Systems and methods for using cold liquid to remove solidifiable gas components from process gas streams

A system for removing a solidifiable gas component from a process gas stream by direct contact with a cold liquid, the system comprising:

• a cold liquid supply containing cold liquid having a cold liquid temperature, wherein the cold liquid is a liquid at the contacting temperature and pressure and wherein the cold liquid is a liquid at a temperature of 20° C. and a pressure of 1 atmosphere;
• a process gas source containing process gas containing gases that include a solidifiable gas component having a freezing point and at least one other gas component having a freezing point that is lower than the freezing point of the solidifiable gas component;
• a contacting assembly adapted to receive a cold liquid stream containing the cold liquid from the cold liquid supply, a process gas stream containing process gas from the process gas source, and to directly contact the cold liquid with the process gas to produce a liquid-solid slurry and a treated gas stream, wherein the slurry contains the cold liquid and solids formed from the solidifiable gas component, wherein the treated gas stream contains the at least one other gas component, and wherein the contacting occurs in a counter current manner in two or more equilibrium stages in a contacting assembly where the contacting in at least one of the two or more equilibrium stages occurs at a contacting temperature of less than −100° C. and a contacting pressure of less than 100 psia and where the contacting in at least one other of the two or more equilibrium stages occurs at a contacting temperature of less than −80° C. and a contacting pressure of less than 100 psia;
• and
• a separation assembly adapted to remove the solids from the slurry to produce a removed stream containing the solidifiable gas component that was removed from the process gas stream, wherein the removing step is performed mechanically and removal occurs between at least one set of adjacent stages.