Method and system for regenerating a solution used in a wash vessel

• US 8,518,156 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Kozak, Frederic Z., Petig, Arlyn V., Agarwal, Ritesh, Hiwale, Rameshwar S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, PANKTI R
• Application Number:
  US12/849,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20110067567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 95/166
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/2062 Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/406 Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1425 Regeneration of liquid absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/58 Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/75 Multi-step processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/77 Liquid phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2

Abstract

A process and system (100) for removing contaminants from a solution to regenerate the solution within the system. The process includes providing a solution (165) from a wash vessel (160) to a stripping column (181), the solution (165) including contaminants removed from a flue gas stream (150) present in the wash vessel (160) and contacting the solution with steam (185) inside the stripping column (181) thereby removing the contaminants from the solution and regenerating the solution. The stripping column (181) is operated at a pressure less than about 700 kilopascal.

Claims

1. A process for removing ammonia from a CO₂-lean stream leaving a CO₂ absorbing system;

the process comprising;

contacting a gas stream having CO₂ with an ammoniated slurry or solution, thereby forming CO₂-lean stream and a CO₂-rich stream;

contacting an ammonia-removing solution with the CO₂-lean stream, thereby forming an ammonia-containing solution and a reduced ammonia-containing gas stream;

providing the ammonia-containing solution to a stripping column; and

contacting the ammonia-containing solution with steam in the stripping column, thereby removing ammonia from the ammonia-containing solution, thereby forming the ammonia-removing solution and an ammonia-rich gas stream;

wherein the stripping column is operated at a pressure below 68.947 kilopascal.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the ammonia-removing solution comprises water.

3. A process according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing the ammonia-rich gas stream to the CO₂ absorbing system.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the absorbing system is operated at a temperature between 0°

and 20°

Celsius.

5. A process according to claim 1, further comprising generating the steam by combusting a fuel source.

6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the gas stream having CO₂ is a flue gas stream.

7. A process according to claim 1, wherein the ammonia-removing solution is substantially water.

8. A process according to claim 1, further comprising providing the CO₂-rich rich stream to a regenerator, thereby forming an ammoniated slurry or solution.

9. A process according to claim 8, further comprising providing the ammoniated slurry or solution formed in the regenerator to the absorbing system.