Sorbent fiber compositions and methods of temperature swing adsorption

• US 8,257,474 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• 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 W., Kelley, Bruce T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Greene, Jason M
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHUMATE, ANTHONY R
• Application Number:
  US13/404,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20120152117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 193 Days
• Field of Search: 95/90, 951/14, 961/08, 961/53, 961/54
• 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 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 sorbent material;

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.

2. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material is in fluid communication with at least a portion of the plurality of tortuous pathways.

3. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer lining the lumen is present in at least a substantial majority of the hollow fibers.

4. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of hollow fibers further comprises an end cap disposed at a longitudinal end of the fiber, and the end cap does not inhibit fluid flow of a heat transfer fluid either into or out of the lumen.

5. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 4, wherein the end cap prevents fluid communication between the plurality of tortuous pathways and the heat transfer fluid in at least a substantial majority of the hollow fibers.

6. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 4, 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.

7. The fiber-based adsorption module of claim 4, wherein the heat transfer fluid is water, water vapor, steam, gas, or combinations thereof.

8. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 1, wherein a feed stream passing from the feed stream inlet to the feed stream outlet is a flue gas, natural gas, fuel gas, bio gas, town gas, waste gas, water, coal gas, air, or a carbon dioxide-containing medium.

9. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 1, wherein the contactor is used in a temperature swing adsorption process.

10. The fiber-based adsorption contactor of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material has a selectivity for adsorbing CO₂ over nitrogen of greater than 5.

11. The fiber-based adsorption contactor 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.