Method and device for condensing a first fluid rich in carbon dioxide using a second fluid

• US 10,203,155 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude (L'Air Liquide SA)
• Original Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude (L'Air Liquide SA)
• Inventors: Lestrade, Michel, Rivoal, Fabrice
• Primary Examiner(s): Alosh, Tareq
• Application Number:
  US13/996,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20130298598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,609 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/32 Other features of fractionating columns ; Constructional details of fractionating columns not provided for in groups B01D3/16 - B01D3/30
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0063 Reflux condensation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0084 Feeding or collecting the cooling medium B01D5/0087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0087 Recirculating of the cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/002 by condensation
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 1/0027 Oxides of carbon, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2200/02 in a single pressure main column system
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2200/74 Refluxing the column with at least a part of the partially condensed overhead gas
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2200/80 using integrated mass and heat exchange, i.e. non-adiabatic rectification in a reflux exchanger or dephlegmator
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2210/02 Multiple feed streams, e.g. originating from different sources
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2220/82 Separating low boiling, i.e. more volatile components, e.g. He, H2, CO, Air gases, CH4
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2250/02 Bath type boiler-condenser using thermo-siphon effect, e.g. with natural or forced circulation or pool boiling, i.e. core-in-kettle heat exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2270/12 External refrigeration with liquid vaporising loop
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2270/90 External refrigeration, e.g. conventional closed-loop mechanical refrigeration unit using Freon or NH3, unspecified external refrigeration
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/0266 separation of carbon dioxide production of carbon dioxide in general C01B32/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/10 Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process and device for condensing a first fluid rich in carbon dioxide using a second fluid.

Claims

1. A process for condensing a first fluid using an ammonia refrigerant, wherein the first fluid is rich in carbon dioxide, the process comprising the steps of:

expanding the ammonia refrigerant in an expander to form a two phase ammonia refrigerant;

introducing the two phase ammonia refrigerant to a phase separator under conditions effective to separate the two phase ammonia refrigerant into a gaseous portion and a liquid portion;

withdrawing the gaseous portion of the ammonia refrigerant from the phase separator;

introducing the liquid portion of the ammonia refrigerant to a heat exchanger;

exchanging heat between the liquid portion of the ammonia refrigerant and the first fluid in the heat exchanger under conditions effective to at least partially condense the first fluid and to fully vaporize the liquid portion of the ammonia refrigerant, thereby forming an at least partially condensed first fluid and a vaporized ammonia refrigerant, wherein the first fluid is rich in carbon dioxide; and

mixing the vaporized ammonia refrigerant with the gaseous portion of the ammonia refrigerant outside of the phase separator to form a single phase mixture,

wherein the first fluid originates at least partly from the top of a distillation column and the at least partially condensed first fluid is sent to the top of the distillation column,

wherein the process further comprises an absence of a step selected from the group consisting of;

cooling the vaporized ammonia refrigerant prior to the step of mixing the vaporized ammonia refrigerant with the gaseous portion of the ammonia refrigerant, compressing the vaporized ammonia refrigerant prior to the step of mixing the vaporized ammonia refrigerant with the gaseous portion of the ammonia refrigerant, and combinations thereof,

wherein the phase separator is sized solely for separating the liquid portion of the ammonia refrigerant from the gaseous portion of the ammonia refrigerant,

wherein the ratio between the total volume of the ammonia refrigerant in the phase separator and the flow rate of the ammonia refrigerant at the inlet to the phase separator is between 0.01 and 0.05 L·

h/Nm³,

wherein the first fluid comprises a first gaseous fraction rich in carbon dioxide and a second gaseous fraction rich in carbon dioxide, wherein the first gaseous fraction rich in carbon dioxide originates from the top of the distillation column, wherein the second gaseous fraction rich in carbon dioxide does not originate from the distillation column,

wherein the ratio between the capacity of the heat exchanger and the flow rate of the ammonia refrigerant at the inlet to the phase separator is between 0.13 and 0.55 kW·

h/Nm³,

wherein the second gaseous fraction rich in carbon dioxide is at a superheated temperature in an amount effective to entirely superheat the resulting vaporized ammonia refrigerant prior to the vaporized ammonia refrigerant exiting an outlet of the heat exchanger.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the ratio between the volume of the liquid portion of the ammonia refrigerant in the phase separator and the flow rate of the ammonia refrigerant at the inlet to the separator is between 0.005 and 0.03 L·

h/Nm³.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the phase separator is configured to not receive the vaporized ammonia refrigerant directly from the outlet of the heat exchanger.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the process comprises an absence of introducing any other fluid to the phase separator other than the ammonia refrigerant.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the first gaseous fraction rich in carbon dioxide is at a first temperature that is colder than that of the second gaseous fraction rich in carbon dioxide, such that when the first gaseous fraction and the second gaseous fraction are mixed upstream of the heat exchanger, the first fluid has a temperature that is warmer than the first temperature.

3. A process for condensing a first fluid using a refrigerant, wherein the first fluid is rich in carbon dioxide, and the refrigerant comprises a single refrigerant of ammonia, the process comprising the steps of:

expanding the refrigerant in an expander to form a two phase refrigerant;

introducing the two phase refrigerant to a phase separator under conditions effective to separate the two phase refrigerant into a gaseous portion and a liquid portion;

introducing the gaseous portion of the refrigerant to a mixing zone;

introducing the liquid portion of the refrigerant to a heat exchanger;

introducing a first gaseous fraction rich in carbon dioxide into a first fluid mixing zone, wherein the first gaseous fraction originates from a top portion of a distillation column;

introducing a second gaseous fraction into the first fluid mixing zone in the presence of the first gaseous fraction to form the first fluid, wherein the second gaseous fraction rich in carbon dioxide originates from a source not comprising the distillation column;

introducing the first fluid from the first fluid mixing zone to the heat exchanger;

exchanging heat between the liquid portion of the refrigerant and the first fluid in the heat exchanger under conditions effective to partially condense the first fluid and to fully vaporize the liquid portion of the refrigerant, thereby forming a partially condensed first fluid and a vaporized refrigerant;

mixing the vaporized refrigerant with the gaseous portion of the refrigerant downstream of the phase separator to form a single phase mixture;

separating the partially condensed first fluid into a liquid phase and a gaseous phase;

introducing the liquid phase of the partially condensed first fluid from the heat exchanger into the top portion of the distillation column; and

recovering the gaseous phase of the partially condensed first fluid,

wherein the process further comprises an absence of a step selected from the group consisting of;

cooling the vaporized refrigerant prior to the step of mixing the vaporized refrigerant with the gaseous portion of the refrigerant, compressing the vaporized refrigerant prior to the step of mixing the vaporized refrigerant with the gaseous portion of the refrigerant, and combinations thereof,

wherein the ratio between the total volume of the liquid portion of the refrigerant in the phase separator and the flow rate of the liquid portion of the refrigerant at the inlet to the phase separator is between 0.005 and 0.03 L·

h/Nm³,

wherein the phase separator is sized solely for separating the liquid portion of the two phase refrigerant from the gaseous portion of the two phase refrigerant generated by the expansion of the refrigerant,

wherein the ratio between the capacity of the heat exchanger and the flow rate of the ammonia refrigerant at the inlet to the phase separator is between 0.13 and 0.55 kW·

h/Nm³,

wherein the second gaseous fraction rich in carbon dioxide is at a superheated temperature in an amount effective to entirely superheat the resulting vaporized ammonia refrigerant prior to the vaporized ammonia refrigerant exiting an outlet of the heat exchanger.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the first fluid mixing zone is disposed completely outside of the distillation column and the heat exchanger.