Solvents and methods for gas separation from gas streams

• US 9,782,719 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nrgtek Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nrgtek Inc.
• Inventors: Iyer, Subramanian
• Primary Examiner(s): Berns, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/271,175
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/2025 Ethers or esters of alkylene glycols, e.g. ethylene or propylene carbonate
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/2026 Polyethylene glycol, ethers or esters thereof, e.g. Selexol
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/2041 Diamines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/20431 Tertiary amines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/502 having two or more functionalities in the same molecule other than alkanolamine
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/302 Sulfur oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/304 Hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1425 Regeneration of liquid absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1456 Removing acid components
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1462 Removing mixtures of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1481 Removing sulfur dioxide or sulfur trioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1493 Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/965 including an electrochemical process step

Abstract

A method of removing acid gases from a gaseous stream is provided. The acid gases may include carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and/or sulfur dioxide, by example. Embodiments of the method include mixing an amine-terminated branched polymer solvent with the gaseous stream, resulting in the substantial absorption of at least some of the acid gases. The solvent is an amine-terminated branched PEG, such as by example amine-terminated glycerol ethoxylate, amine-terminated trimethylolpropane ethoxylate, and/or amine-terminated pentaerithritol ethoxylate. Embodiments of the present inventive methods further include regenerating the solvent using electrolysis.

Claims

1. A method of removing acid gases from a gaseous stream, the method comprising mixing an amine-terminated branched PEG polymer solvent with the gaseous stream.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent comprises amine-terminated glycerol ethoxylate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent comprises amine-terminated trimethylolpropane ethoxylate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent comprises amine-terminated pentaerithritol ethoxylate.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising regenerating the solvent using electrolysis.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the acid gas comprises carbon dioxide.