Separation process using microchannel technology

A process for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid, the process comprising:

• (A) flowing the fluid mixture in a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium and cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, the fluid mixture and the sorption medium being cooled by a cooled heat exchange fluid in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, the cooled heat exchange fluid being heated and/or at least partially vaporized in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator, flowing the cooled heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel through at least one first heat exchanger where it is cooled and/or at least partially condensed;
• and
• (B) heating the sorption medium to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, the sorption medium being heated using a heated heat exchange fluid, the heated heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, the heated heat exchange fluid being cooled and/or at least partially condensed in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing desorbed first fluid from the microchannel separator, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel through at least one second heat exchanger where it is heated and/or at least partially vaporized.

A process for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid, the process comprising:

• (A) flowing the fluid mixture in a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium and cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, the fluid mixture and the sorption medium being cooled by a cooled heat exchange fluid in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the cooled heat exchange fluid being vaporized in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator, flowing the cooled heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, compressing the cooled heat exchange fluid in a compressor to form a heated heat exchange fluid;
• and
• (B) heating the sorption medium to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, the sorption medium being heated using the heated heat exchange fluid from step (A), the heated heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the heated heat exchange fluid being condensed in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing desorbed first fluid from the microchannel separator, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid through an expansion device to form a cooled heat exchange fluid, the cooled heat exchange fluid being used in step (A) to cool the fluid mixture and the sorption medium.

A process for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid, the process comprising steps (I)(A), (I)(B), (II)(A) and (II)(B), steps (I)(A) and (II)(B) being conducted simultaneously, and steps (I)(B) and (II)(A) being conducted simultaneously:

• step (I)(A) comprising flowing part of the fluid mixture in a first microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium and cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, the fluid mixture and the sorption medium being cooled using the cooled heat exchange fluid formed in step (I)(B), the cooled heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the cooled heat exchange fluid being vaporized in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the first microchannel separator, flowing the cooled heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, compressing the cooled heat exchange fluid in a compressor to form a heated heat exchange fluid;
• step (I)(B) comprising heating the sorption medium in the first microchannel separator to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, the sorption medium being heated using the heated heat exchange fluid formed in step (I)(A), the heated heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the heated heat exchange fluid being condensed in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing desorbed first fluid from the first microchannel separator, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid through an expansion device to form a cooled heat exchange fluid;
• step (II)(A) comprising flowing part of the fluid mixture in a second microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium and cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, the fluid mixture and the sorption medium being cooled using the cooled heat exchange fluid formed in step (II)(B), the cooled heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the cooled heat exchange fluid being vaporized in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the microchannel separator, flowing the cooled heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, compressing the cooled heat exchange fluid in a compressor to form a heated heat exchange fluid;
• step (II)(B) comprising heating the sorption medium in the second microchannel separator to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, the sorption medium being heated using the heated heat exchange fluid formed in step (II)(A), the heated heat exchange fluid being in at least one heat exchange channel, the at least one heat exchange channel being in thermal contact with the sorption medium, at least part of the heated heat exchange fluid being condensed in the at least one heat exchange channel, removing desorbed first fluid from the second microchannel separator, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid out of the at least one heat exchange channel, flowing the heated heat exchange fluid through an expansion device to form a cooled heat exchange fluid.

A process for separating a first fluid from a fluid mixture comprising the first fluid, the process comprising steps (I)(A), (I)(B), (II)(A) and (II)(B), the process being conducted using a first microchannel separator, a second microchannel separator, a hot heat exchange fluid source, a cold heat exchange fluid source, the heat exchange fluid in the hot heat exchange fluid source being hot relative to the cold heat exchange fluid in the cold heat exchange fluid source, and a valve assembly for controlling the flow of process fluids and heat exchange fluids, steps (I)(A) and (I)(B) being conducted simultaneously with the valve assembly set in a first position, and steps (II)(B) and (II)(A) being conducted simultaneously with the valve assembly set in a second position:

• step (I)(A) comprising flowing part of the fluid mixture through at least one valve in the valve assembly into the first microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium in the first microchannel separator, flowing cold heat exchange fluid from the cold heat exchange fluid source through at least one valve in the valve assembly into at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the sorption medium in the first microchannel separator, cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium in the first microchannel separator to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the first microchannel separator, flowing the non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture through at least one valve in the valve assembly, flowing cold heat exchange fluid from the at least one heat exchange channel in the first microchannel separator through at least one valve in the valve assembly to the cold heat exchange fluid source;
• step (I)(B) comprising flowing hot heat exchange fluid from the hot heat exchange fluid source through at least one valve in the valve assembly into at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the sorption medium in the first microchannel separator and heating the sorption medium in the first microchannel separator to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, removing desorbed first fluid from the first microchannel separator, flowing the desorbed first fluid through at least one valve in the valve assembly, flowing the hot heat exchange fluid from the at least one heat exchange channel in the first microchannel separator through at least one valve in the valve assembly to the hot heat exchange fluid source;
• step (II)(A) comprising flowing part of the fluid mixture through at least one valve in the valve assembly into the second microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium in the second microchannel separator, flowing cold heat exchange fluid from the cold heat exchange fluid source through at least one valve in the valve assembly into at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the sorption medium in the second microchannel separator, cooling the fluid mixture and the sorption medium in the second microchannel separator to sorb at least part of the first fluid on the sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture from the second microchannel separator, flowing the non-sorbed parts of the fluid mixture through at least one valve in the valve assembly, flowing the cold heat exchange fluid from the at least one heat exchange channel in the second microchannel separator through at least one valve in the valve assembly to the cold heat exchange fluid source;
• step (II)(B) comprising flowing hot heat exchange fluid from the hot heat exchange fluid source through at least one valve in the valve assembly into at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the sorption medium in the second microchannel separator, heating the sorption medium in the second microchannel separator to desorb first fluid from the sorption medium, removing desorbed first fluid from the second microchannel separator, flowing the desorbed first fluid through at least one valve in the valve assembly, flowing the hot heat exchange fluid from the at least one heat exchange channel in the second microchannel separator through at least one valve in the valve assembly to the hot heat exchange fluid source.

A process for upgrading sub-quality methane gas, the sub-quality methane gas comprising methane, water, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide, the process comprising:

• (I) removing water from the sub-quality methane gas to form a first intermediate product;
• (II) removing nitrogen from the first intermediate product by the steps of
• (A) flowing the first intermediate product into a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium, the first intermediate product being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the nitrogen is sorbed by the sorption medium, removing the non-sorbed parts of first intermediate product from the microchannel separator to form a second intermediate product;
• (B) desorbing nitrogen from the sorption medium, removing the desorbed nitrogen from the microchannel separator;
• and
• (III) removing oxygen and carbon dioxide from the second intermediate product to form upgraded methane gas.

A process for upgrading sub-quality methane gas, the sub-quality methane gas comprising methane, water, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide, the process comprising:

• (I) removing water from the sub-quality methane gas to form a first intermediate product;
• (II) removing nitrogen from the first intermediate product by the steps of
• (A) flowing the first intermediate product into a microchannel separator in contact with a sorption medium, the first intermediate product being maintained in the microchannel separator until at least part of the methane is sorbed by the sorption medium, removing non-sorbed parts of the first intermediate product from the microchannel separator, the non-sorbed parts of the first intermediate product comprising nitrogen;
• (B) desorbing methane from the sorption medium to form a second intermediate product, removing the second intermediate product from the microchannel separator;
• and
• (III) removing oxygen and carbon dioxide from the second intermediate product to form upgraded methane gas.