System and method for online gas analytical pressure-swing adsorption (psa) control for landfill or biogas separation
AssigneeWm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C.
InventorDennis Craig Siegel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for recovering high-quality biomethane (RNG) from biogas sources are provided. The system and method improve upon conventional practices and yield a biomethane product which meets strict gas pipeline quality specifications. An online sample is captured of a gas stream in near real-time at a pressure swing adsorption vessel, and the online sample is analyzed to detect the presence of one or more targeted products such as CH4, CO2 or N2. The system and method are an improvement to the overall methane recovery efficiency for biogas processing facilities, specifically with regard to PSA control to prevent over or under saturation of the PSA media.
Claims10
A method for recovering methane from a biogas-generating source, comprising:
- accessing at least one gas stream comprising a biogas from a biogas-generating source;
- removing sulfur from the gas stream;
- separating a majority of trace contaminants from the gas stream in a first pressure swing adsorption (PSA) vessel through preferential adsorption of the trace contaminants;
- separating nitrogen and oxygen from the gas stream in a second pressure swing adsorption (PSA) vessel through preferential adsorption of methane;
- releasing adsorbed methane through depressurization;
- further releasing adsorbed methane through use of vacuum compressors;
- and
- recovering a methane product from the gas stream;
- wherein the preferential adsorption of trace contaminants and the preferential adsorption of methane comprises:
- capturing an online sample of the gas stream in near real-time at the first pressure swing adsorption vessel;
- capturing an online sample of the gas stream in near real-time at the second pressure swing adsorption vessel;
- analyzing the online samples from the first pressure swing adsorption vessel and the second pressure swing adsorption vessel to detect the presence of at least one targeted product;
- and
- increasing or decreasing the adsorption time in the first pressure swing adsorption vessel and/or the second pressure swing adsorption vessel based on results of the analysis.
A method for recovering methane from a biogas-generating source, comprising:
- accessing at least one gas stream comprising a biogas from a biogas-generating source;
- removing sulfur from the gas stream;
- separating a majority of trace contaminants from the gas stream through preferential adsorption of the trace contaminants;
- separating nitrogen and oxygen from the gas stream through preferential adsorption of methane;
- releasing adsorbed methane through depressurization;
- further releasing adsorbed methane through use of vacuum compressors;
- and
- recovering a methane product from the gas stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.