System and method for recovering nitrogenous compounds from a gas stream

• US 10,513,466 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2018
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NuOrganics LLC
• Original Assignee: NuOrganics LLC
• Inventors: Giraldo, Eugenio, Wingler, Barbara Jean, Giraldo-Wingler, Gabriel Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanoy, Timothy C
• Application Number:
  US15/872,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20180354867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/102 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/104 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/804 Enzymatic
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/406 Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0266 from animal farms
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/46 Removing components of defined structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/58 Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/78 with gas-liquid contact
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/84 Biological processes
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 3/00 Fertilisers containing other salts of ammonia or ammonia itself, e.g. gas liquor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

Methods of producing a treated gas by removing nitrogenous compounds are disclosed. Methods of recovering nitrogenous compounds from a gas stream are disclosed. Methods of producing a fertilizer product from organic waste are disclosed. The methods may include introducing a gas stream having nitrogenous compounds into a nitrogenous liquid containing a salt of ammonia to absorb the nitrogenous compounds in the liquid and produce a treated gas. The methods may also include controlling the pH of certain solutions or introducing an oxidant into certain solutions to produce nitrogen ions. Systems for removing nitrogenous compounds including a reaction subsystem, an oxidation control subsystem, a dissolved solids concentrator, and a recirculation line are also disclosed. The systems may be employed to remove nitrogenous compounds from a gas stream, recover the nitrogenous compounds from the gas stream, or produce a fertilizer product from the recovered nitrogenous compounds.

Claims

1. A method of producing a treated gas by removing nitrogenous compounds from a gas stream, the method comprising:

introducing the gas stream comprising nitrogenous compounds into a nitrogenous liquid comprising a salt of ammonia;

introducing an oxidant into the nitrogenous liquid to produce oxy-anions of nitrogen;

introducing a base into the nitrogenous liquid to maintain the nitrogenous liquid and oxy-anions of nitrogen at a predetermined pH between about 3 and about 9 to control a concentration of the oxy-anions of nitrogen; and

discharging the treated gas comprising a reduced concentration of the nitrogenous compounds.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxy-anions of nitrogen comprise at least one of nitrite and nitrate.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing the nitrogenous liquid by contacting the gas stream with water to oxidize at least a fraction of the nitrogenous compounds into the salt of ammonia.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a total dissolved solids concentration in the nitrogenous liquid between about 1 g/L and about 500 g/L.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising dosing the nitrogenous liquid comprising the salt of ammonia with a biological catalyst.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined pH is between about 6 and about 8.5.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising drying organic material to produce the gas stream comprising nitrogenous compounds.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising separating solids from the gas stream.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the organic material comprises at least one of poultry manure and poultry litter.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising maintaining a temperature of the nitrogenous liquid between about 4°

C. and about 80°

C.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the treated gas comprises less than 1% nitrogen, sulfur, phosphate, and potassium.

12. A method of recovering nitrogenous compounds from a gas stream, the method comprising:

introducing the gas stream comprising nitrogenous compounds into a nitrogenous liquid comprising a salt of ammonia;

introducing a base into the nitrogenous liquid;

introducing an oxidant into the nitrogenous liquid to oxidize a predetermined amount of the nitrogenous compounds into oxy-anions of nitrogen; and

collecting a liquid product comprising at least a fraction of the nitrogenous liquid, remaining nitrogenous compounds, and the oxy-anions of nitrogen.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined amount of the nitrogenous compounds to be oxidized is between about 5% and about 50% of the nitrogenous compounds.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined amount of the nitrogenous compounds to be oxidized is between about 50% and about 100% of the nitrogenous compounds.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising introducing a salt into water to produce a salt solution and electrically separating ions in the salt solution to produce the base and an acid.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising producing the nitrogenous liquid by contacting the gas stream with water to oxidize at least a fraction of the nitrogenous compounds into the salt of ammonia.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising maintaining a pH of the nitrogenous liquid and oxy-anions of nitrogen between about 3 and about 9.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising maintaining a pH of the nitrogenous liquid and oxy-anions of nitrogen between about 6 and about 8.5.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising drying organic material to produce the gas stream comprising nitrogenous compounds.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising separating solids from the gas stream.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the organic material comprises at least one of poultry manure and poultry litter.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising maintaining a temperature of the nitrogenous liquid between about 4°

C. and about 80°

C.

23. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling a composition of the nitrogenous liquid by introducing a salt into the nitrogenous liquid.

24. A method of recovering nitrogenous compounds from a gas stream, the method comprising:

introducing the gas stream comprising nitrogenous compounds into a nitrogenous liquid comprising a salt of ammonia;

introducing an oxidant into the nitrogenous liquid to oxidize a predetermined amount of the nitrogenous compounds into oxy-anions of nitrogen;

collecting a liquid product comprising at least a fraction of the nitrogenous liquid, remaining nitrogenous compounds, and the oxy-anions of nitrogen; and

concentrating the liquid product by removing excess water.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the liquid product is concentrated by at least one of reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, and evaporation.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the liquid product comprises at least 16% nitrogen by mass.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising returning at least a fraction of the excess water to the nitrogenous liquid.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising maintaining a total dissolved solids concentration in the nitrogenous liquid between about 1 g/L and about 500 g/L.

29. A method of recovering nitrogenous compounds from a gas stream, the method comprising:

introducing the gas stream comprising nitrogenous compounds into a nitrogenous liquid comprising a salt of ammonia;

dosing the nitrogenous liquid with a biological catalyst;

introducing an oxidant into the nitrogenous liquid to oxidize a predetermined amount of the nitrogenous compounds into oxy-anions of nitrogen;

collecting a liquid product comprising at least a fraction of the nitrogenous liquid, remaining nitrogenous compounds, and the oxy-anions of nitrogen;

separating solids from the liquid product; and

returning at least a fraction of the separated solids to the nitrogenous liquid.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising maintaining a pH of the nitrogenous liquid and oxy-anions of nitrogen between about 3 and about 9.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising maintaining a pH of the nitrogenous liquid and oxy-anions of nitrogen between about 6 and about 8.5.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising concentrating the liquid product by removing excess water.

33. A system for removing nitrogenous compounds from a gas stream, the system comprising:

a reaction subsystem comprising at least one absorption chamber, a treated gas outlet, and a product outlet, the reaction subsystem fluidly connectable to a gas stream comprising nitrogenous compounds, a source of water, a source of an oxidant, and a source of a base, and constructed and arranged to combine the gas stream, the water, the oxidant, and the base;

an oxidation control subsystem configured to maintain a predetermined oxidation reduction potential (ORP) within the reaction subsystem;

a dissolved solids concentrator fluidly connected downstream of the reaction subsystem through the product outlet, the dissolved solids concentrator comprising a concentrated product outlet and a dilute liquid outlet; and

a recirculation line extending between the dissolved solids concentrator through the dilute liquid outlet and a recycle inlet of the reaction subsystem.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the reaction subsystem is fluidly connectable to a source of a salt and constructed and arranged to combine the salt with the gas stream, the water, the oxidant, and the base.

35. The system of claim 33, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure temperature of one or more gases and solutions within the system.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the system comprises a control module electrically connected to the temperature sensor and configured to adjust a temperature within the reaction subsystem to a predetermined temperature, responsive to a measurement obtained by the temperature sensor.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature range between about 4°

C. and about 80°

C.

38. The system of claim 33, further comprising a heat exchanger constructed and arranged to transfer heat between the reaction subsystem and one or more of the gas stream and the source of the water to adjust a temperature within the reaction subsystem to between about 4°

C. and about 80°

C.

39. The system of claim 33, further comprising a pH meter configured to measure pH of a solution within the reaction subsystem.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising a control module electrically connected to the pH meter and configured to adjust the pH within the reaction subsystem responsive to a measurement obtained by the pH meter.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the control module is configured to maintain the pH between about 3 and about 9.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the control module is configured to maintain the pH between about 6 and about 8.5.

43. The system of claim 33, further comprising an ORP sensor configured to measure ORP of a solution within the reaction subsystem.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising a control module electrically connected to the ORP sensor and configured to adjust the ORP within the reaction subsystem responsive to a measurement obtained by the ORP sensor.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the predetermined ORP is between about +400 mV and about +900 mV.

46. The system of claim 33, further comprising a conductivity meter configured to measure conductivity of a gas or solution within the reaction subsystem.

47. The system of claim 46, further comprising a control module electrically connected to the conductivity meter and configured to adjust the conductivity of the gas or the solution within the reaction subsystem responsive to a measurement obtained by the conductivity meter.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the control module is configured to maintain a concentration of total dissolved solids in the solution within the reaction subsystem between about 1 g/L and about 500 g/L.

49. The system of claim 33, further comprising an organic material dryer and a solids-gas separator having a solids waste outlet and a gas stream outlet, the solids-gas separator fluidly connectable to the reaction subsystem through the gas stream outlet.

50. The system of claim 33, further comprising a solids-liquid separator fluidly connectable downstream of the reaction subsystem through the product outlet, the solids-liquid separator comprising a solids outlet and liquid product outlet, and wherein the dissolved solids concentrator is fluidly connectable to the solids-liquid separator through the liquid product outlet.

51. The system of claim 50, further comprising a solids recirculation line extending from the solids outlet of the solids-liquid separator and the reaction subsystem.

52. The system of claim 33, wherein the source of the base comprises an acid base production subsystem comprising a salt inlet, a water inlet, a cation stream outlet, and an anion stream outlet, the cation stream outlet fluidly connectable to the reaction subsystem.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the anion stream outlet is fluidly connectable to a second reaction subsystem comprising at least one absorption chamber, a treated gas outlet, and a product outlet, the second reaction subsystem constructed and arranged to combine a gas stream comprising nitrogenous compounds, water, and the anion stream to produce a treated gas and a nitrogenous liquid product.

54. The system of claim 33, further comprising a wet electrostatic precipitator positioned within the at least one absorption chamber.