PROCESS FOR CARBON DIOXIDE RECOVERY FROM A GAS STREAM CONTAINING CARBON DIOXIDE AND HYDROCARBONS

• US 20170216759A1
• Filed: 08/05/2014
• Published: 08/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shurgott, Nicholas J., Badhwar, Ajay N., Goltz, H. Robert, Leister, Jonathan W., Matteucci, Scott T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,456,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/202 Polymeric adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/22 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/24 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/245 Methane
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/702 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/04 with stationary adsorbents B01D53/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/267 Cross-linked polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28064 being in the range 500-1000 m2/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3078 Thermal treatment, e.g. calcining or pyrolizing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3085 Chemical treatments not covered by groups B01J20/3007 - B01J20/3078
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3416 of sorbents or filter aids comprising free carbon, e.g. activated carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3425 of sorbents or filter aids comprising organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3441 Regeneration or reactivation by electric current, ultrasound or irradiation, e.g. electromagnetic radiation such as X-rays, UV, light, microwaves
• 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: B01J 20/3491 by pressure treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2210/0015 characterised by the adsorbent
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2210/007 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/50 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/80 : Compositional purity
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 7/12 : by adsorption, i.e. purification or separation of hydrocarbons with the aid of solids, e.g. with ion-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/164 : Injecting CO2 or carbonated water in combination with organic material C09K8/594
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/40 : Separation associated with re-injection of separated materials E21B43/385 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 : of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/70 : Combining sequestration of CO2 and exploitation of hydrocarbons by injecting CO2 or carbonated water in oil wells

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for purification of a carbon dioxide feedstock, for example from a production well, which comprises carbon dioxide and gaseous and liquid C₁+ hydrocarbons. Specifically, a carbon dioxide feedstream is passed through one or more separation unit wherein each separation unit removes one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon from the carbon dioxide feedstream to provide a richer carbon dioxide gas stream. The process comprises one or more separation unit which employs an adsorption media and has an adsorption step and a media regeneration step wherein the regeneration step may be operated as a batch process, a semi-continuous process, or a continuous process. One embodiment of this method provides for the use of a different regenerable adsorbent media in two or more separation units.

Claims

1. A process to provide a carbon dioxide-rich gas stream from a carbon dioxide feedstream comprising one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon (i.e., one or more of methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, or heavier hydrocarbons), whereby the one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon is separated from the carbon dioxide feedstream to form a first treated carbon dioxide-rich gas stream by means of a first separation unit comprising:

(i) a first adsorption unit comprising a first adsorption bed comprising a first adsorbent media which adsorbs one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon to form a loaded first adsorbent media and

(ii) a first regeneration unit comprising a means to regenerate the loaded first adsorbent media by causing the release of the adsorbed one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon from the loaded first adsorbing media and forming regenerated first adsorbent media, wherein the process comprises the steps of;

(a) passing the carbon dioxide feedstream through the first adsorption unit of the first separation unit at a first flow rate generating a loaded first adsorbent media comprising one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon and a first treated carbon dioxide-rich gas stream,

(b) regenerating the loaded first adsorbent comprising one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon by releasing the adsorbed one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon from the loaded first adsorbing media and forming regenerated first adsorbent media,

(c) recovering, further separating, using as fuel for a combustion process, flaring, or a combination thereof the released one or more C₁+ hydrocarbons, and

(d) providing the first treated carbon dioxide-rich gas stream to one or more additional separation unit for further treatment, recovering the first treated carbon dioxide-rich treated gas stream, reinjecting the first treated carbon dioxide-rich treated gas stream into an injection well, or a combination thereof.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the first treated carbon dioxide-rich gas stream is provided to a second separation unit comprising:

(iii) a second adsorption unit comprising a second adsorption bed comprising a second adsorbent media which adsorbs carbon dioxide and one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon to form a loaded second adsorbent media and

(iv) a second regeneration unit comprising a means to regenerate the loaded second adsorbent media by causing the release of the adsorbed carbon dioxide and one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon from the loaded second adsorbing media and forming regenerated second adsorbent media,

wherein the process further comprises the steps of;

(e) passing the first treated carbon dioxide-rich gas stream through a second adsorption unit of the second separation unit at a second flow rate generating a methane-rich gas stream and a loaded second adsorbent media comprising one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide,

(f) regenerating the loaded second adsorbent comprising one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide by releasing the adsorbed one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide from the loaded second adsorbing media and forming a regenerated second adsorbent media and a second treated carbon dioxide-rich gas stream,

(g) providing the methane-rich gas stream to a natural gas pipeline for recovery, transportation, for use as fuel for a combustion process, for flaring, or a combination thereof. and

(h) providing the second carbon dioxide-rich gas stream to one or more additional separation unit for further treatment, recovering the second carbon dioxide-rich gas stream, reinjecting the second treated carbon dioxide-rich treated gas stream into an injection well, or a combination thereof. thereof.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the second treated carbon dioxide-rich gas stream is provided to a third separation unit comprising a condenser or a chiller wherein the process further comprises the steps of:

(i) passing the second treated carbon dioxide-rich gas stream through a third separation unit,

(j) liquefying one or more C₁+ hydrocarbon from the second treated carbon dioxide-rich gas stream forming a third treated carbon dioxide-rich gas stream and one or more liquefied C₁+ hydrocarbon,

(k) recovering the one or more liquefied C₁+ hydrocarbon for transportation, for use as fuel for a combustion process, for flaring, or a combination thereof, and

(l) providing the third carbon dioxide-rich gas stream to one or more additional separation unit for further treatment, reinjecting the third treated carbon dioxide-rich treated gas stream into an injection well, or a combination thereof.

4. The process of claim 2 wherein the first adsorption media is not the same as the second adsorption media.

5. The process of claims 1 and 2 wherein the adsorption media in the separation unit is independently regenerated by means of reduced pressure over the media, heating the media, or a combination of reduced pressure and heating.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein heating of the media is by a microwave heating system.

7. The process of claims 1 and 2 wherein each regeneration step is operated independently as a batch process, a semi-continuous process, or as a continuous process.

8. The process of claim 3 wherein the first adsorption media in the first separation unit is a porous cross-linked polymeric adsorbent which adsorbs C₃+ hydrocarbons, the second adsorption media in the second separation unit is a pyrolized macroporous polymeric adsorbent which adsorbs C₂ and CO₂, both the first and second regeneration unit comprise a microwave heating system, and C₂ is the liquefied hydrocarbon recovered in the third separation unit.