Self-supporting structures having active materials

• US 10,549,230 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2017
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Brody, John F., Tindall, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tam M
• Application Number:
  US15/826,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20180169565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/108 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/202 Polymeric adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/311 Porosity, e.g. pore volume
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/34 Specific shapes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/24 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/80 Water
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40086 by using a purge gas B01D2259/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4062 using six beds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/02 by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography solid sorbent compositions B01J20/00, preparation of inorganic compounds or elements C01
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/04 with stationary adsorbents B01D53/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0423 Beds in columns
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0446 Means for feeding or distributing gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/261 by adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/165 Natural alumino-silicates, e.g. zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/18 Synthetic zeolitic molecular sieves
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/183 Physical conditioning without chemical treatment, e.g. drying, granulating, coating, irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/226 Coordination polymers, e.g. metal-organic frameworks [MOF], zeolitic imidazolate frameworks [ZIF] preparation of metal complexes containing carboxylic acid moieties C07C51/418; MOF's per se C07F
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/2803 Sorbents comprising a binder, e.g. for forming aggregated, agglomerated or granulated products
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28042 : Shaped bodies; Monolithic structures
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28045 : Honeycomb or cellular structures; Solid foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3042 : Use of binding agents; addition of materials ameliorating the mechanical properties of the produced sorbent
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3078 : Thermal treatment, e.g. calcining or pyrolizing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3085 : Chemical treatments not covered by groups B01J20/3007 - B01J20/3078
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3408 : of aluminosilicate molecular sieves
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3416 : of sorbents or filter aids comprising free carbon, e.g. activated carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3425 : of sorbents or filter aids comprising organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3458 : in the gas phase
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/542 : Adsorption of impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/104 : Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/106 : of water
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 : of CO2

Abstract

A method and system for manufacturing and using a self-supporting structure in processing unit for adsorption or catalytic processes. The self-supporting structure has greater than 50% by weight of the active material in the self-supporting structure to provide a foam-geometry structure providing access to the active material. The self-supporting structures, which may be disposed in a processing unit, may be used in swing adsorption processes and other processes to enhance the recovery of hydrocarbons.

Claims

1. A processing unit comprising:

a housing forming an interior region;

a self-supporting structure disposed within the interior region, wherein the self-supporting structure has greater than 50% by weight of a active material in the self-supporting structure, and wherein the self-supporting structure is a foam-geometry structure configured to provide one or more tortuous channels for fluid flow paths through the self-supporting structure; and

a plurality of valves secured to the housing, wherein each of the plurality of valves is configured to control fluid flow along a flow path extending between the self-supporting structure and a location external to the housing.

2. The processing unit of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is a cyclical swing adsorbent bed unit configured to remove contaminants from a gaseous feed stream that passes through the one or more channels in the self-supporting structure.

3. The processing unit of claim 1, wherein the self-supporting structure has greater than 60% by weight of the active material in the self-supporting structure.

4. The processing unit of claim 1, wherein the self-supporting structure has greater than 70% by weight of the active material in the self-supporting structure.

5. The processing unit of claim 1, wherein the processing unit further comprises a flow distributor disposed between the self-supporting structure and the plurality of valves.

6. The processing unit of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to maintain a pressure from 5 pounds per square inch absolute (psia) and 1,400 psia.

7. The processing unit of claim 1, wherein the self-supporting structure has pores in the range between 10 pores per linear inch and 100 pores per linear inch.

8. The processing unit of claim 1, wherein the self-supporting structure has pores in the range between 20 pores per linear inch and 40 pores per linear inch.

9. The processing unit of claim 1, wherein the self-supporting structure comprises a plurality of first sheets having a first composition and a first pore density and a plurality of second sheets having a second composition and second pore density, wherein the first pore density is in the range from 1 pores per linear inch (ppi) to 20 ppi and the second pore density is in the range from 20 ppi to 100 ppi.

10. The processing unit of claim 1, wherein the self-supporting structure has a low thermal mass.