Moisture removal from wet gases

• US 9,956,522 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nrgtek Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nrgtek Inc.
• Inventors: Iyer, Subramanian
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLECEK, CABRENA L
• Application Number:
  US15/288,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20180043300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• 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 2252/2028 Polypropylene glycol, ethers or esters thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/2041 Diamines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/20415 Tri- or polyamines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/20421 Primary amines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/502 having two or more functionalities in the same molecule other than alkanolamine
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1425 Regeneration of liquid absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/263 by absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/28 Selection of materials for use as drying agents

Abstract

Methods of reducing the water content of a wet gas are presented. In one case, the method includes exposing the gas to an amine-terminated branched polymer solvent to remove a substantial portion of the water from the wet gas, exposing the diluted solvent to carbon dioxide to phase separate the solvent from the water, and regenerating the solvent for reuse by desorbing the carbon dioxide by the application of heat. In another case, the method includes exposing the gas to a cloud-point glycol solvent to remove a substantial portion of the water from the wet gas, heating the diluted solvent to above a cloud point temperature for the solvent so as to create a phase separation of the solvent from the water so as to regenerate the solvent for reuse, and directing the regenerated solvent to a new supply of wet gas for water reduction.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the water content of a wet gas, the method comprising:

exposing the gas to an amine-terminated branched polymer solvent, which solvent exhibits an osmotic pressure of about 175 atmospheres or higher so as to remove a substantial portion of the water from the wet gas, resulting in a diluted solvent and a substantially dry gas;

exposing the diluted solvent to carbon dioxide so as to create a phase separation of the solvent from the water;

regenerating the solvent for reuse by desorbing the carbon dioxide by the application of heat; and

directing the regenerated solvent to a new supply of wet gas for water reduction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent comprises an amine-terminated branched PEG.

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

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the solvent comprises amine-terminated trimethylolpropane ethoxylate.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the solvent comprises amine-terminated pentaerithritol ethoxylate.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing the desorbed carbon dioxide to the diluted solvent for purposes of creating phase separation of the solvent from the water.

7. A method of reducing the water content of a wet gas, the method comprising:

exposing the gas to a cloud-point glycol solvent, which solvent exhibits an osmotic pressure of about 75 atmospheres or higher so as to remove a substantial portion of the water from the wet gas, resulting in a diluted solvent and a substantially dry gas;

heating the diluted solvent to above a cloud point temperature for the solvent so as to create a phase separation of the solvent from the water so as to regenerate the solvent for reuse; and

directing the regenerated solvent to a new supply of wet gas for water reduction.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the solvent comprises an ethoxylate polymer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the solvent comprises one or more of linear polyethylene glycols with attached fatty acids, linear polyethylene glycols with attached fatty alcohols, branched polyethylene glycols with attached fatty acids, or branched polyethylene glycols with attached fatty alcohols.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the solvent comprises linear and branched polyethylene-polypropylene co-polymers.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the solvent comprises linear and branched polyethylene-polybutylene co-polymers.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the solvent comprises linear and branched polypropylene glycol co-polymers.