# US 10,307,709 B2 · Method and apparatus for continuous removal of water vapors from gases > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,307,709 B2 - Document ID: US10307709B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/410,106 - Filed: 2017-01-19 - Published: 2018-07-19 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-19 - Assignees: Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC - Applicants: Larry Baxter; Aaron Sayre; Stephanie Burt; Nathan Davis - Inventors: Larry Baxter; Aaron Sayre; Stephanie Burt; Nathan Davis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307709B2 ## CPC - B01D 53/263: {by absorption} - B01D 5/0027: {by direct contact between vapours or gases and the cooling medium} - B01D 5/003: {within column(s)} - B01D 5/0054: {General arrangements, e.g. flow sheets} - B01D 5/0087: {Recirculating of the cooling medium} - B01D 53/265: {by refrigeration (condensation)} - C10L 3/106: {of water} - B01D 2252/103: Water - B01D 2252/30: Ionic liquids and zwitter-ions - B01D 2252/504: Mixtures of two or more absorbents - B01D 2258/0283: Flue gases - C10L 2290/12: Regeneration of a solvent, catalyst, adsorbent or any other component used to treat or prepare a fuel - C10L 2290/541: Absorption of impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS ## Abstract A method for continuously removing water vapor from a carrier gas is disclosed. This method includes, first, causing direct contact of the carrier gas with a liquid mixture in a separation chamber, the carrier gas condensing at a lower temperature than the water vapor. A combination of chemical effects cause the water vapor to condense, complex, or both condense and complex with the liquid mixture. The liquid mixture is chosen from the group consisting of: first, a combination of components that can be maintained in a liquid phase at a temperature below the water vapor's condensation point, whereby the water vapor condenses into the liquid mixture; second, a combination of components where at least one component forms a chemical complex with the water vapor and thereby extracts at least a portion of the water vapor from the carrier gas; and third, a combination of components that can both be maintained in a liquid phase at a temperature below the water vapor's condensation point, and wherein at least one component forms a chemical complex with the water vapor and thereby extracts at least a portion of the water vapor from the carrier gas. The liquid mixture is then reconstituted after passing through the separation chamber by a chemical separation process chosen to remove an equivalent amount of the water vapor from the liquid mixture as was removed from the carrier gas. The reconstituted liquid mixture is restored to temperature and pressure through heat exchange, compression, and expansion, as necessary, in preparation for recycling back to the separation chamber. The liquid mixture is then returned to the separation chamber. In this manner, the carrier gas leaving the exchanger has between 1% and 100% of the water vapor removed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for continuously removing water vapor from a carrier gas comprising: contacting the carrier gas directly with a liquid mixture in a separation chamber, wherein the carrier gas condenses at a lower temperature than the water vapor; wherein the liquid mixture is a mixture of water and a compound chosen from a group consisting of ionic compounds including potassium carbonate, potassium formate, potassium acetate, calcium magnesium acetate, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, lithium chloride, and calcium chloride; condensing, complexing, or both condensing and complexing the water vapor with the liquid mixture to form a wet liquid mixture; removing the wet liquid mixture from the separation chamber; reconstituting the liquid mixture from the wet liquid mixture by removing an equivalent amount of water from the wet liquid mixture as was removed from the carrier gas; restoring the liquid mixture to temperature and pressure through heat exchange and compression or expansion; recycling the liquid mixture to the separation chamber; whereby the carrier gas has had between 1% and 100% of the water vapor removed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier gas is selected from the group consisting of combustion flue gas, syngas, producer gas, natural gas, steam reforming gas, any hydrocarbon that has higher volatility than water, and light gases. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the separation chamber is a counter-current, direct-contact exchanger. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the separation chamber is a co-current, direct-contact exchanger. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein reconstituting the liquid mixture comprises a process selected from a group consisting of distillation, pressure-swing separation, liquid extraction, reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, filtration, stripping, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein removing the liquid mixture from the separation chamber comprises use of a cryogenic-style pump, the pump being chosen from the group consisting of centrifugal, piston, pressure-recovery, propeller, circulator, slurry, positive-displacement, diaphragm, progressive-cavity, screw, and vane pumps. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the cryogenic-style pump has internal components made of materials resistant to acidic solutions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the cryogenic-style pump has internal components made of materials resistant to corrosive solutions. ### Claim 9 A method for continuously removing water vapor from a carrier gas comprising: contacting the carrier gas directly with a liquid mixture in a separation chamber, wherein the carrier gas condenses at a lower temperature than the water vapor; wherein the liquid mixture is a mixture of water and a compound chosen from a group consisting of soluble organic compounds including ammonia, ethanol, and methanol; condensing, complexing, or both condensing and complexing the water vapor with the liquid mixture to form a wet liquid mixture; removing the wet liquid mixture from the separation chamber; reconstituting the liquid mixture from the wet liquid mixture by removing an equivalent amount of water from the wet liquid mixture as was removed from the carrier gas; restoring the liquid mixture to temperature and pressure through heat exchange and compression or expansion; recycling the liquid mixture to the separation chamber; whereby the carrier gas has had between 1% and 100% of the water vapor removed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the carrier gas is selected from the group consisting of combustion flue gas, syngas, producer gas, natural gas, steam reforming gas, any hydrocarbon that has higher volatility than water, and light gases. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the separation chamber is a counter-current, direct-contact exchanger. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the separation chamber is a co-current, direct-contact exchanger. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein reconstituting the liquid mixture comprises a process selected from a group consisting of distillation, pressure-swing separation, liquid extraction, reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, filtration, stripping, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein removing the liquid mixture from the separation chamber comprises use of a cryogenic-style pump, the pump being chosen from the group consisting of centrifugal, piston, pressure-recovery, propeller, circulator, slurry, positive-displacement, diaphragm, progressive-cavity, screw, and vane pumps. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the cryogenic-style pump has internal components made of materials resistant to acidic solutions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the cryogenic-style pump has internal components made of materials resistant to corrosive solutions.