Integration of pressure swing adsorption with a power plant for CO2 capture/utilization and N2 production

• US 10,677,160 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2016
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Sundaram, Narasimhan, Gupta, Ramesh, Thomann, Hans, Caram, Hugo S., Starcher, Loren K., Mittricker, Franklin F., Weston, Simon C., Weigel, Scott J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goyal, Arun
• Application Number:
  US15/273,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20170009652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/1124 Metal oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/10 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0283 Flue gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40056 Gases other than recycled product or process gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0462 Temperature swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/047 Pressure swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 17/04 for specific purposes other than heating F01K17/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/34 with recycling of part of the working fluid, i.e. semi-closed cycles with combustion products in the closed part of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/04 Gas-turbine plants providing heated or pressurised working fluid for other apparatus, e.g. without mechanical power output F02C6/18 takes precedence ; for a fluidised-bed combustor F02C3/205
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/16 Control of working fluid flow F02C9/48 takes precedence; control of air-intake flow F02C7/057
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/31 in steam turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/61 Removal of CO2 removal of CO2 from waste gases B01D53/62
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2215/50 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/16 Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for combined cycle power generation while reducing or mitigating emissions during power generation. Recycled exhaust gas from a power generation combustion reaction can be separated using a swing adsorption process so as to generate a high purity CO₂ stream while reducing/minimizing the energy required for the separation and without having to reduce the temperature of the exhaust gas. This can allow for improved energy recovery while also generating high purity streams of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

Claims

1. A method for production of N₂ and CO₂ from a reactor exhaust stream, comprising:

passing the reactor exhaust stream comprising at least about 70 vol % N₂ and at least about 10 vol % CO₂ into a swing adsorption reactor comprising an adsorbent material, the reactor exhaust stream in the swing adsorption reactor having a pressure between about 10 bara (about 1.0 MPaa) to about 30 bara (about 3.0 MPaa);

adsorbing CO₂ on the adsorbent material at an adsorption temperature of at least 400°

C.;

recovering an N₂ stream with a purity of at least about 95 vol % from a forward end of the swing adsorption reactor, the recovered N₂ stream having a pressure that differs from the pressure of the reactor exhaust stream by about 0.5 bar (about 50 kPa) or less;

reducing the pressure in the swing adsorption reactor to a pressure from about 1.0 bara (about 0.1 MPaa) to about 4.0 bara (about 0.4 MPaa) by outputting a blow down stream from at least one of forward end or an aft end of the swing adsorption reactor; and

purging the swing adsorption reactor with a steam purge at a pressure from about 1.0 bara (about 0.1 MPaa) to about 4.0 bara (about 0.4 MPaa) to generate a CO₂ recovery stream, the CO₂ recovery stream comprising at least about 90% of the CO₂ present in the reactor exhaust stream, the steam purge containing less than about 1.0 moles of H₂O per mole of CO₂ in the reactor exhaust stream.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the passing, the adsorbing, the recovering, the reducing, and the purging comprise a pressure swing adsorption cycle, the reactor exhaust stream and the steam purge comprising at least about 95 vol % of gases introduced into the swing adsorption reactor during the pressure swing adsorption cycle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising repressurizing the swing adsorption reactor to a pressure of at least about 10 bara (about 1.0 MPaa) with the reactor exhaust stream.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reactor exhaust stream comprises a power plant flue stream, a refinery flue stream, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reactor exhaust stream is generated by compressing a flue stream from stoichiometric combustion of a fuel as part of generating power using a turbine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the steam purge contains less than 0.8 moles of H₂O per mole of CO₂ in the reactor exhaust stream.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the reducing the pressure in the swing adsorption reactor comprises outputting a first blow down stream from the forward end of the swing adsorption reactor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the reducing the pressure in the swing adsorption reactor further comprises outputting a second blowdown stream from the forward end of the swing adsorption reactor and a third blow down stream from a back end of the swing adsorption reactor after outputting the first blowdown stream.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a temperature of the recovered N₂ stream is at least the adsorption temperature.

10. A method for production of N₂ and CO₂ from a reactor exhaust stream, comprising:

compressing the reactor exhaust stream to generate a compressed recycle exhaust gas, the compressed recycle exhaust gas having a recycle temperature from about 400°

C. to about 500°

C. and a recycle pressure from about 10 bara (about 1.0 MPaa) to about 30 bara (about 3.0 MPaa), the recycled exhaust gas comprising at least about 70 vol % of N₂ and at least about 10 vol % of CO₂;

separating CO from N₂ in at least a portion of the compressed recycle exhaust gas in a cyclical pressure swing adsorption process, the cyclical pressure swing adsorption process cycle comprising;

passing the at least a portion of the compressed recycle exhaust gas into a swing adsorption reactor comprising an adsorbent material, the reactor exhaust stream in the swing adsorption reactor having a pressure between about 10 bara (about 1.0 MPaa) to about 30 bara (about 3.0 MPaa);

adsorbing CO₂ on the adsorbent material at an adsorption temperature that differs from the recycle temperature by less than about 20°

C. and at an adsorption pressure that differs from the recycle pressure by less than about 1 bar (0.1 MPa);

recovering an N₂ stream with a purity of at least about 95 vol % from a forward end of the swing adsorption reactor, the recovered N₂ stream having a pressure that differs from the pressure of the reactor exhaust stream by about 0.5 bar (about 50 kPa) or less, the recovered N₂ stream having a temperature that differs from the recycle temperature by 20°

C. or less;

reducing the pressure in the swing adsorption reactor to a pressure from about 1.0 bara (about 0.1 MPaa) to about 4.0 bara (about 0.4 MPaa) by outputting a blow down stream from at least one end of the swing adsorption reactor;

purging the swing adsorption reactor with a steam purge at a pressure from about 1.0 bara (about 0.1 MPaa) to about 4.0 bara (about 0.4 MPaa) to generate a CO₂ recovery stream, the CO₂ recovery stream comprising at least about 90% of the CO₂ present in the reactor exhaust stream, the steam purge containing less than about 1.0 moles of H₂O per mole of CO₂ in the reactor exhaust stream; and

separating the CO₂ recovery stream into a CO₂ product stream and water, the CO₂ product stream containing at least about 90 vol % of CO₂,

wherein the at least a portion of the compressed recycle exhaust gas and the steam purge comprise at least about 95 vol % of gases introduced into the swing adsorption reactor during the cyclical pressure swing adsorption process cycle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the recycled exhaust gas has a CO₂ concentration of between about 10 vol % and about 20 vol %.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the recycled exhaust gas has an O₂ concentration of about 1 vol % or less.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the adsorbent material comprises an alkali metal carbonate and an oxide of an alkaline earth metal or a transition metal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the alkali metal carbonate is potassium carbonate, lithium carbonate, or sodium carbonate.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the adsorbent material comprises a transition metal oxide of a transition metal that forms an oxide with the metal in a +2 or +3 oxidation state.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the adsorbent material comprises at least one of lithium carbonate and potassium carbonate and at least one of lanthanum oxide, yttrium oxide, and magnesium oxide.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the adsorbent material comprises an alkaline earth metal carbonate and an oxide of a transition metal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the alkaline earth metal carbonate is magnesium carbonate or calcium carbonate.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the adsorbent material comprises a transition metal oxide of a transition metal that forms an oxide with the metal in a +2 or +3 oxidation state.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the adsorbent material comprises at least one of magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate and at least one of lanthanum oxide, yttrium oxide, and magnesium oxide.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the temperature of the recovered N₂ stream is at least the adsorption temperature.

22. A method for production of N₂ and CO from a reactor exhaust stream, comprising:

compressing the reactor exhaust stream to generate a compressed recycle exhaust gas, the compressed recycle exhaust gas having a recycle temperature from about 400°

C. to about 500°

C. and a recycle pressure from about 10 bara (about 1.0 MPaa) to about 30 bara (about 3.0 MPaa), the recycled exhaust gas comprising at least about 70 vol % of N₂ and at least about 10 vol % of CO₂;

separating CO₂ from N₂ in at least a portion of the compressed recycle exhaust gas in a cyclical pressure swing adsorption process, the cyclical pressure swing adsorption process cycle comprising;

passing the at least a portion of the compressed recycle exhaust gas into a swing adsorption reactor comprising an adsorbent material, the reactor exhaust stream in the swing adsorption reactor having a pressure between about 10 bara (about 1.0 MPaa) to about 30 bara (about 3.0 MPaa);

adsorbing CO₂ on the adsorbent material at an adsorption temperature that differs from the recycle temperature by less than about 20°

C. and at an adsorption pressure that differs from the recycle pressure by less than about 1 bar (0.1 MPa);

recovering an N₂ stream with a purity of at least about 95 vol % from a forward end of the swing adsorption reactor, the recovered N₂ stream having a pressure that differs from the pressure of the reactor exhaust stream by about 0.5 bar (about 50 kPa) or less, the recovered N₂ stream having a temperature that differs from the recycle temperature by 20°

C. or less;

reducing the pressure in the swing adsorption reactor to a pressure from about 1.0 bara (about 0.1 MPaa) to about 5.0 bara (about 0.5 MPaa) by outputting a blow down stream from at least one end of the swing adsorption reactor;

purging the swing adsorption reactor with a steam purge at a pressure from about 1.0 bara (about 0.1 MPaa) to about 5.0 bara (about 0.4 MPaa) to generate a CO₂ recovery stream, the CO₂ recovery stream comprising at least about 60% of the CO₂ present in the reactor exhaust stream, the steam purge containing less than about 1.5 moles of H₂O per mole of CO₂ in the reactor exhaust stream; and

separating the CO₂ recovery stream into a CO₂ product stream and water, the CO₂ product stream containing from about 60 vol % to about 99.5 vol % of CO₂,

wherein the at least a portion of the compressed recycle exhaust gas and the steam purge comprise at least about 90 vol % of the gases introduced into the swing adsorption reactor during a process cycle.