Sorbent fiber compositions and methods of temperature swing adsorption

• US 8,133,308 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• 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: Lively, Ryan, Chance, Ronald R., Koros, William J., Deckman, Harry, Kelley, Bruce T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Greene, Jason M
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHUMATE, ANTHONY R
• Application Number:
  US12/163,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20090025555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 95/90, 951/14, 961/08, 961/54, 961/53, 165/58, 165/177
• US Class Current: 96/154
• 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 is less than about 80% by weight of a dry phase 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.