Method for removal of carbon dioxide from a process gas

• US 8,790,605 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Petig, Arlyn V., Kozak, Frederic Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silverman, Stanley
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNS, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/560,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20110064636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 423/210, 423/220, 423/234
• US Class Current: 423/234
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/102 Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1406 Multiple stage absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1425 Regeneration of liquid absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of removing carbon dioxide from a process gas, the method comprising: a) allowing an ammoniated solution to enter an absorption arrangement, said absorption arrangement comprising at least a first absorber; b) contacting the ammoniated solution with the process gas in said first absorber, the ammoniated solution capturing at least a part of the carbon dioxide of the process gas; c) allowing the ammoniated solution to exit the absorption arrangement; d) cooling the ammoniated solution, wherein at least a part of the captured carbon dioxide is precipitated as solid salt; e) allowing the cooled ammoniated solution to enter a separator, in which separator at least a part of the precipitated solids are removed from the ammoniated solution, after which the ammoniated solution is allowed to exit the separator; f) heating the ammoniated solution; and g) allowing the heated ammoniated solution to re-enter the absorption arrangement. The invention also relates to a carbon dioxide removal system.

Claims

1. A method of removing carbon dioxide from a process gas, the method comprising:

a) allowing an ammoniated solution to enter an absorption arrangement, said absorption arrangement comprising at least a first absorber operating at a temperature between about 10°

C. to 20°

C. (50°

F. to 68°

F.);

b) contacting the ammoniated solution with the process gas in said first absorber, the ammoniated solution capturing at least a part of the carbon dioxide of the process gas;

c) allowing the ammoniated solution to exit the first absorber;

d) cooling the ammoniated solution exiting the first absorber to a temperature between about 0°

C. to 10°

C. (32°

F. to 50°

F.), wherein at least a part of the captured carbon dioxide is precipitated as solid salt;

e) allowing the cooled ammoniated solution to enter a separator, in which separator at least a part of the precipitated solids are removed from the cooled ammoniated solution, after which the cooled ammoniated solution is allowed to exit the separator;

f) heating the cooled ammoniated solution; and

g) allowing the heated ammoniated solution to re-enter the absorption arrangement; and

wherein some liquid solution is also removed together with the solids in the separator, forming a leaving suspension or slurry, which suspension or slurry has a solids content of between about 10% and 20% by weight of the suspension or slurry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling of d) and the heating of f) is at least partly achieved by means of a heat exchanger, in which heat exchanger the ammoniated solution exiting the absorption arrangement in c) is the heating medium and the ammoniated solution exiting the separator in e) is the cooling medium.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling of d) is at least partly achieved by means of a heat exchanger, in which heat exchanger cold water is used as a cooling medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the separator is a hydrocyclone.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

h) contacting the heated ammoniated solution with the process gas in a second absorber of the absorption arrangement, the second absorber being separate from the first absorber, the ammoniated solution absorbing and solving at least a part of the carbon dioxide of the process gas in the second absorber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the ammoniated solution in b) is between about 10°

C. and 20°

C. (50°

F. and 68°

F.).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the temperature of the ammoniated solution in b) is about 15°

C. (59°

F.).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ammoniated solution is in d) cooled to about 5°

C. (41°

F.).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the cooled ammoniated solution is in f) heated to at least 7°

C. (45°

F.).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the cooled ammoniated solution is in f) heated to between about 7°

C. and 15°

C. (45°

F. and 59°

C.).

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the cooled ammoniated solution is in f) heated to between about 7°

C. and 10°

C. (45°

F. and 50°

C.).