example, feed stream, first regeneration stream, second regeneration stream, conditioning stream, may be admitted into a zone, for example adsorption zone, first regeneration zone, second regeneration zone, conditioning zone, within a adsorptive gas separator, prior to admitting the fluid stream into a contactor within the adsorptive gas separator; and an adsorption stage of a MSA process may provide for adsorptive gas separation of a different component from a multi-component mixture, for example, in an embodiment MSA process and system, a first-stage adsorptive process and separator may provide for adsorptive gas separation of a contaminant, for example, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and a heavy metal, such as, mercury and beryllium, from a multi-component mixture, while at least a second-stage adsorptive process and separator may provide for adsorptive gas separation of CO2, oxygen, nitrogen or a contaminant, from the multi-component mixture. Periodically, for example, when a pre-determined threshold has been achieved, for example, breakthrough of the first product stream from the second end of the contactor, a pre-determined temperature at or near the second end of the contactor, or at a pre-determined time, a portion of the first product stream, which may be partially enriched with the first component, may optionally be recycled and admitted into the adsorptive separator and the first end of at least one contactor as a portion of the feed stream for the adsorption step which may advantageously increase the recovery of the first component from the feed stream, for example, a first product stream from a first-stage adsorptive separator may be recycled and admitted as a portion of a feed stream into the first-stage adsorptive gas separator, and a first product stream from a second-stage adsorptive separator may be recycled and admitted as a portion of a feed stream into the first-stage and/or the second-stage adsorptive gas separator. Optionally, a second product stream may be recovered from the second-stage adsorptive gas separator and admitted into a condensing heat exchanger, a pump, for example, an ejector, a vacuum pump, or a single stage or multistage compressor operating at sub-ambient inlet pressure and an optional valve, for example, a check valve, where the pump may assist in reducing the pressure and maintaining the reduced pressure in the condensing heat exchanger. Optionally, a second product stream may be recovered from the second-stage adsorptive gas separator and admitted into a plurality of condensing heat exchangers and pumps, fluidly connected in series. Optionally, an adsorptive process and separator employing adsorbents, for example, supported alkali carbonates, and alkali-promoted hydrotalcites, suitable for high temperatures, a feed stream admitted into an adsorptive process and separator may be at a temperature equal to or less than a first threshold temperature of about 200° C.
In a process embodiment according to the present disclosure, an optional pre-regenerating step may be optionally employed in one or more adsorptive stage of a MSA process to increase the quantity of a component, for example, the first component or second component, adsorbed on the at least one adsorbent material subsequent to an adsorbing step, for example, step c. and/or step i, and prior to a first regenerating step, for example, step d. and/or step j., which may result in increasing the concentration or purity of a second product stream recovered from an adsorptive separator and contactor during the first regenerating step. During a pre-regenerating step, a pre-regeneration stream may be employed optionally comprising at least a portion of a first regeneration stream, or optionally steam stream, and may optionally be recovered from a first regeneration stream source and admitted into the adsorptive separator, and at least one contactor, to optionally enter the second end of the contactor to optionally flow in a direction substantially towards the first end of the contactor or in a counter-flow direction to the direction of flow of the feed stream. The pre-regeneration stream may desorb at least a portion of the second component or other diluent fluid components which may be undesirably co-adsorbed on the at least one adsorbent material, forming a heavy reflux stream which may be enriched in one of the first component or second component relative to the feed stream. The heavy reflux stream may be recovered optionally from the first end of the contactor, recycled and admitted into the contactor prior to an adsorbing step, for example, step c. and/or step i., or after an adsorbing step.
First-stage adsorptive separator 100 comprises a contactor 102 housed in an enclosure (not shown in
Second-stage adsorptive separator 200 comprises a contactor 202 housed in an enclosure (not shown in
In one embodiment, first-stage adsorptive separator 100 is fluidly connected to a multi-component fluid source to receive at least a portion of a multi-component fluid stream as at least a portion of a feed stream and optionally as a first regeneration stream for first-stage adsorptive separator 100. Second-stage adsorptive separator 200 is fluidly connected to first-stage adsorptive separator 100 to receive a second product stream from first-stage adsorptive separator 100 as a feed stream for second-stage adsorptive separator 200. Second-stage adsorptive separator 200 is also fluidly connected to a first regeneration stream source, for example, a steam source or a low or very low pressure stage of a multistage steam turbine, to receive a steam stream as a first regeneration stream. First-stage adsorptive separator 100 and second-stage adsorptive separator 200 are fluidly connected to an air source or a fan, via a heat exchanger to receive a portion of an air stream as a second regeneration stream. First-stage adsorptive separator 100 and second-stage adsorptive separator 200 are fluidly connected to the air source or the fan to receive a portion of the air stream as a conditioning stream.
In one embodiment, a multi-component fluid mixture source, for example, a fuel combustor, or a combustor 20, is fluidly connected to admit a multi-component fluid mixture or multi-component fluid stream, for example, a combustion gas stream 21, into MSA system 10. First-stage adsorptive separator 100 is fluidly connected to receive at least a portion of the multi-component fluid stream or combustion gas stream 21, as at least a portion of a feed stream via a hot circuit (not shown in
In one embodiment, a first regeneration stream of first-stage adsorptive separator 100 may comprise a first regeneration medium, for example, a combustion mixture or a flue gas mixture from a fuel combustor, or a fluid stream comprising at least a first component. A portion of the multi-component fluid stream or a portion of combustion gas stream 21 may be admitted as a first regeneration stream into first-stage adsorptive separator 100, first regeneration zone 120, and a portion of contactor 102 within first regeneration zone 120, to optionally flow in a direction substantially from second end 105 to first end 104 of contactor 102 or in a substantially counter-flow direction in relation to the direction of flow of the feed stream of first-stage adsorptive separator 100 or combustion gas stream 23 in a portion of contactor 102 within adsorption zone 110. Combustion gas stream 21 may contact and increase the temperature of the at least one adsorbent material (not shown in
First-stage adsorptive separator 100 may be employed to provide for bulk-gas separation of the first component, which may advantageously enable employment of a portion of combustion gas stream 21, which may be low in exergy and low in value, as a first regeneration stream and a multi-component fluid mixture or a combustion mixture as a first regeneration medium, resulting in reducing the consumption of steam in MSA system 100. Directing and admitting second product stream 121 of first-stage adsorptive separator 100 having an increased concentration of the first component, for example, about 16-24 volume % CO2, or specifically about 18-22 volume % CO2, as a feed stream for second-stage adsorptive separator 200 into second-stage adsorptive separator 200 and adsorbing zone 210 may increase the adsorption efficiency of the second-stage adsorptive separator 200 and assist in recovering a high concentration or high purity product stream comprising the first component, for example, greater than about 80 volume % CO2, or specifically, greater than about 90 volume % CO2, or more specifically, greater than about 95% volume % CO2, from second-stage adsorptive separator 200 and MSA system 100.
In one embodiment, a second regeneration stream for first-stage adsorptive separator 100 and second-stage adsorptive separator 200 may employ a second regeneration medium, for example, air. An air source, for example, an air fan fluidly connected to an ambient environment, or a fan 30, may be fluidly connected to admit at least a portion of air steam 31, into cold circuit (not shown in
In one embodiment, at least a portion of air steam 31 may be admitted as a conditioning stream into first-stage adsorptive separator 100, conditioning zone 140, and a portion of contactor 102 within conditioning zone 140, to flow optionally in a direction substantially from first end 104 to second end 105 of contactor 102, or in a substantially co-current flow direction in relation to the direction of flow of the feed stream for first-stage adsorptive separator 100 or combustion gas stream 23 in a portion of contactor 102 within adsorption zone 110. Air stream 31 may purge residual components and decrease the temperature of the at least one adsorbent material (not shown in
In one embodiment, second product stream 121 of first-stage adsorptive separator 100 may be admitted as at least a portion of a feed stream into second-stage adsorptive separator 200, adsorption zone 210, and a portion of contactor 202 within adsorption zone 210, to flow in a direction substantially from first end 204 to second end 205 of contactor 202. As second product stream 121 of first-stage adsorptive separator 100 contacts the at least one adsorbent material (not shown in
In one embodiment, a first regeneration stream of second-stage adsorptive separator 200 may comprise a third regeneration medium, for example, water in the form of steam. A steam source 40, for example, a steam turbine, a very low pressure steam turbine, a boiler, a heat recovery steam generator or a steam generator, may produce a steam stream 41 and be fluidly connected to admit steam stream 41, as a first regeneration stream of second-stage adsorptive separator 200 into second-stage adsorptive separator 200, first regeneration zone 220, and a portion of contactor 202 within first regeneration zone 220, to optionally flow in a direction substantially from second end 205 to first end 204 of contactor 202 or in a substantially counter-flow direction in relation to the direction of flow of the feed stream for second-stage adsorptive separator 200 or second product stream 121 of first-stage adsorptive separator 100 in a portion of contactor 202 within adsorption zone 210. Steam stream 41 may contact and increase the temperature of the at least one adsorbent material (not shown in
A coolant source 70 may be fluidly connected to admit a coolant stream 71 into a cold circuit (not shown in
In one embodiment, a second regeneration stream of second-stage adsorptive separator 200 may comprise the second regeneration medium, for example, air. A portion of air stream 32 may be admitted as a second regeneration stream for second-stage adsorptive separator 200 at a temperature of a ninth threshold temperature, for example, equal to or less than the eighth threshold temperature, into second-stage adsorptive separator 200, second regeneration zone 230 and a portion of contactor 202 within second regeneration zone 230, to flow optionally in a direction substantially from first end 204 to second end 205 of contactor 202 or in a substantially co-current flow direction in relation to the direction of flow of the feed stream for second-stage adsorptive separator 200 or second product stream 121, in a portion of contactor 202 within adsorption zone 210. Air stream 32 may contact and desorb at least a portion of the first component or second component adsorbed on the at least one adsorbent material (not shown in
In one embodiment, at least a portion of air steam 31 may be admitted as a conditioning stream into second-stage adsorptive separator 200, conditioning zone 240, and a portion of contactor 202 within conditioning zone 240, to flow optionally in a direction substantially from first end 204 to second end 205 of contactor 202, or in a substantially co-current flow direction in relation to the direction of flow of the feed stream for second-stage adsorptive separator 200 or second product stream 121, in a portion of contactor 202 within adsorption zone 210. Air stream 31 may purge residual components and decrease the temperature of the at least one adsorbent material (not shown in
The exemplary embodiments herein described are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention to the precise forms disclosed. They are chosen and described to explain the principles of the invention and its application and practical use to allow others skilled in the art to comprehend its teachings.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CA2017/050394 | 3/31/2017 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62316433 | Mar 2016 | US |
