Process for biocatalytic CO;capture using dimethylmonoethanolamine, diethylmonoethanolamine or dimethylglycine

• US 9,044,709 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saipem SPA (Saipem)
• Original Assignee: CO2 Solutions Inc.
• Inventors: Fradette, Sylvie, Gingras, Julie, Carley, Jonathan, Kelly, Glenn R., Ceperkovic, Olivera, Versteeg, Geert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): GITOMER, RALPH J
• Application Number:
  US14/106,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20140099701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 435/266, 252/190
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/206 Ammonium compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/304 of sodium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/306 of potassium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/606 Carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/20494 Amino acids, their salts or derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/205 Other organic compounds not covered by B01D2252/00 - B01D2252/20494
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/602 Activators, promoting agents, catalytic agents or enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/804 Enzymatic
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1425 Regeneration of liquid absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1493 Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/84 Biological processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/96 Regeneration, reactivation or recycling of reactants
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/88 Lyases (4.)
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 402/01001 Carbonate dehydratase (4.2.1.1), i.e. carbonic anhydrase
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/59 Biological synthesis; Biological purification

Abstract

A formulation and process for capturing CO₂ use an absorption mixture containing water, biocatalysts and an absorption compound selected from dimethylmonoethanolamine (DMMEA), diethylmonoethanolamine (DEMEA), and dimethylglycine. The process may include contacting a CO₂-containing gas with the absorption mixture to enable dissolution and transformation of CO₂ into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions, thereby producing a CO₂-depleted gas and an ion-rich solution, followed by subjecting the ion-rich solution to desorption.

Claims

1. A process for capturing CO2 from a CO2-containing gas comprising:

contacting the CO2-containing gas with an absorption mixture comprising water, biocatalysts and an absorption compound selected from dimethylmonoethanolamine (DMMEA), diethylmonoethanolamine (DEMEA), and dimethylglycine, to enable dissolution and transformation of CO2 into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions, thereby producing a CO2-depleted gas and an ion-rich solution; and

subjecting the ion-rich solution to desorption to produce a CO2 gas stream and an ion-depleted solution.

2. The process of claim 1, comprising removing the biocatalyst from the ion-rich solution prior to subjecting the ion-rich solution to the desorption.

3. The process of claim 1, comprising removing the biocatalyst from the ion-rich solution after subjecting the ion-rich solution to the desorption.

4. The process of claim 2, comprising recycling the ion-lean solution to form at least a part of the absorption mixture for re-contacting the CO2-containing gas.

5. The process of claim 2, comprising adding an amount of biocatalyst into the ion-lean solution to convert the same into at least part of the absorption mixture for recycling to contact the CO2-containing gas.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the absorption mixture comprises an additional absorption compound.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the additional absorption compound comprises piperidine, piperazine and derivatives thereof which are substituted by at least one alkanol group, alkanolamines, monoethanolamine (MEA), 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol (AEE), 2-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol (Tris), amino acids, potassium or sodium salts of amino acids, glycine, proline, arginine, histidine, lysine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, methionine, serine, threonine, glutamine, cysteine, asparagine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, alanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, and derivatives such as taurine, N,cyclohexyl 1,3-propanediamine, N-secondary butyl glycine, N-methyl N-secondary butyl glycine, diethylglycine, sarcosine, methyl taurine, methyl-α

-aminopropionic acid, N(β

-ethoxy)taurine, N-(β

-aminoethyl)taurine, N-methyl alanine, 6-aminohexanoic acid, or a combination thereof.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein contacting the absorption mixture with the CO2-containing gas is performed in an absorption stage comprising at least one reactor selected from a packed tower, a vertical or horizontal spray scrubber, a fluidized bed reactor or a series of reactors comprising the same.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein a sufficient level of CO2 loading is provided in the absorption stage to promote the precipitation of bicarbonate precipitates.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the biocatalyst is carbonic anhydrase.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the biocatalyst is provided free in the water;

dissolved in the water;

immobilized on the surface of supports that are mixed in the water and are flowable therewith;

entrapped or immobilized by or in porous supports that are mixed in the water and are flowable therewith;

as cross-linked aggregates or crystals;

or a combination thereof.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein the biocatalysts are supported by micro-particles that are carried with the water.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein the absorption mixture is provided at a temperature between about 40°

C. and about 70°

C.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein the absorption mixture further comprises a carbonate compound.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein the carbonate compound comprises potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, or ammonium carbonate, or a combination thereof.