Source gas conduit with adsorbent coating for adsorbing gas from gas stream and related methods

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus (100) having a source gas conduit (110) with a sorbent coating (112) for adsorbing compounds from a gas stream (W), and related methods. An apparatus (100) of the present disclosure includes a heat exchanger (120) having an interior configured to transfer a heat exchange medium. A plurality of source gas conduits (110) are in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (120) and are configured to convey a flow of gas (W) therethrough. Each of the plurality of source gas conduits (110) is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (120). A sorbent coating (112) is on an interior sidewall (L) of each of the plurality of source gas conduits (110).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to adsorption of compounds from gases, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for adsorbing one or more compounds from a gas stream using a source gas conduit having an adsorbent coating. Background Art

[0002] A power generation system, also referred to as a power plant, typically includes a variety of different systems (e.g., turbines, generators, and / or other interconnected components) for generating electricity. A power plant may include a power source (e.g., a turbine, a solar panel, a nuclear reactor, etc.), a prime mover (e.g., a rotatable shaft or similar element) for coupling the power source to the generator, and / or various components of the generator. For example, a power generation system may include a gas turbine assembly having a compressor coupled to a gas turbine. The gas turbine, in turn, may be coupled to and drive a generator mounted on the same shaft. The generator generates power.

[0003] Gaseous exhaust from power generation systems, as well as other types of gas streams, may include various gaseous compounds, such as emissions, that cannot be released into the environment and / or are maintained in the environment above predetermined limits. Various devices and / or materials have been demonstrated to be operable to reduce the concentration of emissions from gas streams. However, certain types of emissions, such as greenhouse gases, have proven to be particularly difficult to remove from gas streams. Such difficulties may be prevalent in situations where it is difficult to produce the reaction conditions required to extract such emissions due to temperature and / or other conditions typically present within the structure used to carry the gas stream. Summary of the invention

[0004] All aspects, examples and features mentioned below can be combined in any technically possible way.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure provides an apparatus comprising: a heat exchanger having an interior configured to convey a heat exchange medium therethrough; a plurality of source gas conduits thermally connected to the heat exchanger and configured to convey a gas flow therethrough, wherein each of the plurality of source gas conduits is thermally connected to the heat exchanger; and an adsorbent coating on an interior sidewall of each of the plurality of source gas conduits.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and wherein the sorbent coating adsorbs carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from the gas stream within the plurality of source gas conduits.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and wherein the plurality of source gas conduits extend parallel to and surround the heat exchanger.

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any one of the foregoing aspects, and wherein at least one of the plurality of source gas conduits does not contact the heat exchanger.

[0009] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any one of the foregoing aspects, and wherein each of the plurality of source gas conduits has a honeycomb shape.

[0010] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any one of the foregoing aspects, and wherein the diameter of the heat exchanger is greater than the separation distance between a pair of opposite sidewalls in each of the plurality of source gas conduits and less than the separation distance between a pair of opposite vertices in each of the plurality of source gas conduits.

[0011] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any one of the foregoing aspects, and further includes: an additional heat exchanger adjacent to the plurality of source gas conduits and configured to transfer the heat exchange medium therethrough; and a connection passage fluidly coupling the heat exchanger to the additional heat exchanger.

[0012] One aspect of the present disclosure provides an apparatus including: a gas path for transferring a gas stream from a power generation system to an external environment; a plurality of heat exchangers within the gas path and having an interior configured to transfer a heat exchange medium; a plurality of source gas conduits within the gas path, the plurality of source gas conduits coupled to an exterior of one of the plurality of heat exchangers and configured to transfer the gas stream therethrough, wherein each of the plurality of source gas conduits is in thermal communication with at least one of the plurality of heat exchangers and extends substantially parallel to the plurality of heat exchangers; and a plurality of internal sidewalls within at least one of the plurality of source gas conduits, each of the plurality of internal sidewalls having an adsorbent coating thereon, wherein the adsorbent coating is configured to adsorb a compound from the gas stream.

[0013] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any one of the foregoing aspects, and wherein the compound includes carbon dioxide (CO2).

[0014] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any one of the foregoing aspects, and wherein at least one of the plurality of source gas conduits does not contact the plurality of heat exchangers.

[0015] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any one of the foregoing aspects, and wherein the plurality of internal sidewalls define a honeycomb shape.

[0016] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, and wherein the diameter of each of the plurality of heat exchangers is greater than the separation distance between a pair of opposing sidewalls of each of the plurality of source gas conduits and less than the separation distance between a pair of opposing vertices of each of the plurality of source gas conduits.

[0017] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and further includes at least one connection channel fluidly coupling two of the plurality of heat exchangers.

[0018] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, and wherein the ratio of source gas conduits to heat exchangers within the gas path is between approximately 1:1 and approximately 100:1.

[0019] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a method comprising: transmitting a heat exchange medium through the interior of a heat exchanger; and transmitting a gas stream through a plurality of source gas conduits in thermal communication with the heat exchanger, wherein each of the plurality of source gas conduits is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger such that the heat exchange medium affects the temperature of an adsorbent coating within the plurality of source gas conduits, and wherein the transmitted gas stream reacts with the adsorbent coating within each of the plurality of source gas conduits to adsorb a compound from the gas stream.

[0020] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and further includes: transmitting a cryogenic fluid through the heat exchanger such that the adsorbent coating adsorbs the compound from the gas stream; and transmitting a hot fluid through the heat exchanger to desorb the compound from the adsorbent coating for extraction from the gas path.

[0021] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, and wherein the compound includes carbon dioxide (CO2).

[0022] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and further includes coupling one of a heating fluid supplier or a cooling fluid supplier to the heat exchanger.

[0023] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and further includes coupling the plurality of source gas conduits to an outer sidewall of the heat exchanger.

[0024] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and further includes coupling the plurality of source gas conduits and the heat exchanger to the interior of a gas path from a power generation system.

[0025] Two or more aspects described in this disclosure, including those described in this summary section, may be combined to form specific implementations not specifically described herein.

[0026] Details of one or more specific implementations are set forth in the following drawings and description. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] These and other features of this disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of various aspects of the disclosure, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings depicting embodiments of the disclosure, in which:

[0028] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a gas path in a device according to an embodiment of the disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 2 A perspective view of a plurality of source gas conduits in a device according to an embodiment of the disclosure is shown;

[0030] Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view of a plurality of source gas conduits and a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the disclosure is shown;

[0031] Figure 4 An enlarged perspective view of a plurality of source gas conduits and a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the disclosure is shown;

[0032] Figure 5 A perspective view of a source gas conduit and a plurality of heat exchangers according to an embodiment of the disclosure is shown;

[0033] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger disposed within a source gas conduit according to another embodiment of the disclosure is shown;

[0034] Figure 7 An example of a four-to-one configuration of a source gas conduit and a heat exchanger according to another embodiment of the disclosure is shown;

[0035] Figure 8 An example of an eight-to-one configuration of a source gas conduit and a heat exchanger according to another embodiment of the disclosure is shown;

[0036] Figure 9 An example of another four-to-one configuration of a source gas conduit and a heat exchanger according to an additional embodiment of the disclosure is shown;

[0037] Figure 10 An example of another exemplary configuration according to an embodiment of the disclosure is shown, in which a greater number of heat exchangers than heat exchangers are provided; and

[0038] Figure 11A and Figure 11B shows various alternative arrangements of a heat exchanger and a source gas conduit in accordance with further embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0039] It should be noted that the drawings of the present disclosure are not necessarily drawn to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the present disclosure and should not therefore be regarded as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In the drawings, like numerals represent like elements among the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] First, in order to clearly describe the presently disclosed subject matter, it will be necessary to select certain terms when referring to and describing relevant machine components within an additive manufacturing system. To the extent possible, common industry terms will be used and adopted in a manner consistent with their accepted meanings. Unless otherwise specified, such terms should be given a broad interpretation consistent with the context of the present application and the scope of the appended claims. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a number of different or overlapping terms may typically be used to refer to a particular component. An object that may be described herein as a single component may include multiple components and in another context be referred to as being composed of multiple components. Alternatively, an object that may be described herein as including multiple components may elsewhere be referred to as a single component.

[0041] A number of descriptive terms may be regularly used herein as follows. The terms "first," "second," and "third" may be used interchangeably to distinguish one object from another and are not intended to denote the position or importance of individual objects.

[0042] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should be further understood that when used in the specification, the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising" specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. "Optional" or "optionally" means that the subsequent described event or circumstance may or may not occur, or that the subsequent described object or element may or may not be present, and means that the description includes the case where the event occurs or the object is present and the case where the event does not occur or the object is not present.

[0043] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on another element or layer", "bonded to another element or layer", "connected to another element or layer", or "coupled to another element or layer", it can be directly on, bonded to, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on another element or layer", "directly bonded to another element or layer", "directly connected to another element or layer", or "directly coupled to another element or layer", intervening elements or layers may not be present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between", "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent", etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0044] As noted above, the present disclosure provides an apparatus and related method having a source gas conduit with an adsorbent coating for adsorbing compounds from a gas flow (e.g., a gas stream, a volume of contacting air, etc.). More specifically, the apparatus may include a heat exchanger having an interior configured to transport a heat exchange medium. The heat exchanger includes a thermally conductive material. A plurality of source gas conduits are in thermal communication with the heat exchanger and are configured to transport a gas stream therethrough. Each of the plurality of source gas conduits is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger. The adsorbent coating is on an inner sidewall of each of the plurality of source gas conduits.

[0045] Reference Figure 1 , embodiments of the present disclosure provide apparatus 100 including a gas path 102 for transporting a gas stream W (e.g., from a power generation system) to an external environment (e.g., the surrounding space and / or other areas external to the power generation components). The gas stream W can include any gas flow, including those gas flows generated by the operation of the power generation system or unrelated to the operation of the power generation system. In some examples, the gas stream W can be a gas generated by a power generation reaction (e.g., combustion powering a gas-driven turbine and / or other power generation equipment, such as flue gas, exhaust gas, emissions, etc., and / or other unrelated gases). Among other gases, the gas stream W can be an air flow or can include gases generated by other sources (e.g., flue gas from a production plant). The gas stream W can contain compounds such as reaction products of fuel and combustion air and residual materials, such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides (NO X)), carbon monoxide (CO) and / or carbon dioxide (CO2), and any particulates discharged from the reaction zone. The reaction products in the gas stream W of particular interest include, for example, carbon-based emissions (such as carbon dioxide CO2) and / or other gaseous products that must be controlled within applicable limits. However, it may be difficult to remove gaseous products from the gas stream W under typical operating conditions unless the temperature is adjusted to an acceptable level to drive the reaction to remove the target gas. Embodiments of the apparatus 100 provide a physical space for driving the adsorption of gases from the gas stream W and simultaneously controlling the temperature within the gas path 102 to allow continuous adsorption regardless of the operating conditions.

[0046] The gas stream W can enter the gas path 102 through the inlet 104 (e.g., a space having a predetermined size suitable for a corresponding power generation system), and can leave the gas path 102 through the outlet 106 connected to the external environment (e.g., the surrounding space and / or any other components external to the power generation system). Parts of the apparatus 100 can also be adjacent to or fluidly coupled to a heating fluid supplier 108 and / or a cooling fluid supplier 109 outside the gas path 102. The fluid suppliers 108, 109 can provide a heat exchange medium for regulating the temperature within the gas path 102, as discussed elsewhere herein. The gas path 102 between the inlet 104 and the outlet 106 can include and / or be subdivided into a plurality of source gas conduits 110. The term "source gas" refers to the composition of the gas stream W when it enters the gas path 102. According to this definition, the source gas includes the compounds to be adsorbed via embodiments of the apparatus 100. The term "released gas" refers to the composition of the gas stream W when it leaves the gas path 104. The released gas differs from the source gas in having a significantly lower concentration of the target compound (e.g., CO2 or other substances described herein) because these compounds are adsorbed in the apparatus 100. Each source gas conduit 110 can extend between the inlet 104 and the outlet 106 substantially parallel to the orientation of the gas path 102. Thus, the source gas conduits 110 can extend substantially parallel to each other. As discussed in further detail herein, the source gas conduits 110 can include an adsorbent coating 112( Figure 3) When the gas stream W is transferred from the inlet 104 to the outlet 106 through the gas path 102, the adsorbent coating is physically exposed to the gas stream W. As described herein, the adsorbent coating 112 may include a solid layer of an adsorbent material, a catalyst, etc., which is configured to adsorb compounds from the gas stream, such as CO2. The source gas conduit 110 can be made as thin as possible and can include one or more metals that can be formed and processed into thin sheets of material. According to an example, each source gas conduit 110 can be formed from a metal sheet having a thickness of at most about forty micrometers (μm), such that the cross-sectional area of the source gas conduit 110 (i.e., including the open space it encloses) is between about 1.7% metal and about 5.9% metal. Each source gas conduit 110 can have any conceivable length. For example, they can extend through most of the gas path 102 and / or can be subdivided into a plurality of source gas conduits 110 that are linearly spaced apart throughout the gas path 102.

[0047] Referring together Figure 1 and Figure 2 , further details of the source gas conduit 110 are described, where Figure 2 An exploded view of the source gas conduit group 114 within the gas path 102 is provided. The source gas conduit 110 can have any desired cross-sectional geometry for providing an open space for the gas stream W to pass through. According to various embodiments, the source gas conduit 110 can have any conceivable geometry, such as, for example, circular, triangular, quadrilateral, and / or any polygonal shape for enclosing an area. As an example, Figure 2 each source gas conduit 110 in the conduit group 114 is illustrated as hexagonal. The source gas conduit 110 can be adjacent to one or more other source gas conduits 110 of the same shape in the conduit group 114. For example, they are shaped and sized to fit together. In this example, the source gas conduits 110 of the source gas conduit group 114 form a honeycomb pattern. Some portions of the source gas conduit group 114 may not include the source gas conduit 110, thus defining an opening 116 within the source gas conduit group 114. As discussed in further detail herein, the opening 116 provides empty space between the source gas conduits 110 of the source gas conduit group 114 to provide a heat conducting structure, such as the heat exchanger 120 discussed herein ( Figure 1 , Figure 3 and the subsequent figures).

[0048] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 3, A set of heat exchangers 120 can be disposed within the apparatus 100 and extend within the gas path 102 throughout the source gas conduit set 114. Each heat exchanger 120 can include a heat-conducting material of sufficient strength, thickness, etc. to prevent any heat transfer fluid (e.g., heating fluid, refrigerant, etc.) from physically mixing with the gas stream W as the gas stream W passes through the source gas conduit 110. The source gas conduit 110 can be shaped and / or can have a thickness low enough to deform and conform to the outer diameter of the heat exchanger 120 in cases where the conduit 110 and the heat exchanger 120 have different geometries. In various examples, the heat exchanger 120 can include one or more metals suitable as a fluid and heat transfer medium, such as aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and / or other heat transfer metals or alloys. The heat exchanger 120 can extend parallel to the source gas conduits 110 within the source gas conduit set 114. The source gas conduits 110 can be coupled, for example, by brazing and / or other metal bonding techniques to the exterior of the heat exchanger 120 to maintain thermal contact between adjacent conduits 110 and the heat exchanger 120. As Figure 1 shown, and as discussed in further detail herein, the heat exchanger 120 can change direction and thus can include one or more bends for traversing the conduit set 114 multiple times. The portion of the heat exchanger 120 within the gas path 104 can be without a distributor and / or collector assembly to prevent significant pressure loss within the heat exchanger 120 as the heat exchange medium passes through. In other specific embodiments, the heat exchanger 120 can include a distribution and / or collection manifold that is located within the gas path 102 and between groupings of the source gas conduits 110. Additionally, as Figure 3 shown and discussed elsewhere herein, each heat exchanger 120 can be adjacent to a plurality of source gas conduits 110 to provide heating or cooling to a plurality of the source gas conduits 110 of the conduit set 114 simultaneously.

[0049] The heat exchanger 120 can be coupled, for example, at different locations within the gas path 102 and / or external to the heat exchanger 120 to the exchange medium line 122 (only Figure 1 ), coupled to the discharge line 124 (only Figure 1)。The pipelines 122 and 124 can be the sole distribution and collection mechanism for the heat exchanger 120 and can be located outside the gas path 104, as discussed herein. The exchange medium pipeline 122 can be supplied with one or more fluids having a higher temperature than the gas flow W when it enters the inlet 104 (i.e., in the case of desired heating), or with one or more fluids having a lower temperature than the gas flow W when it enters the inlet 104 (i.e., in the case of desired cooling). To supply the heat exchange medium to the exchange medium pipeline 122, the apparatus 100 can include a heating fluid supplier 108 and / or a cooling fluid supplier 109 coupled to the exchange medium pipeline 122. The fluid suppliers 108 and 109 can be coupled to the exchange medium pipeline 122, for example, via one or more valves V that are used to selectively supply the heat exchange medium at a desired temperature to the exchange medium pipeline 122. As shown, the exchange medium pipeline 122 can alternatively be coupled to a plurality of different fluid suppliers 108 for heating or cooling fluids, and these fluids can be selectively coupled to the heat exchanger 120, for example, using a control system including adjustable valves, computing devices, and mechanical couplings for selecting one or more valves (e.g., valve V) to open or close. As Figure 1 shown by the dashed lines in

[0050] , the additional fluid suppliers 108 and 109 can optionally be coupled to the exchange medium pipeline 122.

[0051] As Figure 3As shown, a portion of the conduit assembly 114 may include a plurality of source gas conduits 110 adjacent to a heat exchanger 120. For example, the source gas conduits 110 are circumferentially placed around the heat exchanger 120. Each source gas conduit 110 may include an inner sidewall L having an adsorbent coating 112 thereon. The adsorbent coating 112 may include, for example, one or more metal organic frameworks (MOFs), an amine-based solid coating configured to adsorb carbon dioxide and / or similar compounds, zeolites, and / or any other currently known or currently known adsorbent materials for capturing target gases from the gas stream W. In particular, the MOF and / or zeolite may be suitable for adsorbing CO2 from the gas stream W. However, the adsorbent coating 112 of each source gas conduit 110 may not react with the gas stream W at the exhaust temperature when the gas stream W passes through the inlet 104 of the gas path 102. To induce the adsorption of gas from the gas stream W, the heat exchanger 120 may raise or lower the temperature of the source gas conduits 110 such that the adsorbent coating 112 has a desired temperature to adsorb and thus remove a specific gas from the gas stream W. The compounds adsorbed in the adsorbent coating 112 may then be desorbed to extract from the gas path 102. In the case where CO2 adsorption is required, the heat exchanger 120 may transfer a heat exchange medium at a temperature lower than the initial temperature of the gas stream W when it passes through the inlet 104. Thus, the heat exchanger 120 may be operated to lower the temperature of the gas stream W within the source gas conduits 110 and thus induce the adsorbent coating 112 (e.g., MOF, zeolite, etc.) to react with and adsorb CO2 from the exhaust stream W. For clarity of illustration only, the adsorbent coating 112 is not explicitly shown on the source gas conduits 110 in other figures; any source gas conduit 110 of any configuration discussed herein may have an adsorbent coating 112 on its inner sidewall.

[0052] To increase the thermal connectivity between the heat exchanger 120 and the source gas conduits 110, the heat exchanger 120 may be shaped according to various specifications. In the case where the source gas conduits 110 of the conduit assembly 114 define a substantially hexagonal "honeycomb" arrangement, as Figure 3As shown, each heat exchanger 120 can be directly adjacent to six source gas conduits 110. Additionally, as discussed herein, the heat exchanger 120 can be in thermal communication with additional source gas conduits 110 that are not directly adjacent to it. The heat exchanger 120 can be characterized by a diameter Δ that is greater than the separation distance α between opposite sidewalls L in each source gas conduit 110. However, the diameter D of the heat exchanger 120 can be less than the separation distance β between opposite vertices (i.e., the junction points between two sidewalls L) in each source gas conduit 110. The separation distances α and β can vary relative to each other such that the separation distance β is approximately 1.15 times the separation distance α, or are related by a factor of a similar ratio. The applicant has determined that shaping the heat exchanger 120 in this manner significantly increases heat transfer to the adjacent source gas conduits 110 and to other source gas conduits 110 in the source gas conduit group 114 that are not directly adjacent to the heat exchanger 120.

[0053] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 discusses other aspects of the source gas conduits 110 and the heat exchanger 120, where Figure 4 a portion of the conduit group 114 is depicted (partially obscured for ease of illustration), and Figure 5 an enlarged view of the conduit group 114 is depicted. As shown, some of the source gas conduits 110 in the source gas conduit group 114 may not contact any heat exchanger 120. However, such source gas conduits 110 can be in thermal communication with the heat exchanger 120 through any intermediate source gas conduits 110, i.e., because the source gas conduits 110 can be formed of a thermally conductive material, as discussed herein.

[0054] To reduce the number of source gas conduits 110 that do not contact the heat exchanger 120 and / or to improve thermal communication within the source gas conduit group 114, one or more heat exchangers 120 can include return or connection channels 126. The connection channels 126 can include, for example, bends and / or other segments that extend non-vertically relative to the source gas conduits 110 to cause the heat exchange medium to recirculate through the source gas conduit group 114 multiple times. The number of connection channels 126 can depend on several factors, such as, for example, the maximum span of the source gas conduit group 114 and / or the heat exchangers 120 within the gas path 102. Depending on the context and / or the temperature difference, heat exchangers 120 joined via the connection channels 126 can be considered additional heat exchangers 120 and / or different portions of the same heat exchanger 120. In various embodiments, each heat exchanger 120 can pass through the source gas conduit group 114 six or more times. In further embodiments, and / or in other portions of a source gas conduit group 114, other heat exchangers 120 can pass through the source gas conduit group 114 only once, or any applicable number of times.

[0055] Figure 6Illustrate an example of a source gas conduit set 114 in accordance with yet other embodiments of the present disclosure. Although the source gas conduits 110 and the heat exchanger 120 are discussed and illustrated elsewhere herein as occupying different spaces within the source gas conduit set 114, this is not required in all cases. Here, the heat exchanger 120 may occupy the space between the source gas conduits 110, i.e., the non-circular empty space illustrated in Figure 6 Here, the heat exchanger 120 may be in external thermal communication with the exterior of the source gas conduits 110 and also in thermal communication with each other via the outer sidewalls of the source gas conduits 110. Such an arrangement may be particularly suitable for situations where the heat exchanger 120 needs to rapidly adjust the temperature of the source gas conduits 110 in the source gas conduit set 114. In a further embodiment, the positions of the source gas conduits 110 and the heat exchanger 120 may be reversed such that the source gas conduits 110 occupy the space between adjacent heat exchangers 120.

[0056] Figure 7 Illustrate Figures 2 to 4 Another alternative of the honeycomb structure shown, e.g., where the ratio of source gas conduits 110 to heat exchangers is approximately four to one rather than six to one as described above (e.g., in the honeycomb structure). These physical aspects of the source gas conduits 110 may be varied to adjust the ratio of source gas conduits 110 to heat exchangers 120 and / or the amount of cross-sectional area occupied by the source gas conduits 110 and the heat exchangers 120 relative to each other. In this case, the source gas conduits 110 may be substantially octagonal and only one sidewall of each source gas conduit 110 may be adjacent to a corresponding heat exchanger 120. With such an arrangement, the heat exchanger 120 may be omitted from the quadrilateral spaces between certain source gas conduits 110 and be present in that space elsewhere within the source gas conduit set 114. The quadrilateral spaces not occupied by the heat exchanger 120 may or may not become source gas conduits 110 having an adsorbent coating 112.

[0057] Figure 8 Illustrate another configuration of the conduit set 114 that can be implemented in embodiments of the present disclosure. In this example, the ratio of source gas conduits 110 to heat exchangers 120 within the conduit set 114 may be approximately eight to one. To provide such a configuration, each of the conduits 110, 120 may optionally have the same or substantially similar cross-sectional area. Additionally, the conduits 110 and the heat exchangers 120 may be substantially square or otherwise quadrilateral in shape such that each heat exchanger 120 is surrounded by a corresponding set of source gas conduits 110 (e.g., eight source gas conduits 110 as shown). The eight-to-one configuration of the conduits 110 and the heat exchangers 120 may be particularly useful in situations where the temperature of the gas path 102 ( Figure 1 ) is high enough that less heating or cooling via the heat exchanger 120 is required.

[0058] Go to Figure 9 , another configuration of the duct group 114 can provide the source gas duct 110 and the heat exchanger 120 at another adjustable ratio (e.g., four to one). Here, the heat exchanger 120 can be quadrilateral (e.g., square), while the source gas duct 110 can be substantially octagonal (non-equilateral). The heat exchanger 120 can be adjacent to four source gas ducts 110 on all four of its sides, while the source gas duct 110 can be adjacent to other source gas ducts 110 on some sides but adjacent to the heat exchanger 120 on other sides. Additionally, the source gas duct 110 can have a larger cross-sectional area than the heat exchanger 120. In this case, the source gas duct 110 can transport more fluid than the adjacent heat exchanger 120. Compared with Figure 7 the above example shown, the ratio of the size of the source gas duct 110 to the size of the heat exchanger 120 can increase from Figure 7 a specific implementation of Figure 8 and to Figure 9 a specific implementation of, thus increasing the additional degrees of freedom affecting the heat transfer behavior. Embodiments of the present disclosure allow the manufacturer to select the heat exchanger mode ratio within a wide range, e.g., between about 1:1 and about 100:1. Surrounded by four source gas ducts 110, the heat exchanger 120 can remain operable to heat or cool multiple source gas ducts 110 simultaneously. In this case, the ratio of the source gas duct 110 to the heat exchanger 120 can be adjusted, e.g., by providing additional heat exchangers 120 in other spaces between the source gas ducts 110, thereby reducing the ratio of the source gas duct 110 to the heat exchanger 120. As Figure 8 shown, the embodiment of the duct group 114 or a similar configuration can be particularly suitable for finely adjusting the heating or cooling of the source gas duct 110, e.g., by modifying the number of heat exchangers 120 within the duct group 114 by including or omitting heat exchangers 120 at various positions.

[0059] Figure 10 Depicts yet another configuration where the heat exchanger 120 can have a smaller cross-sectional area than the source gas duct 110, but where the number of heat exchangers 120 exceeds the number of source gas ducts, e.g., to further adjust the ratio of the space occupied by the source gas ducts 110 to the space occupied by the heat exchangers 120. Figure 10 A configuration with a ratio of the source gas duct 110 to the heat exchanger 120 of approximately four to five is specifically shown.

[0060] Figure 11A and Figure 11BDepict various alternative configurations of the duct assembly 114, e.g., allowing variation in the ratio of the source gas duct 110 to the heat exchanger 120. The illustrated examples are identified by reference numerals A, B, C, D1, D2, D3, E, F, G, H1, H2, H3, I, J, K, L, M, N, and O, respectively. In each example, the ducts 110 and the heat exchanger 120 are illustrated as having a honeycomb shape, but this is not required. One or more of these example configurations and / or other arrangements of the ducts 110 and the heat exchanger 120 may be implemented in the duct assembly 114 to provide different amounts of thermal conductivity between the ducts 110 and the heat exchanger 120. Example A shows an approximate 2:1 ratio of the source gas duct 110 to the heat exchanger 120. Example B shows an approximate 3:1 ratio of the source gas duct 110 to the heat exchanger 120. Example C shows an approximate 4:1 ratio of the source gas duct 110 to the heat exchanger 120, where the heat exchanger 120 is arranged diagonally within the duct assembly 114. Examples D1 - D3 show different types of a five-to-one ratio of the source gas duct to the heat exchanger 120, where the heat exchanger 120 may be arranged in a linearly extending horizontal or vertical array (i.e., Examples D1, D3), or may be evenly dispersed throughout the duct assembly 114 (i.e., Example D2). Examples E, F, G each depict a 6:1, 7:1, and 8:1 ratio of the source gas duct 110 to the heat exchanger 120 in different configurations. Examples H1 - H3 similarly depict various examples of the source gas duct 110 and the heat exchanger 120 with a ratio of approximately 11:1. Examples I, J, K, L, M, N, and O describe additional arrangements where the ratio of the source gas duct 110 to the heat exchanger is 15:1, 19:1, 24:1, 35:1, 48:1, 63:1, and O = 80:1. A higher amount of the source gas duct 110 relative to the heat exchanger 120 accommodates a greater amount of exhaust gas in the duct assembly 114 but accommodates a lower amount of heat exchange, while a lower amount of the source gas duct 110 relative to the heat exchanger 120 accommodates a lesser amount of exhaust gas in the duct assembly 114 but accommodates a higher amount of heat exchange. Additionally, fewer source gas ducts 110 for each heat exchanger 120 may reduce the number of source gas ducts 110 that are structurally separated from the heat exchanger 120 by other source gas ducts 110.

[0061] Refer again to Figure 1 and Figure 3, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for adsorbing one or more gases from a gas stream W, for example, using any one or more of the various specific implementations of apparatus 100 discussed herein. The method according to the present disclosure may include, for example, transferring a heat exchange medium through heat exchanger 120 such that the heat conducting composition of heat exchanger 120 affects (i.e., raises or lowers) the temperature of the gas stream W within source gas conduit 110. Transferring the heat exchange medium through heat exchanger 120 may include, for example, connecting heat exchanger 120 to one of a number of exchange medium suppliers 122, each having a heating fluid or a cooling fluid to be transferred through heat exchanger 120 such that a desired temperature is obtained. In some cases, the method of the present disclosure may include coupling a group of source gas conduits 114 to the interior of gas path 102 (e.g., between its inlet 104 and its outlet 106) such that source gas conduit 110 is positioned to adsorb gas from gas stream W.

[0062] When the desired temperature of the gas stream W within source gas conduit 110 is reached, the method may include transferring gas stream W through any (or all) of source gas conduits 110 in thermal communication with heat exchanger 120. In some cases, the method of the present disclosure may include physically coupling source gas conduit 110 to the exterior of heat exchanger 120 such that conduits 110, 120 are in thermal communication with each other. The thermal communication between source gas conduit 110 and heat exchanger 120 will affect the temperature of adsorbent coating 112 (shown only in Figure 3 ), so that they can react with gas stream W to adsorb one or more gases therefrom. When adsorbent coating 112 reaches the desired temperature by the operation of heat exchanger 120 and the heat exchange medium transferred therethrough, adsorbent coating 112 may react with gas stream W to adsorb any compound (such as CO2) that can be adsorbed using adsorbent coating 112. For example, heat exchanger 120 may cool adsorbent coating 112 such that CO2 or other compounds are adsorbed from gas stream W and thus captured within adsorbent coating 112. At a later time, gas path 102 may be coupled to a container for CO2 and / or other space for releasing CO2 from adsorbent coating 112. At this time, adsorbent coating 112 may be heated via heat exchanger 120 such that the captured CO2 is desorbed from adsorbent coating 112 and removed from gas path 102.

[0063] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide various technical and commercial advantages, examples of which are discussed herein. Embodiments of apparatus 100 can significantly improve the adsorption of specific pollutants in various gas paths 102 (including those of power generation systems), for example, by eliminating the need for separate pressure vessels and / or other structures for adsorbing certain types of emissions. By providing source gas conduit 110 and heat exchanger 120 directly within gas path 102, embodiments of the present disclosure can reduce the reactor volume by up to approximately fifty percent (e.g., approximately 3500 cubic meters) when implemented in a power generation system. This benefit can in turn reduce the reactor weight by up to approximately eighty percent (e.g., approximately 1000 tons). These benefits can also reduce the power required to heat or cool portions of the power generation system by up to approximately thirty megawatts. These and other benefits can be achieved, for example, by maintaining a strong physical and thermal coupling between conduit 110 and heat exchanger 120 during operation and / or by an appropriate flow of heat exchange medium through heat exchanger 120.

[0064] The foregoing figures illustrate some associated processes in accordance with several embodiments of the present disclosure. The acts recited in the figures or the specification may not occur in the order shown, or, for example, may actually occur substantially concurrently or in the reverse order, depending upon the acts involved. As used throughout the specification and claims, approximate language may be used to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function associated therewith. Accordingly, a value modified by one or more terms, such as "about," "approximately," and "substantially," is not limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximate language may correspond to the precision of the instrument used to measure the value. Herein, as well as throughout the specification and claims, range limitations may be combined and / or interchanged; unless the context or language indicates otherwise, these ranges are recognized and include all the subranges subsumed therein. The term "about" when applied to a particular value of a range applies to both end values thereof and may indicate the value's + / -5% unless otherwise dependent upon the precision of the instrument used to measure the value.

[0065] All structural, material, acts, and equivalents of the means or step plus function elements in the following claims are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure with various modifications that are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

1. An apparatus (100) comprising: a heat exchanger (120) having an interior configured to transport a heat exchange medium therethrough; a plurality of source gas conduits (110) in thermal communication with the heat exchanger and configured to transport a gas stream (W) therethrough, wherein each of the plurality of source gas conduits (110) is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (120); and an adsorbent coating (112) on an inner sidewall (L) of each of the plurality of source gas conduits.

2. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the adsorbent coating (112) adsorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) from the gas stream (W) within the plurality of source gas conduits (110).

3. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of source gas conduits (110) extend parallel to and around the heat exchanger (120).

4. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of source gas conduits (110) is not in contact with the heat exchanger (120).

5. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of source gas conduits (110) has a honeycomb shape.

6. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein a diameter (Δ) of the heat exchanger (120) is greater than a separation distance (α) between a pair of opposing sidewalls of each of the plurality of source gas conduits (110) and less than a separation distance (β) between a pair of opposing vertices of each of the plurality of source gas conduits (110).

7. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, further comprising: an additional heat exchanger (120) adjacent to the plurality of source gas conduits (110) and configured to transport the heat exchange medium therethrough; and a connection passage (126) fluidly coupling the heat exchanger (120) to the additional heat exchanger (120).

8. An apparatus (100) comprising: a gas path (102) for transporting a gas stream (W) from a power generation system to an external environment; a plurality of heat exchangers (120) within the gas path (102) having interiors configured to transport a heat exchange medium; a plurality of source gas conduits (110) within the gas path (102), the plurality of source gas conduits coupled to an exterior of one of the plurality of heat exchangers (120) and configured to transport the gas stream (W) therethrough, wherein each of the plurality of source gas conduits (110) is in thermal communication with at least one of the plurality of heat exchangers (120) and extends substantially parallel to the plurality of heat exchangers (120); and A plurality of internal sidewalls (L), the plurality of internal sidewalls being within at least one of the plurality of source gas conduits (110), and each of the plurality of internal sidewalls (L) having an adsorbent coating (112) thereon, wherein the adsorbent coating (112) is configured to adsorb a compound from the gas stream (W).

9. The apparatus (100) according to claim 8, wherein the compound comprises carbon dioxide (CO2).

10. The apparatus (100) according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of source gas conduits (110) is not in contact with the plurality of heat exchangers (120).

11. The apparatus (100) according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of internal sidewalls (L) define a honeycomb shape.

12. The apparatus (100) according to claim 8, wherein the diameter of each of the plurality of heat exchangers (120) is greater than the separation distance (α) between a pair of opposing sidewalls in each of the plurality of source gas conduits (110), and less than the separation distance (β) between a pair of opposing vertices in each of the plurality of source gas conduits (110).

13. The apparatus (100) according to claim 8, further comprising at least one connection channel (126) fluidly coupling two of the plurality of heat exchangers (120).

14. The apparatus (100) according to claim 8, wherein the ratio of the source gas conduits (110) to the heat exchangers (120) within the gas path (102) is between approximately 1:1 and approximately 100:

1.

15. A method, comprising: Transmitting a heat exchange medium through the interior of a heat exchanger (120); And Transmitting a gas stream (W) through a plurality of source gas conduits (110) in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (120), wherein each of the plurality of source gas conduits (110) is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (120) such that the heat exchange medium affects the temperature of the adsorbent coating (112) within the plurality of source gas conduits (110), Wherein the transmitted gas stream (W) reacts with the adsorbent coating (112) within each of the plurality of source gas conduits (110) to adsorb a compound from the gas stream (W).

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: Transmitting a cryogenic fluid through the heat exchanger (120) such that the adsorbent coating (112) adsorbs the compound from the gas stream (W); And Transmitting a high-temperature fluid through the heat exchanger (120) to desorb the compound from the adsorbent coating (112) for extraction from the gas path (102).

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the compound comprises carbon dioxide (CO2).

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising coupling one of a heating fluid supplier (108) or a cooling fluid supplier (109) to the heat exchanger (120).

19. The method according to claim 15 further includes connecting the plurality of source gas conduits (110) to an outer sidewall of the heat exchanger (120).

20. The method according to claim 18 further includes connecting the plurality of source gas conduits (110) and the heat exchanger (120) to an interior of the gas path (102).

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