Method of removing and solidifying carbon dioxide from a fluid stream and fluid separation assembly

Fluid separation assembly for removing carbon dioxide from a fluid stream, the fluid separation assembly comprising:

• a cyclonic fluid separator comprising a throat portion arranged between a converging fluid inlet section and a diverging fluid outlet section and a swirl creating device configured to create a swirling motion of the carbon dioxide containing fluid within at least part of the separator, the converging fluid inlet section comprising a first inlet for fluid components and the diverging fluid outlet section comprising a first outlet for carbon dioxide depleted fluid and a second outlet for carbon dioxide enriched fluid;
• a separation vessel having a first section in connection with a collecting tank, said section being provided with a second inlet connected to said second outlet of said cyclonic fluid separator, and said collecting tank being provided with a third outlet for solidified carbon dioxide;
• wherein said fluid separation assembly is arranged to:
• receive a fluid stream comprising carbon dioxide at said first inlet, wherein said fluid stream comprises a mole percentage carbon dioxide larger than 10%;
• impart a swirling motion to the fluid stream so as to induce outward movement of at least one of condensed components and solidified components within the fluid stream downstream the swirl creating device and to form an outward fluid stream, wherein the swirling fluid stream reaches a transonic or supersonic velocity;
• expand the swirling fluid stream, so as to form components of liquefied carbon dioxide in a meta-stable state within said fluid stream, and induce outward movement of said components of liquefied carbon dioxide in said meta-stable state under the influence of said swirling motion;
• extract the outward fluid stream comprising said components of liquefied carbon dioxide in said meta-stable state from said cyclonic fluid separator through said second outlet;
• provide said extracted outward fluid stream as a mixture to said separation vessel through said second inlet;
• guide said mixture through said first section of said separation vessel towards said collecting tank, while providing processing conditions in said first section such that solidified carbon dioxide is formed out of said components of liquefied carbon dioxide in said meta-stable state;
• enable extraction of the solidified carbon dioxide through said third outlet, wherein said number of swirl imparting vanes is positioned in said inlet section and wherein said second inlet of said separation vessel is arranged tangent to the circumference of the separation vessel.