System for the removal of heat stable amine salts from an amine absorbent

• US 10,456,749 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC (Dow, Inc.), General Electric Technology GmbH (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Inventors: Handagama, Nareshkumar B., Baburao, Barath, Vitse, Frederic, Bedell, Stephen A., Leister, Jonathan W., Dugas, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Holecek, Cabrena
• Application Number:
  US15/253,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20160367944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/204 Amines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/20484 with one hydroxyl group
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/20489 with two or more hydroxyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0283 Flue gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4009 using hot gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1425 Regeneration of liquid absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1493 Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/422 Electrodialysis
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 47/00 Ion-exchange processes in general; Apparatus therefor ion-exchange chromatography processes or apparatus B01D15/08
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 209/84 Purification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2

Abstract

A system for the removal of heat stable amine salts from an amine absorbent used in a carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture process.

Claims

1. A carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture system using an amine absorbent for absorption of CO₂ from a gas stream, the CO₂ capture system comprising a subsystem for removal of heat stable amine salts from a slipstream comprising the amine absorbent, the subsystem comprising:

a residual CO₂ removal unit in liquid connection with, and configured to receive, the slipstream containing heat stable amine salts from a CO₂-lean amine absorbent stream of the CO₂ capture system, and operative for separating residual CO₂ from the CO₂-lean amine absorbent stream; and

an amine reclaimer in liquid connection with, and configured to receive, the slipstream containing heat stable amine salts and having a reduced concentration of CO₂ from the residual CO₂ removal unit, operative for separating heat stable amine salts from the slipstream, and configured to return the slipstream separated from heat stable amine salts to the CO₂-lean amine absorbent stream.

2. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 1, wherein the amine reclaimer comprises an electrodialysis unit or an ion exchange unit.

3. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 1, wherein the subsystem further comprises an amine absorbent cooler operationally arranged between the residual CO₂ removal unit and the reclaimer and operative for cooling the slipstream from the residual CO₂ removal unit before the slipstream enters the reclaimer.

4. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 1, wherein the subsystem further comprises an indirect heat exchanger operative for subjecting the slipstream from the residual CO₂ removal unit to indirect heat exchange with the slipstream coming from the reclaimer.

5. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 1, wherein the residual CO₂ removal unit comprises a stripper and/or a flash drum.

6. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 5, wherein the residual CO₂ removal unit comprises the stripper.

7. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 5, wherein the residual CO₂ removal unit comprises the flash drum.

8. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 5, wherein the residual CO₂ removal unit comprises the stripper and the flash drum arranged in series.

9. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a CO₂ absorber operative for scrubbing the gas stream comprising CO₂ with the amine absorbent such that a CO₂-rich amine absorbent stream is formed; and

a regenerator operative for regenerating the CO₂-rich amine absorbent stream by heating the CO₂-rich amine absorbent stream to separate CO₂ from the amine absorbent, thereby forming the CO₂-lean amine absorbent stream.

10. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 9, wherein the slipstream is taken from the CO₂-lean amine absorbent stream from the regenerator.

11. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 9 further comprising an amine absorbent heat exchanger between the CO₂ absorber and the regenerator.

12. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 11, wherein the slipstream is taken from the CO₂-lean amine absorbent stream from the amine absorbent heat exchanger.

13. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 11, wherein the slipstream is taken from between the regenerator and the amine absorbent heat exchanger.

14. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 11, wherein the slipstream is taken from between the amine absorbent heat exchanger and the CO₂ absorber.

15. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 11, wherein the amine reclaimer comprises an electrodialysis unit.

16. The CO₂ capture system according to claim 11, wherein the amine reclaimer comprises an ion exchange unit.