Methods for applying microchannels to separate gases using liquid absorbents, especially ionic liquid (IL) absorbents

• US 8,221,528 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Velocys Incorporated (Velocys PLC)
• Original Assignee: Velocys Incorporated (Velocys PLC)
• Inventors: Tonkovich, Anna Lee Y., Litt, Robert D., Arora, Ravi, Dongming, Qiu, Lamont, Micheal Jay, Fanelli, Maddalena, Simmons, Wayne W., Silva, Laura J., Perry, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Ives
• Application Number:
  US12/184,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20100024645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 951/54, 951/56, 951/72, 951/78, 951/85, 962/43, 422/99, 422/169
• US Class Current: 95/232
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/10 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/24 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/102 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/104 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/304 Hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/306 Organic sulfur compounds, e.g. mercaptans
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/406 Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/702 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1493 Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/18 Absorbing units; Liquid distributors therefor B01D3/16, B01D3/26, B01D3/30 take precedence; packing elements B01J19/30, B01J19/32
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00047 Ionic liquids
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/0285 by absorption in liquids
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0415 Purification by absorption in liquids
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0475 the impurity being carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/048 the impurity being an organic compound
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0485 the impurity being a sulfur compound
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/86 Carbon dioxide sequestration
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2210/0046 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/52 by contacting with liquids; Regeneration of used liquids C01B3/508 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/32 with the use of catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1025 : Natural gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/202 : Heteroatoms content, i.e. S, N, O, P
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/207 : Acid gases, e.g. H2S, COS, SO2, HCN
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/805 : Water
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/00 : Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry

Abstract

Methods of using microchannel separation systems including absorbents to improve thermal efficiency and reduce parasitic power loss. Energy is typically added to desorb a solute and then energy or heat is removed to absorb a solute using a working solution. The working solution or absorbent may comprise an ionic liquid, or other fluids that demonstrate a difference in affinity between a solute and other gases in a solution.

Claims

1. A method of operating a processing system comprising:

providing a first microchannel including a first absorbent inlet, a first absorbent outlet, a feed stream inlet, and a first resultant gas outlet;

providing a second microchannel including a second absorbent inlet, a second absorbent outlet, and a second resultant gas outlet, the second microchannel being arranged in a counterflow arrangement relative to the first microchannel;

circulating an absorbent through the first microchannel and the second microchannel;

receiving a flue gas feed including nitrogen and carbon dioxide through the feed stream inlet;

exhausting, from the first resultant gas outlet, a first resultant gas having a higher concentration of nitrogen than the flue gas feed; and

,

exhausting, from the second resultant gas outlet, a second resultant gas having a higher concentration of carbon dioxide than the flue gas feed;

wherein the absorbent has a temperature T1 at the first inlet, a temperature T2 at the first outlet, a temperature T3 at the second inlet, and a temperature T4 at the second outlet; and

,

wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied;

T2 is greater than T3 and T1 is greater than T4.

2. A method of operating a processing system comprising:

providing a first microchannel including a first absorbent inlet, a first absorbent outlet, a feed stream inlet, and a first resultant gas outlet;

providing a second microchannel including a second absorbent inlet, a second absorbent outlet, and a second resultant gas outlet, the second microchannel being arranged in a counter flow arrangement relative to the first microchannel;

circulating an absorbent through the first microchannel and the second microchannel;

receiving a mixture including at least one hydrocarbon and nitrogen through the feed stream inlet;

exhausting, from the first resultant gas outlet, a first resultant gas having a higher concentration of nitrogen than the mixture; and

,

exhausting, from the second resultant gas outlet, a second resultant gas having a higher concentration of the at least one hydrocarbon than the mixture;

wherein the absorbent has a temperature T1 at the first inlet, a temperature T2 and the first outlet, a temperature T3 at the second inlet, and a temperature T4 at the second outlet; and

,

wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied;

T2 is greater than T3 and T1 is greater than T4.

3. A method of operating a processing system comprising:

providing a first microchannel including a first absorbent inlet, a first absorbent outlet, a feed stream inlet, and a first resultant gas outlet;

providing a second microchannel including a second absorbent inlet, a second absorbent outlet, and a second resultant gas outlet, the second microchannel being arranged in a counterflow arrangement relative to the first microchannel; and

circulating an absorbent through the first microchannel and the second microchannel;

receiving a mixture including at least one hydrocarbon and at least one contaminant through the feed stream inlet;

exhausting, from the first resultant gas outlet, a first resultant gas having a higher concentration of the hydrocarbon than the mixture; and

exhausting, from the second resultant gas outlet, a second resultant gas having a higher concentration of the contaminant than the mixture;

wherein the absorbent has a temperature T1 at the first inlet, a temperature T2 at the first outlet, a temperature T3 at the second inlet, and a temperature T4 at the second outlet; and

,

wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied;

T2 is greater than T3 and T1 is greater than T4.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the mixture is a natural gas feed and the contaminant is at least one of H₂S, a thiol, and another sulfur-containing compound.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the act of providing a first Fischer-Tropsch reactor, where the feed stream inlet is coupled to an outlet of the Fischer-Tropsch reactor.

6. The method of 5, further comprising the act of providing a second Fischer-Tropsch reactor, wherein at least one of the first resultant gas outlet and the second resultant gas outlet is coupled to an inlet of the second Fischer-Tropsch reactor.

7. A method of operating a processing system comprising:

providing a first microchannel including a first absorbent inlet, a first absorbent outlet, a feed stream inlet, and a first resultant gas outlet;

providing a second microchannel including a second absorbent inlet, a second absorbent outlet, and a second resultant gas outlet, the second microchannel being arranged in a counterflow arrangement relative to the first microchannel;

circulating an absorbent through the first microchannel and the second microchannel;

receiving a mixture including nitrogen and oxygen through the feed stream inlet;

exhausting, from the first resultant gas outlet, a first resultant gas having a higher concentration of nitrogen than the mixture; and

,

exhausting, from the second resultant gas outlet, a second resultant gas having a higher concentration of oxygen than the mixture;

wherein the absorbent has a temperature T1 at the first inlet, a temperature T2 at the first outlet, a temperature T3 at the second inlet, and a temperature T4 at the second outlet; and

,

wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied;

T3 is greater than T2, T4 is greater than T1, and T2 is greater than T4.

8. A method of operating a processing system comprising:

providing a first microchannel including a first absorbent inlet, a first absorbent outlet, a feed stream inlet, and a first resultant gas outlet;

providing a second microchannel including a second absorbent inlet, a second absorbent outlet, and a second resultant gas outlet, the second microchannel being arranged in a counterflow arrangement relative to the first microchannel;

circulating an absorbent through the first microchannel and the second microchannel;

receiving a mixture including at least one hydrocarbon and at least one contaminant through the feed stream inlet;

exhausting, from the first resultant gas outlet, a first resultant gas having a higher concentration of the hydrocarbon than the mixture; and

,

exhausting, from the second resultant gas outlet, a second resultant gas having a higher concentration of the contaminant than the mixture;

wherein the absorbent has a temperature T1 at the first inlet, a temperature T2 at the first outlet, a temperature T3 at the second inlet, and a temperature T4 at the second outlet; and

,

wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied;

T3 is greater than T2, T4 is greater than T1, and T2 is greater than T4.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the mixture is a natural gas feed and the contaminant is at least one of H₂S, a thiol, and another sulfur-containing compound.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the act of providing a first Fischer-Tropsch reactor, where the feed stream inlet is coupled to an outlet of the Fischer-Tropsch reactor.

11. The method of 10, further comprising the act of providing a second Fischer-Tropsch reactor, wherein at least one of the first resultant gas outlet and the second resultant gas outlet is coupled to an inlet of the second Fischer-Tropsch reactor.