# US 11,112,172 B2 · Systems and methods for using cold liquid to remove solidifiable gas components from process gas streams > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,112,172 B2 - Document ID: US11112172B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/279,533 - Filed: 2019-02-19 - Published: 2019-06-13 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2010-02-03 - Assignees: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company - Applicants: Robert D. Kaminsky; Moses Minta - Inventors: Robert D. Kaminsky; Moses Minta - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112172B2 ## CPC - F25J 1/00: Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures {(recovering volatile solvents by condensation B01D5/00; vapor recovery systems combined with filling nozzles B67D7/54; solidification of carbonic acid C01B32/55; for ammonia in general C01C1/00)} - B01D 7/02: Crystallisation directly from the vapour phase (into single crystals C30B23/00) - B01D 53/002: {by condensation} - B01D 2257/302: Sulfur oxides - B01D 2257/304: Hydrogen sulfide - B01D 2257/308: Carbonoxysulfide COS - B01D 2257/504: Carbon dioxide - B01D 2258/0283: Flue gases - Y02P 70/10: Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working - F25J: LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS {OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS} MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT {OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE (cryogenic pumps F04B37/08; gas storage vessels, gas holders F17; filing vessels with, or discharging from vessels, compressed, liquefied or solidified gases F17C; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B)} - 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) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Systems and methods are described for removing solidifiable gas from a process gas stream by direct contact with a cold liquid. The process gas stream includes at least gas that is frozen by the cold liquid while one or more other gases of the process gas stream remain in a gaseous state. The process gas stream may include water, and will have a different composition than the cold liquid. The contacting of the cold liquid with the process gas stream may be at a pressure that is less than 200 psia, and optionally less than 100 psia, 50 psia, or even 30 psia, and the solidified gas may be removed from the contacting assembly as a slurry with cold liquid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the contacting assembly includes a plurality of contacting assemblies, wherein the cold liquid supply is a first cold liquid supply, the cold liquid stream is a first cold liquid stream, the cold liquid is a first cold liquid, and further wherein the system includes a second cold liquid supply that is adapted to deliver a second cold liquid stream containing a second cold liquid into direct contact with the process gas stream. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the first cold liquid and the second cold liquid have at least one of different compositions and different temperatures. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the separation assembly includes a heat source adapted to heat the slurry to a temperature that is above the freezing point of the solidifiable gas component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a solid-liquid separator that is adapted to receive a slurry stream containing the slurry from the contacting assembly and to separate the slurry stream into a concentrated slurry stream and a resultant cold liquid stream, wherein the concentrated slurry stream contains a greater concentration of the solids than the slurry stream, and further wherein the resultant cold liquid stream does not include all of the cold liquid present in the slurry stream. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the solid-liquid separator comprises a filter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the solid-liquid separator comprises a mechanical moving scraper. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the solid-liquid separator is utilized in a batch, semi-batch, or continuous mode of operation to separate the slurry stream into the concentrated slurry stream and the resultant cold liquid stream. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the solidifiable gas component is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, or carbonyl sulfide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the solidifiable gas component is not water. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the contacting pressure is less than 35 psia. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cold liquid has a freezing point that is less than −100° C., and further wherein the cold liquid is a liquid at a temperature of 20° C. and a pressure of 1 atm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cold liquid has a solidifiable gas component solubility of less than 10 mol % at the contacting pressure and the contacting temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cold liquid has a different composition than the process gas stream.