Separation process using microchannel technology

• US 7,507,274 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2006
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Velocys Incorporated (Velocys PLC)
• Original Assignee: Velocys Incorporated (Velocys PLC)
• Inventors: Burwell, Deanna, McDaniel, Jeffrey S., Weidert, Daniel J., Lamont, Michael Jay, Rogers, William A. Jr., Perry, Steven T., Qiu, Dongming, Tonkovich, Anna Lee, Arora, Ravi, Chadwell, G. Bradley, Silva, Laura J., Simmons, Wayne W., Dritz, Terence Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): LAWRENCE JR, FRANK M
• Application Number:
  US11/367,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20060249020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 95/90, 95 95-106, 951/14, 951/15, 951/30, 951/43, 951/48
• US Class Current: 95/106
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/102 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/108 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/112 Metals or metal compounds not provided for in B01D2253/104 or B01D2253/106
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/20 Organic adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/3425 Honeycomb shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/102 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/104 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/7025 Methane
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/80 Water
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40003 Methods relating to valve switching
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40081 Counter-current
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40088 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/402 using two beds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/414 using different types of adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/04 with stationary adsorbents B01D53/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0438 Cooling or heating systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0462 Temperature swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/228 characterised by specific membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00783 : Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00788 : Three-dimensional assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a form other than a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00822 : Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00826 : Quartz
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00828 : Silicon wafers or plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00831 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00835 : Comprising catalytically active material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00844 : Comprising porous material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0086 : Dimensions of the flow channels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00869 : Microreactors placed in parallel, on the same or on different supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00873 : Heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00891 : Feeding or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00918 : by adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/20 : of methane
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 : of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel

Abstract

The disclosed invention relates to a process and apparatus for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid. The process comprises: (A) flowing the fluid mixture into a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium, the fluid mixture being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the first fluid is sorbed by the sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator; and (B) desorbing first fluid from the sorption medium and removing desorbed first fluid from the microchannel separator. The process and apparatus are suitable for separating nitrogen or methane from a fluid mixture comprising nitrogen and methane. The process and apparatus may be used for rejecting nitrogen in the upgrading of sub-quality methane.

Claims

1. A process for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid, the process comprising:

(A) flowing the fluid mixture in a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium and cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, the fluid mixture and the sorption medium being cooled by a cooled heat exchange fluid in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator, flowing the cooled heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, heating the cooled heat exchange fluid to form a heated heat exchange fluid; and

(B) heating the sorption medium to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, the sorption medium being heated using the heated heat exchange fluid formed in step (A), the heated heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, removing desorbed first fluid from the microchannel separator, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, cooling the heated heat exchange fluid to form a cooled heat exchange fluid, the cooled heat exchange fluid being used in step (A) to cool the fluid mixture and the sorption medium.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein during cooling the heated heat exchange fluid to form the cooled heat exchange fluid the heat exchange fluid undergoes expansion.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the heat exchange fluid flows through at least one expansion device.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein during heating the cooled heat exchange fluid to form the heated heat exchange fluid the heat exchange fluid undergoes compression.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the heat exchange fluid is compressed in at least one compressor.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein during the cooling of the fluid mixture and the sorption medium the heat exchange fluid is at least partially vaporized.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the heat exchange fluid is at least partially vaporized in the at least one heat exchange channel.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein during the heating of the sorption medium the heat exchange fluid is at least partially condensed.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the heat exchange fluid is at least partially condensed in the at least one heat exchange channel.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein steps (A) and (B) are conducted simultaneously in separate microchannel separators, step (A) being conducted in a first microchannel separator while step (B) is conducted in a second microchannel separator, and step (B) being conducted in the first microchannel separator while step (A) is conducted in the second microchannel separator.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the first fluid comprises methane and the fluid mixture comprises methane and nitrogen.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein the sorption medium is at an average sorbent temperature in the range from about 20°

C. to about 45°

C. during step (A) and an average sorbent temperature in the range from about 55°

C. to about 80°

C. during step (B).

13. The process of claim 1 wherein the at least one heat exchange channel in step (A) comprises at least one microchannel and the at least one heat exchange channel in step (B) comprises at least one microchannel.

14. The process of claim 1 wherein the at least one heat exchange channel used in step (A) and the at least one heat exchange channel used in step (B) are the same.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein the at least one heat exchange channel used in step (A) and the at least one heat exchange channel used in step (B) are different.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein fluid flows in the microchannel separator in a first direction, the microchannel separator having a first side and a second side, the at least one heat exchange channel comprising at least one first heat exchange channel adjacent to the first side of the microchannel separator and at least one second heat exchange channel adjacent the second side of the microchannel separator, the microchannel separator being cooled during step (A) by the cooled heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one first heat exchange channel in a second direction, the microchannel separator being heated during step (B) by the heated heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one second heat exchange channel in the first direction, the second direction being counter current to the first direction.

17. The process of claim 1 wherein fluid flows in the microchannel separator in a first direction, the microchannel separator having a first side and a second side, the at least one heat exchange channel comprising at least one first heat exchange channel adjacent to the first side of the microchannel separator and at least one second heat exchange channel adjacent to the second side of the microchannel separator, the microchannel separator being cooled during step (A) by the cooled heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one first heat exchange channel in a second direction and the at least one second heat exchange channel in the first direction, the microchannel separator being heated during step (B) by the heated heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one second heat exchange channel in the first direction and the at least one first heat exchange channel in the second direction, the first direction being counter current to the second direction.

18. The process of claim 1 wherein fluid flows in the microchannel separator in a first direction, the microchannel separator having a first side and a second side, the at least one heat exchange channel comprising at least one first heat exchange channel adjacent to the first side of the microchannel separator and at least one second heat exchange channel adjacent the second side of the microchannel separator, the microchannel separator being cooled during step (A) by the cooled heat exchange fluid flowing through the at least one first and at least one second heat exchange channels in the first direction or in a second direction, the microchannel separator being heated during step (B) by the heated heat exchange fluid flowing through the at least one first and at least one second heat exchange channels in the first direction, the first direction being counter current to the second direction.

19. The process of claim 1 wherein the heat exchange fluid is heated during step (A) by compressing the heat exchange fluid in a compressor.

20. The process of claim 1 wherein the heat exchange fluid is cooled during step (B) by flowing the heat exchange fluid through an expansion device.

21. The process of claim 1 wherein the microchannel separator comprises at least one process microchannel, the at least one process microchannel being made of a material comprising:

steel;

aluminum;

titanium;

nickel;

platinum;

rhodium;

copper;

chromium;

brass;

an alloy of any of the foregoing metals;

a polymer;

ceramics;

glass;

a composite comprising a polymer and fiberglass;

quartz;

silicon;

or a combination of two or more thereof.

22. The process of claim 1 wherein the at least one heat exchange channel is made of a material comprising:

steel;

aluminum;

titanium;

nickel;

platinum;

rhodium;

copper;

chromium;

brass;

an alloy of any of the foregoing metals;

a polymer;

ceramics;

glass;

a composite comprising polymer and fiberglass;

quartz;

silicon;

or a combination of two or more thereof.

23. The process of claim 1 wherein the sorption medium is in the form of a flow-by sorption medium, or a flow-through sorption medium.

24. The process of claim 1 wherein the microchannel separator comprises at least one process microchannel, the at least one process microchannel having an interior surface, the sorption medium being coated on the interior surface of the at least one process microchannel.

25. The process of claim 1 wherein the sorption medium is in the form of particulate solids.

26. The process of claim 1 wherein the sorption medium is in the form of particulate solids which are mixed with thermally conductive particulate solids to increase the thermal conductivity of the sorption medium.

27. The process of claim 26 wherein the thermally conductive particulate solids comprise diamond powder.

28. The process of claim 1 wherein the sorption medium is in the form of a foam, felt, wad, gauze, honeycomb, fin assembly, flow-by structure with an adjacent gap, foam with an adjacent gap, fin assembly with an adjacent gap, washcoat on an inserted substrate, gauze that is parallel to the flow direction with a corresponding gap for flow, or a combination thereof.

29. The process of claim 1 wherein the sorption medium comprises metal-organic complex, copper metal complex, zeolite, activated carbon, microporous carbon powder, porous carbon foam, carbon nanotubes, or a combination of two or more thereof.

30. The process of claim 1 wherein the sorption medium comprises activated carbon particulates and diamond powder.

31. The process of claim 1 wherein at least about 5% by volume of the first fluid sorbed during step (A) is desorbed during step (B), the time to complete steps (A) and (B) being up to about 10 seconds.

32. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluid mixture prior to step (A) comprises methane, nitrogen, and optionally one or more of carbon dioxide, oxygen and water vapor.

33. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluid mixture comprises methane, the concentration of methane in the fluid mixture prior to step (A) being in the range from about 1% to about 98% by volume.

34. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluid mixture comprises a methane containing composition derived from a coal mine or landfill.

35. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluid mixture comprises methane and nitrogen, the microchannel separator comprising a microchannel separator core containing a plurality of process microchannels, the process microchannels containing the sorption medium, the fluid mixture flowing through the process microchannels at a flow rate of at least about 20 standard cubic meters per hour per cubic meter of volume of the microchannel separator core, the recovery of methane or nitrogen from the fluid mixture being at least about 50% by volume of the methane or nitrogen in the fluid mixture entering the microchannel separator.

36. The process of claim 1 wherein the non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture removed from the microchannel separator during step (A) comprises a tail gas, the microchannel separator being heated during step (B) in part by combusting of the tail gas.

37. The process of claim 1 wherein during step (A) pressure within the microchannel separator is increased to remove non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator.

38. The process of claim 1 wherein during step (B) pressure within the microchannel separator is increased to remove desorbed methane or desorbed nitrogen from the microchannel separator.

39. The process of claim 1 wherein the flow of fluid into and out of the microchannel separator is controlled by valves with actuation times of less than about one second.

40. A process for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid, the process being conducted in a microchannel separator having an inlet valve and an outlet valve, the process comprising:

(A) opening the inlet valve and the outlet valve and flowing the fluid mixture in the microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium until at least part of the first fluid is sorbed by the sorption medium, and flowing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture out of the microchannel separator, the inlet valve and the outlet valve remaining open dueing step (A); and

(B) closing the inlet valve and the outlet valve, heating the microchannel separator to desorb the first fluid from the sorption medium, increasing pressure within the microchannel separator and opening the outlet valve to cause the desorbed first fluid to flow out of the microchannel separator.

41. The process of claim 40 wherein fluid flows in the microchannel separator in a first direction, the microchannel separator having a first side and a second side and at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel comprising at least one first heat exchange channel adjacent to the first side of the microchannel separator and at least one second heat exchange channel adjacent the second side of the microchannel separator, the microchannel separator being cooled during step (A) by a cooled heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one first heat exchange channel in a second direction, the microchannel separator being heated during step (B) by a heated heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one second heat exchange channel in the first direction, the second direction being counter current to the first direction.

42. The process of claim 40 wherein fluid flows in the microchannel separator in a first direction, the microchannel separator having a first side and a second side and at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel comprising at least one first heat exchange channel adjacent to the first side of the microchannel separator and at least one second heat exchange channel adjacent to the second side of the microchannel separator, the microchannel separator being cooled during step (A) by a cooled heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one first heat exchange channel in a second direction and the at least one second heat exchange channel in the first direction, the microchannel separator being heated during step (B) by a heated heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one second heat exchange channel in the first direction and the at least one first heat exchange channel in the second direction, the first direction being counter current to the second direction.

43. The process of claim 40 wherein fluid flows in the microchannel separator in a first direction, the microchannel separator having a first side and a second side and at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel comprising at least one first heat exchange channel adjacent to the first side of the microchannel separator and at least one second heat exchange channel adjacent the second side of the microchannel separator, the microchannel separator being cooled during step (A) by a cooled heat exchange fluid flowing through the at least one first and at least one second heat exchange channels in the first direction or in a second direction, the microchannel separator being heated during step (B) by a heated heat exchange fluid flowing through the at least one first and at least one second heat exchange channels in the first direction, the first direction being counter current to the second direction.

44. A process for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid, the process comprising:

(A) flowing the fluid mixture into a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium, the sorption medium comprising a mixture of activated carbon particulates and thermally conductive particulates, the thermally conductive particulates comprising diamond powder, the fluid mixture being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the first fluid is sorbed by the sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator; and

(B) desorbing first fluid from the sorption medium, removing desorbed first fluid from the microchannel separator.

45. The process of claim 44 wherein pressure within the microchannel separator is increased during step (A) to cause the non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture to flow out of the microchannel separator.

46. The process of claim 44 wherein pressure within the microchannel separator is increased during step (B) to cause the desorbed first fluid to flow out of the microchannel separator.

47. The process of claim 44 wherein the first fluid comprises methane and the fluid mixture comprises methane and nitrogen.

48. The process of claim 44 wherein fluid flows in the microchannel separator in a first direction, the microchannel separator having a first side and a second side and at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel comprising at least one first heat exchange channel adjacent to the first side of the microchannel separator and at least one second heat exchange channel adjacent the second side of the microchannel separator, the microchannel separator being cooled during step (A) by a cooled heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one first heat exchange channel in a second direction, the microchannel separator being heated during step (B) by a heated heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one second heat exchange channel in the first direction, the second direction being counter current to the first direction.

49. The process of claim 44 wherein fluid flows in the microchannel separator in a first direction, the microchannel separator having a first side and a second side and at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel comprising at least one first heat exchange channel adjacent to the first side of the microchannel separator and at least one second heat exchange channel adjacent to the second side of the microchannel separator, the microchannel separator being cooled during step (A) by a cooled heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one first heat exchange channel in a second direction and the at least one second heat exchange channel in the first direction, the microchannel separator being heated during step (B) by a heated heat exchange fluid flowing in the at least one second heat exchange channel in the first direction and the at least one first heat exchange channel in the second direction, the first direction being counter current to the second direction.

50. The process of claim 44 wherein fluid flows in the microchannel separator in a first direction, the microchannel separator having a first side and a second side and at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel comprising at least one first heat exchange channel adjacent to the first side of the microchannel separator and at least one second heat exchange channel adjacent the second side of the microchannel separator, the microchannel separator being cooled during step (A) by a cooled heat exchange fluid flowing through the at least one first and at least one second heat exchange channels in the first direction or in a second direction, the microchannel separator being heated during step (B) by the heated heat exchange fluid flowing through the at least one first and at least one second heat exchange channels in the first direction, the first direction being counter current to the second direction.

51. A process for separating nitrogen from a fluid mixture comprising nitrogen and methane, the process comprising:

(A) flowing the fluid mixture in a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium and cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium to sorb at least part of the methane on the sorption medium, the sorption medium comprising activated carbon particulates and thermally conductive particulates, the fluid mixture and the sorption medium being cooled by a cooled heat exchange fluid in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the cooled heat exchange fluid being vaporized in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator; and

(B) heating the sorption medium to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, the sorption medium being heated using a heated heat exchange fluid, the heated heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the heated heat exchange fluid being condensed in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing desorbed methane from the microchannel separator.

52. A process for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid, the process comprising:

(A) flowing the fluid mixture in a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium and cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, the fluid mixture and the sorption medium being cooled by a cooled heat exchange fluid in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, the cooled heat exchange fluid being heated and/or at least partially vaporized in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator, flowing the cooled heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel through at least one first heat exchanger where it is cooled and/or at least partially condensed; and

(B) heating the sorption medium to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, the sorption medium being heated using a heated heat exchange fluid, the heated heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, the heated heat exchange fluid being cooled and/or at least partially condensed in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing desorbed first fluid from the microchannel separator, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel through at least one second heat exchanger where it is heated and/or at least partially vaporized.

53. A process for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid, the process comprising:

(A) flowing the fluid mixture in a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium and cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, the fluid mixture and the sorption medium being cooled by a cooled heat exchange fluid in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the cooled heat exchange fluid being vaporized in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator, flowing the cooled heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, compressing the cooled heat exchange fluid in a compressor to form a heated heat exchange fluid; and

(B) heating the sorption medium to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, the sorption medium being heated using the heated heat exchange fluid from step (A), the heated heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the heated heat exchange fluid being condensed in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing desorbed first fluid from the microchannel separator, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid through an expansion device to form a cooled heat exchange fluid, the cooled heat exchange fluid being used in step (A) to cool the fluid mixture and the sorption medium.

54. A process for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid, the process comprising steps (I)(A), (I)(B), (II)(A) and (II)(B), steps (I)(A) and (II)(B) being conducted simultaneously, and steps (I)(B) and (II)(A) being conducted simultaneously:

step (I)(A) comprising flowing part of the fluid mixture in a first microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium and cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, the fluid mixture and the sorption medium being cooled using the cooled heat exchange fluid formed in step (I)(B), the cooled heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the cooled heat exchange fluid being vaporized in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the first microchannel separator, flowing the cooled heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, compressing the cooled heat exchange fluid in a compressor to form a heated heat exchange fluid;

step (I)(B) comprising heating the sorption medium in the first microchannel separator to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, the sorption medium being heated using the heated heat exchange fluid formed in step (I)(A), the heated heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the heated heat exchange fluid being condensed in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing desorbed first fluid from the first microchannel separator, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid through an expansion device to form a cooled heat exchange fluid;

step (II)(A) comprising flowing part of the fluid mixture in a second microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium and cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, the fluid mixture and the sorption medium being cooled using the cooled heat exchange fluid formed in step (II)(B), the cooled heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the cooled heat exchange fluid being vaporized in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator, flowing the cooled heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, compressing the cooled heat exchange fluid in a compressor to form a heated heat exchange fluid;

step (II)(B) comprising heating the sorption medium in the second microchannel separator to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, the sorption medium being heated using the heated heat exchange fluid formed in step (II)(A), the heated heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the heated heat exchange fluid being condensed in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing desorbed first fluid from the second microchannel separator, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid through an expansion device to form a cooled heat exchange fluid.

55. A process for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid, the process comprising steps (I)(A), (I)(B), (II)(A) and (II)(B), the process being conducted using a first microchannel separator, a second microchannel separator, a hot heat exchange fluid source, a cold heat exchange fluid source, the heat exchange fluid in the hot heat exchange fluid source being hot relative to the cold heat exchange fluid in the cold heat exchange fluid source, and a valve assembly for controlling the flow of process fluids and heat exchange fluids, steps (I)(A) and (I)(B) being conducted simultaneously with the valve assembly set in a first position, and steps (II)(B) and (II)(A) being conducted simultaneously with the valve assembly set in a second position:

step (I)(A) comprising flowing part of the fluid mixture through at least one valve in the valve assembly into the first microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium in the first microchannel separator, flowing cold heat exchange fluid from the cold heat exchange fluid source through at least one valve in the valve assembly into at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the sorption medium in the first microchannel separator, cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium in the first microchannel separator to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the first microchannel separator, flowing the non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture through at least one valve in the valve assembly, flowing cold heat exchange fluid from the at least one heat exchange channel in the first microchannel separator through at least one valve in the valve assembly to the cold heat exchange fluid source;

step (I)(B) comprising flowing hot heat exchange fluid from the hot heat exchange fluid source through at least one valve in the valve assembly into at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the sorption medium in the first microchannel separator and heating the sorption medium in the first microchannel separator to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, removing desorbed first fluid from the first microchannel separator, flowing the desorbed first fluid through at least one valve in the valve assembly, flowing the hot heat exchange fluid from the at least one heat exchange channel in the first microchannel separator through at least one valve in the valve assembly to the hot heat exchange fluid source;

step (II)(A) comprising flowing part of the fluid mixture through at least one valve in the valve assembly into the second microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium in the second microchannel separator, flowing cold heat exchange fluid from the cold heat exchange fluid source through at least one valve in the valve assembly into at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the sorption medium in the second microchannel separator, cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium in the second microchannel separator to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the second microchannel separator, flowing the non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture through at least one valve in the valve assembly, flowing the cold heat exchange fluid from the at least one heat exchange channel in the second microchannel separator through at least one valve in the valve assembly to the cold heat exchange fluid source;

step (II)(B) comprising flowing hot heat exchange fluid from the hot heat exchange fluid source through at least one valve in the valve assembly into at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the sorption medium in the second microchannel separator, heating the sorption medium in the second microchannel separator to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, removing desorbed first fluid from the second microchannel separator, flowing the desorbed first fluid through at least one valve in the valve assembly, flowing the hot heat exchange fluid from the at least one heat exchange channel in the second microchannel separator through at least one valve in the valve assembly to the hot heat exchange fluid source.

56. A process for upgrading sub-quality methane gas, the sub-quality methane gas comprising methane, water, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide, the process comprising:

(I) removing water from the sub-quality methane gas to form a first intermediate product;

(II) removing nitrogen from the first intermediate product by the steps of

(A) flowing the first intermediate product into a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium, the first intermediate product being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the nitrogen is sorbed by the sorption medium, removing the non-sorbed parts of first intermediate product from the microchannel separator to form a second intermediate product;

(B) desorbing nitrogen from the sorption medium, removing the desorbed nitrogen from the microchannel separator; and

(III) removing oxygen and carbon dioxide from the second intermediate product to form upgraded methane gas.

57. A process for upgrading sub-quality methane gas, the sub-quality methane gas comprising methane, water, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide, the process comprising:

(I) removing water from the sub-quality methane gas to form a first intermediate product;

(II) removing nitrogen from the first intermediate product by the steps of

(A) flowing the first intermediate product into a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium, the first intermediate product being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the methane is sorbed by the sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the first intermediate product from the microchannel separator, the non-sorbed parts of the first intermediate product comprising nitrogen;

(B) desorbing methane from the sorption medium to form a second intermediate product, removing the second intermediate product from the microchannel separator; and

(III) removing oxygen and carbon dioxide from the second intermediate product to form upgraded methane gas.