Process for separating nitrogen from methane using microchannel process technology
First Claim
1. A process for separating methane or nitrogen from a fluid mixture comprising methane and nitrogen, the process comprising:
- (A) flowing the fluid mixture into a microchannel separator, the microchannel separator comprising a plurality of process microchannels containing a sorption medium, the fluid mixture being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the methane or nitrogen is sorbed by the sorption medium, and removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator; and
(B) desorbing the methane or nitrogen from the sorption medium and removing the desorbed methane or nitrogen from the microchannel separator.
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Abstract
The disclosed invention relates to a process for separating methane or nitrogen from a fluid mixture comprising methane and nitrogen, the process comprising: (A) flowing the fluid mixture into a microchannel separator, the microchannel separator comprising a plurality of process microchannels containing a sorption medium, the fluid mixture being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the methane or nitrogen is sorbed by the sorption medium, and removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator; and (B) desorbing the methane or nitrogen from the sorption medium and removing the desorbed methane or nitrogen from the microchannel separator. The process is suitable for upgrading methane from coal mines, landfills, and other sub-quality sources.
99 Citations
69 Claims
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1. A process for separating methane or nitrogen from a fluid mixture comprising methane and nitrogen, the process comprising:
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(A) flowing the fluid mixture into a microchannel separator, the microchannel separator comprising a plurality of process microchannels containing a sorption medium, the fluid mixture being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the methane or nitrogen is sorbed by the sorption medium, and removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator; and
(B) desorbing the methane or nitrogen from the sorption medium and removing the desorbed methane or nitrogen from the microchannel separator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A process for separating methane or nitrogen from a fluid mixture comprising methane and nitrogen, the process comprising:
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(I)(A) flowing part of the fluid mixture into a first microchannel separator, the first microchannel separator comprising a plurality of first process microchannels containing a first sorption medium, the fluid mixture being maintained in the first microchannel separator until at least part of the methane or nitrogen is sorbed by the first sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the first microchannel separator;
(I)(B) desorbing the methane or nitrogen from the first sorption medium and removing the desorbed methane or nitrogen from the first microchannel separator;
(II)(A) flowing another part of the fluid mixture into a second microchannel separator, the second microchannel separator comprising a plurality of second process microchannels containing a second sorption medium, the fluid mixture being maintained in the second microchannel separator until at least part of the methane or nitrogen fluid component is sorbed by the second sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the second microchannel separator; and
(II)(B) desorbing the methane or nitrogen from the second sorption medium and removing the desorbed methane or nitrogen from the second microchannel separator. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A process for separating methane or nitrogen from a fluid mixture comprising methane and nitrogen, the process comprising:
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(I)(A) flowing the fluid mixture into a first microchannel separator, the first microchannel separator comprising a plurality of first process microchannels containing a first sorption medium, the fluid mixture being maintained in the first microchannel separator until at least part of the methane or nitrogen is sorbed by the first sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the first microchannel separator, the non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the first microchannel separator containing methane or nitrogen;
(I)(B) desorbing the methane or nitrogen from the first sorption medium and removing the desorbed methane or nitrogen from the first microchannel separator;
(II)(A) flowing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture removed from the first microchannel separator during step (I)(A) into a second microchannel separator, the second microchannel separator comprising a plurality of second process microchannels containing a second sorption medium, the non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture being maintained in the second microchannel separator until at least part of the methane or nitrogen is sorbed by the second sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the second microchannel separator; and
(II)(B) desorbing the methane or nitrogen from the second sorption medium and removing the desorbed methane or nitrogen from the second microchannel separator. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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57. A process for separating methane or nitrogen from a fluid mixture comprising methane and nitrogen, the process comprising:
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(A) flowing the fluid mixture into a microchannel separator, the microchannel separator comprising a plurality of process microchannels containing a sorption medium, the sorption medium comprising activated carbon, the fluid mixture being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the methane is sorbed by the sorption medium, and removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator; and
(B) desorbing the methane from the sorption medium and removing the desorbed methane from the microchannel separator, the average sorbent temperature in the process microchannels during step (B) being higher than the temperature in the process microchannels during step (A).
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58. A process for separating methane or nitrogen from a fluid mixture comprising methane and nitrogen, the process comprising:
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(A) flowing the fluid mixture into a microchannel separator, the microchannel separator comprising a plurality of process microchannels containing a sorption medium and a microchannel separator core for housing the process microchannels, the fluid mixture being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the methane is sorbed by the sorption medium, and removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator; and
(B) desorbing the methane from the sorption medium and removing the desorbed methane from the microchannel separator, the flow of the fluid mixture through the process microchannels being at least about 20 standard cubic meters per hour per cubic meter of volume of the microchannel separator core, the recovery of methane being at least about 50% by volume of the methane in the fluid mixture entering the microchannel separator.
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59. A process for separating methane or nitrogen from a fluid mixture comprising methane and nitrogen, the process comprising:
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(A) flowing the fluid mixture into a microchannel separator, the microchannel separator comprising a plurality of process microchannels containing a sorption medium, the sorption medium comprising microporous carbon powder, the fluid mixture being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the methane is sorbed by the sorption medium, and removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator; and
(B) desorbing the methane from the sorption medium and removing the desorbed methane from the microchannel separator, the average sorbent temperature in the process microchannels during step (B) being in the range from about 50°
C. to about 70°
C., the average sorbent temperature in the process microchannels during step (A) being in the range from about 30°
C. to about 50°
C. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A process for upgrading sub-quality methane gas wherein the sub-quality methane gas comprises methane and nitrogen, the process comprising:
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(A) flowing the sub-quality methane gas into a microchannel separator, the microchannel separator comprising a plurality of process microchannels containing a sorption medium, the sub-quality methane gas being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the methane is sorbed by the sorption medium, and removing non-sorbed parts of the sub-quality methane gas from the microchannel separator; and
(B) desorbing the methane from the sorption medium and removing the desorbed methane from the microchannel separator. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69)
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Specification