SORBENT FIBER COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF TEMPERATURE SWING ADSORPTION

• US 20090025555A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation), Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation), Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Chance, Ronald R., Deckman, Harry, Lively, Ryan, Koros, William J., Kelley, Bruce T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,133,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 95/114
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/108 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/34 Specific shapes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4009 using hot gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0438 Cooling or heating systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/18 Synthetic zeolitic molecular sieves
• 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 20/261 obtained by reactions only involving carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds per se C08F
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/262 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds, e.g. obtained by polycondensation macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds per se C08G
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28023 Fibres or filaments fibres or filaments in the form of membranes B01J20/28038; B01J20/28007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3293 Coatings on a core, the core being particle or fiber shaped, e.g. encapsulated particles, coated fibers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3425 of sorbents or filter aids comprising organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3483 by thermal treatment not covered by groups B01J20/3441 - B01J20/3475, e.g. by heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2922 Nonlinear [e.g., crimped, coiled, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2935 Discontinuous or tubular or cellular core

Abstract

The various embodiments of the present invention relate to compositions, apparatus, and methods comprising sorbent fibers. More particularly, various embodiments of the present invention are directed towards sorbent fiber compositions for temperature swing adsorption processes. Various embodiments of the present invention comprise sorbent fiber compositions, apparatus comprising a plurality of sorbent fibers, and methods of using the same for the capture of at least one component from a medium, for example CO₂ from flue gas.

Claims

1. A sorbent fiber, comprising:

a hollow fiber comprising a sorbent material;

a lumen disposed within the hollow fiber; and

a barrier layer lining the lumen to prevent fluid communication between the lumen and the sorbent material.

2. The sorbent fiber of claim 1, wherein the fiber further comprises a polymer matrix.

3. The sorbent fiber of claim 2, wherein the polymer matrix comprises a plurality of tortuous pathways.

4. The sorbent fiber of claim 3, wherein the plurality of tortuous pathways comprise one or more of a micropore, a mesopore or a macropore, wherein the one or more of a micropore, a mesopore or a macropore are in fluid communication.

5. The sorbent fiber of claim 3, wherein the sorbent material is in fluid communication with at least a portion of the plurality of tortuous pathways.

6. The sorbent fiber of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material has an average longest dimension of less than about 10 micrometers.

7. The sorbent fiber of claim 1, wherein the fiber has an average longest cross-sectional dimension of at least about 100 micrometers.

8. The sorbent fiber of claim 1, wherein the lumen has an average longest cross-sectional dimension of at least about 55 micrometers.

9. The sorbent fiber of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material comprises less than about 80% by weight of the fiber.

10. The sorbent fiber of claim 1, wherein the fiber has an average longest cross-sectional dimension at least two times greater than that of the lumen.

11. The sorbent fiber of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer has an average thickness of less than about 50 micrometers.

12. The sorbent fiber of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material has a selectivity for carbon dioxide over nitrogen of about 10 to about 60 and a heat of sorption of about −

25 kilojoules per mole of carbon dioxide to about −

90 kilojoules per mole of carbon dioxide.

13. The sorbent fiber of claim 1, wherein the fiber comprises a non-porous end cap disposed at each longitudinal end of the fiber and the non-porous end cap does not inhibit fluid flow through the lumen.

14. A fiber-based adsorption contactor, the contactor comprising:

a chamber comprising;

a feed stream inlet;

a feed stream outlet;

a heat transfer fluid inlet;

a heat transfer fluid outlet;

a plurality of substantially aligned hollow fibers, wherein each of the hollow fibers comprises;

a plurality of tortuous pathways, wherein the tortuous pathways are in fluid communication with the feed stream inlet and the feed stream outlet;

a plurality of sorbent elements in fluid communication with at least a portion of the plurality of tortuous pathways;

a lumen disposed within the hollow fiber, wherein the lumen is in fluid communication with the heat transfer fluid inlet and the heat transfer fluid outlet; and

a barrier layer lining the lumen to prevent fluid communication between the lumen and the plurality of tortuous pathways in at least a substantial majority of the hollow fibers.

15. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of hollow fibers further comprises an end cap disposed at a longitudinal end of the fiber effective to prevent fluid communication between the plurality of tortuous pathways and a heat transfer medium in at least a substantial majority of the hollow fibers.

16. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 15, further comprising a binder material effective to interconnect adjacent fibers, which in conjunction with the end caps, prevents fluid communication between the heat transfer medium and the plurality of tortuous pathways of adjacent fibers.

17. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 14, wherein a feed stream is a flue gas, natural gas, fuel gas, bio gas, town gas, waste gas, water, coal gas, air, or a carbon dioxide-containing medium.

18. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 14, wherein the contactor is used in a temperature swing adsorption process.

19. The fiber-based adsorption module of claim 15, wherein the heat transfer medium is water, water vapor, steam, gas, or combinations thereof.

20. A method of adsorbing a component of a medium, the method comprising:

contacting a medium with a hollow fiber comprising a plurality of tortuous pathways, a plurality of sorbent elements in fluid communication with the plurality of tortuous pathways, a lumen disposed within the hollow fiber, and a barrier layer lining the lumen to prevent fluid communication between the lumen and the plurality of tortuous pathways; and

selectively adsorbing a component of the medium.

21. The method of adsorbing a component of a medium of claim 20, further comprising desorbing the component of the medium.

22. The method of adsorbing a component of a medium of claim 20, wherein the medium comprises flue gas, natural gas, fuel gas, bio gas, town gas, waste gas, water, coal gas, air, or a carbon dioxide containing medium.

23. The method of adsorbing a component of a medium of claim 20, further comprising preventing fluid communication between the medium and a heat exchange fluid.

24. The method of adsorbing a component of a medium of claim 21, further comprising repeating the contacting and adsorbing.

25. The method of adsorbing a component of a medium of claim 24, wherein a cycle time between successive adsorptions is less than about 2 minutes.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the component is selected from CO₂, SOx, NOx, and water.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the component is CO₂.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the medium is comprised of CO₂ and nitrogen, and the sorbent elements have a selectivity for adsorbing CO₂ over nitrogen of greater than 5.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the medium is comprised of a flue gas stream.