Back to results
US 8,673,059 B2Granted
Rapid temperature swing adsorption contactors for gas separation
AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsDaniel P. Leta, Harry W. Deckman, Peter I. Ravikovitch, Bruce A. Derites
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Novel adsorbent contactors and methods are disclosed herein for use in temperature swing adsorption for gas separation applications, as well as for heat exchange applications.
Claims26
A swing adsorption process for separating contaminant gas components from a feed gas mixture containing at least one target gas component, which process comprises:
- a) conducting the feed gas mixture to a temperature swing adsorbent contactor having at least an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein the adsorbent contactor further comprises
- i) a plurality of open channels whose length is fluidly connecting the inlet end to the outlet end of the contactor, wherein at least one wall of said at least one open flow channel is comprised of an adsorbent material;
- ii) at least one support layer, in contact with, and supporting the adsorbent material;
- and
- iii) a plurality of microtubes in contact with, and supported by, the at least one support layer;
- b) flowing at least a portion of the feed gas mixture through the open flow channels;
- c) during an adsorption cycle, adsorbing at least a portion of the target gas in the adsorbent material;
- d) retrieving a first product stream from the outlet end, wherein the first product stream has a lower mol % of the target gas component than the feed gas mixture;
- and
- e) during a desorption cycle, passing heating fluid through at least a portion of the microtubes, thereby desorbing at least a portion of the target gas in the adsorbent material to form a second product stream.
7 more elements
A heat exchange process comprising:
- a) conducting a gaseous feed stream to a temperature swing adsorbent contactor having at least an inlet end and an outlet end and having a length, wherein the adsorbent contactor further comprises
- i) a plurality of open channels whose length is fluidly connecting the inlet end to the outlet end of the contactor, wherein at least one wall of said at least one open flow channel is comprised of an adsorbent material;
- ii) at least one support layer, in contact with, and supporting the adsorbent material;
- and
- iii) a plurality of microtubes in contact with, and supported by, the at least one support layer;
- b) flowing at least a portion of the gaseous feed stream at a first temperature and a first pressure through the open flow channels;
- c) contacting the adsorbent contactor containing the gaseous feed stream with a heat exchange fluid under conditions sufficient for the contactor to exhibit a sharp thermal wave and to form a product stream at a second temperature lower than the first temperature and a second pressure,
- wherein the conditions include a feed stream pressure from about 250 psig to about 2000 psig and/or a heat exchange fluid pressure sufficient to attain a differential pressure between the gaseous feed stream pressure and the heat exchange fluid pressure from about 250 psig to about 2000 psig.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.