Temperature swing adsorption system
AssigneeAdsorption Research, Inc.
InventorKent Knaebel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for removing one or more strongly adsorbed components (SAC) from a process gas stream having SAC and other gaseous components adjusts the temperature of the SAC-laden process gas stream to be between about 80° and about 500° C. The temperature-adjusted process gas stream is contacted with a heat-exchange surface to transfer heat to an adsorbent, thus causing adsorbed SAC to be desorbed for collection, and to cool the process gas stream and remove any condensate from the cooled process gas stream. The cooled process gas stream is contacted with a cooled section of the adsorbent to adsorb SAC therefrom, producing a SAC-depleted process gas stream and a SAC-laden adsorbent. Desorbed SAC is withdrawn for collection and any adsorbent fines are withdrawing for collection.
Claims37
A method for removing one or more strongly adsorbed components (SAC) from a process gas stream having SAC and other gaseous components, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) adjusting the temperature of a SAC-laden process gas stream to be between about 80° and about 500° C.,
- (b) taking the temperature-adjusted process gas stream and contacting with a heat-exchange surface to transfer heat to a adsorbent, thus causing adsorbed SAC to be desorbed for collection, and to cool said process gas stream and removing any condensate from said cooled process gas stream;
- (c) contacting said cooled process gas stream with a cooled section of said adsorbent to adsorb SAC therefrom, producing a SAC-depleted process gas stream and a SAC-laden adsorbent;
- (d) withdrawing desorbed SAC from step (b) for collection;
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- (e) withdrawing any adsorbent fines for collection.
A method for removing one or more strongly adsorbed components (SAC) from a process gas stream having SAC and other gaseous components, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) adjusting the temperature of the process gas stream to be between about 80° and about 500° C.;
- (b) contacting a process gas stream with a first heat-exchange surface in thermal contact with a adsorbent;
- said first heat-exchange surface to transfer heat from said process gas stream to said adsorbent, and to cool said process gas stream and optionally remove condensate from said process gas stream should the dewpoint temperature be reached;
- (c) optionally passing said cool process gas stream in contact with an external heat exchanger surface through which, on the opposite side, a coolant passes, producing a further cooled process gas stream, between about −20° and about 120° C.;
- (d) passing said process gas stream, between about −20° and about 120° C., in direct contact with a cooled section of said adsorbent to adsorb SAC therefrom, producing a SAC-depleted process gas stream and a SAC-laden adsorbent;
- (e) partially heating said adsorbent via thermal contact with a second heat-exchange surface, the opposite side of which is in contact with a fluid that has been heated by the hot adsorbent via thermal contact with a third heat-exchange surface, and which is subsequently circulated;
- (f) fully heating said adsorbent via thermal contact with said first heat-exchange surface, thus causing adsorbed SAC to be desorbed and withdrawing desorbed SAC for collection;
- (g) passing said SAC-depleted adsorbent from step (f) into contact with said third heat-exchange surface, the opposite side of which is in contact with a coolant that has been cooled by the cool adsorbent via thermal contact with the second heat-exchange surface from step (e), and which is subsequently circulated, to cool said coolant sufficiently for return to step (c) of the process;
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- (h) withdrawing any fines for collection.
A method for removing a strongly adsorbed component (SAC) from a process gas stream contaminated with said SAC by countercurrent contacting said process gas stream with a adsorbent housed within a vessel, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) providing said vessel with a lower gas inlet for a process gas stream to admitted into said vessel, an upper gas outlet for withdrawal of a product gas stream depleted in said SAC, an upper adsorbent inlet, and a lower adsorbent outlet withdrawal of spent adsorbent from said vessel;
- (b) fitting said vessel with a plurality of horizontally disposed perforated trays for retarding the downward flow of said adsorbent and through which perforations said adsorbent can pass to an adjacent lower tray;
- (c) passing said process gas stream into said vessel through said lower gas inlet;
- (d) passing adsorbent into said vessel through said adsorbent inlet;
- (e) contacting upwardly flowing process gas stream with said adsorbent as said adsorbent moves downwardly from perforated tray to perforated tray;
- (f) withdrawing a SAC-depleted process gas stream from said vessel through said upper gas outlet;
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- (g) withdrawing spent adsorbent enriched in said SAC from said vessel through said lower adsorbent outlet.
An apparatus for removing a strongly adsorbed component (SAC) from a process gas stream contaminated with said SAC by countercurrent contacting said process gas stream with a adsorbent, which comprises a vessel having:
- (i) a lower gas inlet for a process gas stream to admitted into said vessel;
- (ii) an upper gas outlet for withdrawal of a product gas stream depleted in said SAC;
- (iii) an upper adsorbent inlet;
- (iv) a lower adsorbent outlet for withdrawal of spent adsorbent from said vessel;
- (v) a plurality of horizontally disposed perforated trays disposed within said vessel for retarding the downward flow of said adsorbent and through which perforations said adsorbent can pass to an adjacent lower tray;
- (vi) a return line for conveying adsorbent from said lower adsorbent outlet for returning said adsorbent to said vessel through said upper adsorbent inlet, said return line fitted with a size-selective sieve for removing any fines which may have formed in said vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.