Method of separating carbon dioxide from a gas mixture using a fluid dynamic instability
First Claim
1. A method of separating a non-aqueous component from a gas mixture comprising the steps of:
- flowing a liquid solvent down a wire so that the solvent forms drops which flow down the wire, the flow of the drops down the wire creating fluid instability of the solvent; and
flowing the gas mixture into contact with the solvent on the wire so that the solvent absorbs the non-aqueous component from the gas mixture, the fluid instability of the solvent increasing the mass transfer rate of the absorption process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a method of separating carbon dioxide from a gas mixture, a liquid solvent flows down an array of vertical wires with the gas mixture flowing over the liquid. Once on the wire, the liquid quickly breaks up into drops of varying sizes, with each size moving down the wire at a different velocity. Large, faster moving drops overtake the small, slower moving drops to form even larger drops. As the drops fall, new drops are created behind the falling drops. Consequently, drops of a large range of sizes are forming, colliding, and mixing as they travel down the wire. During this process, gas molecules that have adsorbed onto the liquid surface are mixed into the interior of the solvent, resulting in highly effective mass transfer and gas absorption. This enhanced mass transfer allows greater flexibility in the choice of solvent and in the system design.
93 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of separating a non-aqueous component from a gas mixture comprising the steps of:
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flowing a liquid solvent down a wire so that the solvent forms drops which flow down the wire, the flow of the drops down the wire creating fluid instability of the solvent; and
flowing the gas mixture into contact with the solvent on the wire so that the solvent absorbs the non-aqueous component from the gas mixture, the fluid instability of the solvent increasing the mass transfer rate of the absorption process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of separating a component from a gas mixture comprising the steps of:
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flowing a liquid solvent down a wire so that the solvent forms drops which flow down the wire, the flow of the drops down the wire creating fluid instability of the solvent, the solvent being reactive with the gas component; and
flowing the gas mixture into contact with the solvent on the wire so that the solvent reacts with and absorbs the gas component, the fluid instability of the solvent increasing the rate of reaction of the solvent with the gas component by at least about 10% compared to the same reaction with the solvent in a fluid stable condition. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of separating carbon dioxide from a gas mixture comprising the steps of:
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flowing a liquid solvent down a wire so that the solvent forms drops which flow down the wire, the flow of the drops down the wire creating fluid instability of the solvent, the solvent being reactive with carbon dioxide; and
flowing a gas mixture containing carbon dioxide into contact with the solvent on the wire so that the solvent reacts with and absorbs the carbon dioxide from the gas mixture, the fluid instability of the solvent increasing the mass transfer rate of the absorption process. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of separating a component from a gas mixture comprising the steps of:
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flowing a liquid containing a solvent down a wire so that the liquid forms drops which flow down the wire, the flow of the drops down the wire creating fluid instability of the liquid, the solvent being reactive with the gas component, and the liquid further containing an activator which promotes the reaction of the solvent with the gas component; and
flowing the gas mixture into contact with the solvent on the wire so that the solvent reacts with and absorbs the component from the gas mixture, the fluid instability of the liquid increasing the mass transfer rate of the absorption process. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method of separating a component from a gas mixture comprising the steps of:
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flowing a liquid solvent down a wire so that the solvent forms drops which flow down the wire, the flow of the drops down the wire creating fluid instability of the solvent;
exciting the fluid instability of the solvent; and
flowing the gas mixture into contact with the solvent on the wire so that the solvent absorbs the component from the gas mixture, the fluid instability of the solvent increasing the mass transfer rate of the absorption process. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of separating carbon dioxide from a flue gas comprising the steps of:
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flowing a liquid solvent down a wire so that the solvent forms drops which flow down the wire, the flow of the drops down the wire creating fluid instability of the solvent, the solvent being reactive with carbon dioxide, and the solvent comprising a mixture of tertiary amine and water; and
flowing a flue gas containing carbon dioxide into contact with the solvent on the wire so that the solvent reacts with and absorbs the carbon dioxide from the flue gas, the fluid instability of the solvent increasing the mass transfer rate of the absorption process.
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36. A method of separating a component from a gas mixture comprising the steps of:
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flowing a liquid solvent, comprising a mixture of amine and water, down a wire so that the solvent forms drops which flow down the wire, the flow of the drops down the wire creating fluid instability of the solvent; and
flowing the gas mixture into contact with the solvent on the wire so that the solvent absorbs the component from the gas mixture, the fluid instability of the solvent increasing the mass transfer rate of the absorption process;
the method including selecting the amine to have physical properties such that the liquid solvent resists formation of solids and has suitable flow characteristics to flow down the wire sufficient to significantly increase the mass transfer rate.
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37. A method of stripping a gaseous component from a liquid solvent containing the component, the method comprising the steps of:
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flowing a liquid solvent containing a gaseous component down a wire so that the solvent forms drops which flow down the wire, the flow of the drops down the wire creating fluid instability of the solvent; and
heating the liquid solvent on the wire so that the gaseous component is released from the solvent, the fluid instability of the solvent increasing the mass transfer rate of the stripping process. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification