Adsorptive gas separation process and system using adsorption of a third component to facilitate desorption of a purified first component in a rapid circulation gas separation device - Patents.com

Abstract

In general, the cyclic sorptive gas separation process can include a feed or sorption step followed by a regeneration step. In an embodiment, the sorption step can include introducing a feed stream into a contactor, sorbing at least a portion of the first component onto a sorbent, producing a first product stream, and recovering the first product stream. In an embodiment, the regeneration step can include introducing or feeding the first regeneration stream into the contactor, sorbing a portion of the third component into the contactor, desorbing a portion of the first component, and recovering the second product stream from the contactor, and the regeneration step further includes controlling the partial pressure of the third component to a partial pressure threshold of 0.4 Bara or greater.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to processes and systems for adsorptive gas separation of multicomponent fluid mixtures, and more particularly to processes that allow for the rapid injection and extraction of thermal energy during regeneration and conditioning of gas separators. [Background technology]

[0002] Adsorptive gas separation processes and systems, such as temperature swing adsorption, pressure swing adsorption, vacuum swing adsorption, and partial pressure swing adsorption, are known in the art for use in the adsorptive gas separation of multi-component fluid mixtures.

[0003] One type of industrial process in which gas separation may be desirable includes combustion processes in which, for example, an oxidant and a carbon-containing fuel are combusted to produce at least heat and a combustion gas stream (also known as a combustion flue gas stream). It may be desirable to separate at least one component of interest from the combustion gas stream, for example, post-combustion gas separation of carbon dioxide, but this separation may present several challenges, including, but not limited to, the volume of gas to be separated may be large, the combustion gas stream may contain trace amounts of the component of interest that is desired to be separated, and / or the combustion gas stream may be supplied at low pressure.

[0004] Conventional temperature swing adsorptive gas separation processes can typically utilize two basic steps: an adsorption step and a regeneration step. In a typical adsorption step, a feed stream, such as a multicomponent fluid mixture, can be introduced into an adsorption separation system and contactor comprising an adsorbent material, where the adsorbent material can adsorb components of the feed stream and separate the adsorbed components from the remaining components of the feed stream. In a subsequent typical regeneration step, a fluid stream, e.g., a heated fluid stream, can be introduced into the adsorption separation system and contactor to increase the temperature of the adsorbent material to release at least a portion of the adsorbed components from the adsorbent material and allow for cyclic reuse of the adsorbent material. In some conventional systems and methods, a cooling or conditioning step can be utilized to reduce the temperature of the adsorbent material after the regeneration step to help restore the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent material prior to a subsequent adsorption step. A coolant or conditioning stream, e.g., an air stream at near ambient temperature, can be introduced into the adsorption separation system and contactor to reduce the temperature of the adsorbent material. The adsorption, regeneration, and conditioning steps can then be repeated in sequence.

[0005] In conventional adsorptive gas separation processes and systems, the energy consumed in regenerating the adsorbent material can generally account for a large portion of the operating costs of these systems and processes, and these costs can generally act as a barrier to widespread adoption and implementation of conventional adsorptive gas separation technologies.

[0006] Furthermore, the amount of sorbent desired to effect separation is inversely proportional to the cycle duration. For example, processes with short cycle durations require smaller amounts of sorbent material than processes with long cycle durations. Thus, the ability to perform rapid adsorption process cycles has a large impact on the economic viability of a process.

[0007] The processes and systems described in this disclosure differ significantly from vacuum swing type systems in which water vapor is sometimes added as a stripping gas.

[0008] Other adsorptive gas separation processes, for example capturing CO2 from ambient air, use humidity swings that can be driven primarily by changing the sorbent adsorption capacity for CO2 between dry and wet states without significantly changing the temperature of the adsorbent, and generally do not produce high purity product gas.

[0009] Conventional adsorptive gas separation processes and systems that utilize water vapor as an exemplary regeneration stream to cause desorption of one or more components from an adsorbent material unnecessarily consume and reduce the amount of high energy water vapor that can be utilized for other processes in industrial applications, resulting in reduced overall efficiency and potentially increased operating costs for the integrated adsorptive gas separation processes and systems.

[0010] Furthermore, when water vapor is utilized as an exemplary regeneration stream to cause desorption of one or more components from the adsorbent material, the water vapor may unnecessarily condense and adsorb on the adsorbent material, which may unnecessarily reduce the adsorption and desorption rates of the adsorbent by clogging pores, resulting in reduced cycling capacity of the adsorbent material, increase the time required to regenerate the adsorbent material, and / or increase the energy consumption to remove the condensed water vapor, leading to increased operating costs and / or reduced yields of the adsorbent gas separation processes and systems. DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In an embodiment, a cyclic sorptive gas separation process for separating components of a feed stream comprising at least a first component and a second component includes a feeding or sorption step and a regeneration step. The feeding or sorption step can include steps including introducing the feed stream into a contactor having at least a first sorbent therein to contact the feed stream with the first sorbent, sorbing at least a portion of the first component onto the at least first sorbent, producing a first product stream at least partially depleted in the first component from the feed stream, and recovering the first product stream from the at least one contactor. In an embodiment, the regeneration step includes introducing or feeding at least a first regeneration stream having a third component into the at least one contactor, sorbing or condensing a portion of the third component within the at least one contactor, desorbing a portion of the at least first component sorbed onto the at least one first sorbent, and recovering a second product stream from the at least one contactor. In an embodiment, the regeneration step further comprises controlling the partial pressure of said third component in the first regeneration stream to a partial pressure threshold of 0.4 Bara or greater during at least a portion of said regeneration step, and said at least one sorbent is one of a metal-organic framework (MOF) sorbent, a polyethyleneimine-doped silica (PEIDS) sorbent, an amine-containing porous network polymer sorbent, an amine-doped porous material sorbent, an amine-doped MOF sorbent, a zeolite sorbent, activated carbon, doped activated carbon, doped graphite, and an alkali-doped or rare earth-doped porous inorganic sorbent.

[0013] In another broad aspect, a cyclic sorptive gas separation process for separating components of a feed stream comprising at least a first component and a second component includes contacting the feed stream along with at least one contactor comprising at least one sorbent; sorbing the first component of the feed stream onto the at least one sorbent; producing a first product stream having a reduced amount of the first component relative to the feed stream; recovering the first product stream from the at least one contactor; and collecting the first product stream in a vessel fluidly connected to the at least one contactor or in a vessel fluidly connected to the at least one contactor. producing a first recycle stream having a third component in at least one contactor, the first recycle stream having a partial pressure of the third component equal to or greater than a third component partial pressure threshold of 0.4 Bara; contacting the first recycle stream with the at least one sorbent in the at least one contactor; sorbing a portion of the third component of the first recycle stream onto the at least one sorbent and desorbing a portion of the first component from the at least one sorbent; and recovering a second product stream from the at least one contactor.

[0014] In another broad aspect, a cyclic sorptive gas separation process for separating components of a feed stream including at least a first component and a second component includes a first feed or sorption step, a second feed or sorption step, a first regeneration step, a second regeneration step, a first conditioning step, and a second conditioning step.

[0015] In an embodiment, a first feeding or sorption step includes flowing a first feed stream along at least one contactor containing at least one sorbent, sorbing the first component of the first feed stream onto the at least one sorbent, producing a first portion of a first product stream at least partially depleted in the first component from the feed stream, and recovering the first portion of the first product stream from the at least one contactor.

[0016] In an embodiment, the second feed or sorption step includes flowing a second feed stream along the at least one contactor containing the at least one sorbent, sorbing the first component of the second feed stream onto the at least one sorbent, producing a second portion of a first product stream at least partially depleted in a first component relative to the second feed stream, and recovering the second portion of the first product stream from the at least one contactor.

[0017] In an embodiment, the first regeneration step includes contacting a first regeneration stream having at least the third component with the at least one contactor containing the at least one sorbent, sorbing a portion of the third component of the first regeneration stream onto the at least one sorbent and desorbing the first component, and recovering a first portion of a second product stream from the at least one contactor.

[0018] In an embodiment, the second regeneration step includes controlling a partial pressure of the third component of the second regeneration stream to a third component partial pressure threshold of equal to or greater than 0.4 Bara, contacting the second regeneration stream with the at least one contactor comprising the at least one sorbent, sorbing a portion of the third component of the second regeneration stream onto the at least one sorbent and desorbing the first component, and recovering a second portion of a second product stream from the at least one contactor.

[0019] In an embodiment, a first conditioning step includes reducing the partial pressure of the third component or the relative humidity of the gas phase contained in the at least one contactor and recovering a first portion of a third product stream from the at least one contactor; reducing the pressure of the gas phase contained in the at least one contactor and recovering a first portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor; introducing a first conditioned stream into the at least one contactor, the first conditioned stream having the third component and a third component partial pressure that is less than or equal to a third component partial pressure threshold that is 50% of the equilibrium vapor pressure of the third component at the temperature of the at least one sorbent at the end of step (b); washing or cleaning the at least one contactor; and recovering the first portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor.

[0020] In an embodiment, the second conditioning step includes at least one of: reducing the partial pressure of the third component or the relative humidity of the gas phase contained in the at least one contactor and recovering a second portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor; reducing the pressure of the gas phase contained in the at least one contactor and recovering a second portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor; introducing a second conditioned stream into the at least one contactor, the second conditioned stream having the third component and a third component partial pressure that is less than or equal to a third component partial pressure threshold that is 50% of the equilibrium vapor pressure of the third component at the temperature of the at least one sorbent at the end of step (b); washing or cleaning the at least one contactor; and recovering the second portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor.

[0021] In an embodiment, the at least one sorbent may be one of a metal organic framework (MOF) sorbent, a polyethyleneimine doped silica (PEIDS) sorbent, an amine-containing porous network polymer sorbent, an amine-doped porous material sorbent, an amine-doped MOF sorbent, a zeolite sorbent, activated carbon, doped activated carbon, doped graphite, and an alkali-doped or rare earth-doped porous inorganic sorbent, and steps (a1) and (a2), steps (b1) and (b2), or steps (c1) and (c2) are performed with different pressures, different temperatures, or different process stream compositions between the steps. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THEINVENTION

[0022] For purposes of this application, the following terms are defined.

[0023] Active or solid layer: a thin configuration of porous material, active layers or sheets of porous material, or composite laminates comprising porous materials with chemical affinity for specific molecules, atoms, or ions, that can be used in place of an adsorbent layer, a heterogeneous catalytic layer, or a combination of an adsorbent layer and a heterogeneous catalytic functional layer.

[0024] Sheets or laminates: active layers with a thickness of less than 1 mm that can be used for adsorbent sheets, heterogeneous catalyst sheets or a combination of adsorbent sheets and heterogeneous functional sheets.

[0025] Active stack or stack: a group of active layers separated by spacers on at least a portion of the layers, which can be used in place of an adsorbent stack, a heterogeneous catalyst stack, or a combination of an adsorbent stack and a heterogeneous catalyst functional stack. The active layers can be in contact with and / or connected to each other.

[0026] Active Contactor or Contactor: An active stack or group of active stacks that allows fluid to flow and contact the active layer.

[0027] Active Module or Module: An active contactor or contactors after packaging that restricts the flow of process fluids in a direction other than from inlet to outlet, allows for the installation of connectors or fittings that integrate into a reactor or adsorber vessel, and in some cases provides mechanical support and a pressure-bearing envelope for the contactor.

[0028] Spacer: A millimeter-scale discrete solid placed between active layers, sheets, or laminates to provide mechanical support to a stack or contactor.

[0029] Heat Capacity: The ratio of the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of a component by a given amount to the change in temperature before and after the application of that energy.

[0030] Channel Height: The minimum distance between the wetted surfaces of the active layers in the direction perpendicular to the active layers.

[0031] Channel Length: The distance between the inlet and outlet edges of a channel in the substantially intended direction of flow of a fluid stream within the channel.

[0032] Channel Width: The distance between flow barriers, flush with the active layer and perpendicular to the intended direction of flow of the fluid stream in the channel.

[0033] Permeability: The ratio of dynamic viscosity to fluid velocity and pressure head loss per unit length.

[0034]

number

[0035] Laminar Flow: A flow condition in a fluid stream in which most of the fluid particles follow smooth paths in layers without vortices.

[0036] Inlet: The inlet of a structured contactor, the inlet face of a stack, or the immediate vicinity of the face where process fluid is introduced or enters during use.

[0037] Outlet: The outlet of a structured contactor, the outlet face of a stack, or in the immediate vicinity of the face where the process fluid is withdrawn or exits during use.

[0038] Side: The side of a structured contactor, the face of a stack, or the immediate vicinity of a non-flowing surface.

[0039] Center: Any area of ​​a structured contactor or stack that is not immediately adjacent to the inlet, outlet, or sides.

[0040] Wetted Surface: The surface of the active layer, sheet, or laminate in contact with the flow path, or the envelope surface of the sorbent exposed to the open flow path, excluding the surface areas within the dense phase including the solid sorbent and the pores between the primary sorbent particles.

[0041] Area: A contiguous area having at least 10% of the total area of ​​the active layer.

[0042] The terms "sorbent," "adsorbent," and "absorbent" may be used interchangeably herein.

[0043] The terms "sorption," "adsorption," and "absorption" may be used interchangeably herein.

[0044] MOF: Metal-Organic Framework, a crystalline structure composed of organic linkers and metal ions or small inorganic clusters.

[0045] PEIDS: Polyethyleneimine (also called PEI) doped silica. A composite material in which PEI or functionalized PEI is dispersed within high pore volume silica, allowing enhanced transport between the PEI and gases.

[0046] PNP: Porous Network Polymer. A functional polymer with a high pore volume that is highly interconnected and facilitates the exchange between gases and sorption sites.

[0047] Component Flux: The flow rate in moles per second of a component entering or leaving a defined volume, such as a contactor or contactor segment.

[0048] Process Selectivity: The fraction of product that is adsorbed or recovered from a feed stream.

[0049] Dynamic selectivity: The observed selectivity of a process that includes the effects of temperature and composition transients and gradients within the contactor. Dynamic selectivity differs from the equilibrium selectivity observed when these gradients are not present and the sorbent loading matches the equilibrium adsorption value.

[0050] Time Fractionation: Partitioning of a process gas feed or output based on the timing or phase of a process, e.g., collecting a product or output in a first period of time and then collecting the product in a second period of time. Different from continuously splitting the stream without regard to the elapsed time of the process phase or process step.

[0051] RAM: A rotary adsorption machine in which two or more contactors are mounted on a frame capable of rotating about an axis, allowing for switching of fluid streams entering and being withdrawn from the two or more contactors.

[0052] CO2: A carbon dioxide molecule in any physical phase.

[0053] H2O: Water molecules in the liquid, condensed, gas, adsorbed, or solid phase.

[0054] Heat of desorption: The amount of heat and / or energy consumed in reversing the adsorption process and returning the adsorbate to the gas phase or carrier liquid. Usually the negative value of the heat of adsorption.

[0055] Desired heat of desorption: the integral of the heat and / or energy consumed by reversing the adsorption process for a given amount of adsorbate. This is the minimum amount of energy that is desired to be supplied during the desorption step.

[0056] Bara: Absolute pressure. A unit of measurement for pressure.

[0057] Feed Stream: A multi-component gas stream comprising a first component and a second component that is introduced into a sorptive gas separator during a sorption step. The first component is the component that is the subject of sorption, separation, and recovery in the sorption step.

[0058] Regeneration Stream: A gas stream containing a third component used to promote desorption of a first component adsorbed on a sorbent.

[0059] Condition stream; a gas stream used to promote desorption of a third component adsorbed on the sorbent.

[0060] Embodiment According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a sorptive gas separation process (referred to herein as a "sorption process") for the sorptive gas separation of a multi-component fluid mixture or stream, such as, for example, a combustion gas stream or a flue gas stream. In embodiments, the multi-component fluid mixture may include at least a first component (which may include, for example, carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen, nitrogen oxides, oxygen, and / or heavy metals) and a second component.

[0061] Embodiments of the sorption process may be suitable for gas separation applications where one or more of the following conditions exist: the feed stream is obtained at a low pressure, e.g., less than 2 Bara, making a pressure swing adsorption process less desirable; the feed stream contains a low or dilute concentration of the target component, e.g., the target component or first component comprises about 3 to 25 volume % of the feed stream; the volume of the feed stream to be separated is large; recovery of a high purity product stream is desirable, e.g., a purity of the target component of greater than about 80 volume % is desirable; low energy and / or low stream consumption of the sorption process is desirable; and / or low operating and installation costs are desirable.

[0062] In one aspect, an exemplary gas separation application may include, for example, post-combustion gas separation of carbon dioxide from the combustion gas stream of a combined cycle power plant.

[0063] Typically, a multi-component fluid mixture utilized as a feed stream for an adsorption process can have multiple components, each of which can have a different affinity for the adsorbent material in the adsorption system. For example, in an exemplary post-combustion adsorptive gas separation application according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the combustion gas stream can include a first component, such as carbon dioxide (referred to herein as "CO2"), that has a weak affinity (relative to other components in the combustion gas stream) for the adsorbent material, a second component, such as nitrogen (referred to herein as "N2"), that has a very weak affinity (relative to other components in the combustion gas stream), and a third component, such as water (referred to herein as "H2O"), that has a strong affinity (relative to other components in the combustion gas stream) for the adsorbent material.

[0064] The solid sorbent materials used may utilize physisorption and / or chemisorption adsorption mechanisms and may comprise metal or metal oxide sorption sites dispersed in a porous solid, such as, for example, the metal organic frameworks of MOFs, or dispersed on a porous carbon support, or may comprise amine or nitrogen groups dispersed in a porous solid or in an impregnated porous solid containing dissolved amine droplets, such as, for example, polyethyleneimine (also called polyethyleneimine doped silica or PEIDS) supported in a porous support, such as porous silica, or copolymerized amine groups with multifunctional ligands that constitute a porous network polymer. Various embodiments according to the present disclosure provide a sorptive gas separation process for separating at least a first component from a multi-component fluid mixture.

[0065] In one embodiment, the cyclic sorptive gas separation process includes, during a sorption or feeding step, introducing a multi-component fluid mixture as a feed stream into at least one contactor having at least one sorbent material, sorbing at least a portion of a first component of the feed stream onto the at least one sorbent material in the at least one contactor, and recovering a first product stream. In an embodiment, the first product stream can include at least a second component, which is at least periodically reduced by more than about 50% relative to the flux of the first component in the feed stream entering the contactor (the first product stream includes at least periodically a flux of the first component less than about 50% relative to the flux of the first component in the feed stream). The process includes, during a first regeneration step, introducing a first regeneration stream having at least a third component into the at least one contactor to control the partial pressure of the third component, and sorbing at least a portion of the third component onto the at least one sorbent material in an amount sufficient to generate heat. In an embodiment, the third component can be sufficiently sorbed to generate more than about 2 times, or preferably more than about 1.5 times, the amount of heat required for the desorption heat of the first component desorbed during the first regeneration step. In an embodiment, the process further comprises at least periodically recovering a second product stream enriched in the first component relative to the feed stream. In an embodiment, after condensation of the condensable components in the second product stream, the second product stream comprises more than about 60% by volume of the first component, preferably more than about 85% by volume of the first component. In an embodiment, the process further comprises during a conditioning step, introducing a condition stream into the at least one contactor, desorbing a portion of the third component and a portion of the first component sorbed on the at least one sorbent material in the at least one contactor by at least one of a partial pressure swing or a pressure swing, and recovering a third product stream from the at least one contactor.

[0066] In yet another embodiment, the at least one contactor used in the process has a flow rate of about 1000 m 2 / m 3 More than 2000m, preferably about 2000m 2 / m 3 The sorbent may include a structured sorbent having a wetted surface area to volume ratio of greater than 0.01 mm.

[0067] In yet another embodiment, the process can be completed or performed in about 2 minutes or less, preferably about 1 minute or less, with the regeneration step being about 15 seconds or less, or preferably about 10 seconds or less.

[0068] In yet another embodiment, the pressure drop across the at least one contactor caused by flowing the feed gas at about 1 meter per second (referred to herein as "m / s") is about 10 kPa or less, preferably about 5 kPa or less.

[0069] In yet another embodiment, during the regeneration step, the sorbent can reach a temperature in the range of about 90° C. to about 150° C. The sorbent temperature during the regeneration step can be controlled by selecting the formula and heat capacity of the sorbent, as well as the partial pressure of the third component in contact with the sorbent.

[0070] In yet another embodiment, the process may further include a conditioning step in which the temperature of the sorbent is reduced by more than about 20° C., preferably more than about 40° C., from the temperature of the sorbent during the regeneration step by desorbing or removing the third component sorbed or accumulated on the sorbent. This may be done by applying a vacuum or stripping the third component with a gas having a low concentration of the third component relative to the saturation pressure of the third component in the contactor.

[0071] In yet another embodiment, the molar ratio of the third component introduced into the at least one contactor to the first component recovered from the at least one contactor during the first regeneration step is less than about 6, preferably less than about 4, or most preferably less than about 3.

[0072] In one embodiment of the invention, a sorptive gas separation system for separating at least a first component from a multi-component fluid mixture includes at least one contactor having a first end and an axially opposite second end, and may further include at least one sorbent material. In one such embodiment, the sorptive gas separation system is fluidly connected to introduce at least a portion of the multi-component fluid mixture as a feed stream to the first end, sorb at least a portion of the first component onto the at least one sorbent material, and recover a first product stream from the second end. The sorptive gas separation system may also be fluidly connected to introduce a first recycle stream to an end, e.g., either the second end or the first end, and desorb at least a portion of the first component sorbed onto the at least one sorbent material to produce a second product stream. In an embodiment, the system is also fluidly connected to recover a second product stream from an end opposite the end of the at least one contactor to which the first recycle stream was introduced.

[0073] The sorptive gas separation system may also be fluidly connected to introduce a multi-component fluid mixture into an end, e.g., either the second end or the first end, as a conditioned stream to desorb at least a portion of the first component sorbed on the at least one sorbent material, and to withdraw a third product stream from an end opposite the end where the conditioned stream was introduced. In embodiments, a vacuum source from a pump, ejector, or heated piston may be fluidly connected to one or both ends of the contactor to remove or assist in removing the third component by partial pressure swing and pressure swing.

[0074] In one embodiment, the gas separation process can include, during a sorption step, introducing a multi-component fluid mixture as a feed stream into at least one contactor containing at least one sorbent material, sorbing at least a portion of a first component of the feed stream onto the at least one sorbent material in the at least one contactor, and recovering a first product stream. In an embodiment, the first product stream can contain at least a second component, and at least periodically reduces the first component by more than about 50% relative to the flux of the first component in the feed stream entering the contactor (the first product stream at least periodically includes a flux of the first component less than about 50% relative to the flux of the first component in the feed stream). The process includes, during a first regeneration step, introducing a first regeneration stream containing at least a third component into the at least one contactor to control the partial pressure of the third component, and sorbing at least a portion of the third component of the first regeneration stream onto the at least one sorbent material in an amount sufficient to generate heat. In an embodiment, sufficient sorption of the third component can generate more than about 2 times, or preferably more than about 1.5 times, the amount of heat required for the desorption heat of the first component desorbed during the first regeneration step. In an embodiment, the process further includes at least periodically recovering a second product stream that is more enriched in the first component than the feed stream. In an embodiment, after condensation of condensable components in the second product stream, such as the third component, the second product stream comprises more than about 85% by volume of the first component, preferably more than about 90% by volume of the first component. In an embodiment, the process further includes desorbing a portion of the third component and a portion of the first component sorbed on the at least one sorbent material during the conditioning step by a pressure swing process or a vacuum swing process, recovering a third product stream from the at least one contactor, introducing the third product stream to a condenser to condense at least a portion of the third component, and reducing the pressure in the at least one contactor to assist in desorption of the third component.The non-condensable portion of the third product stream may contain a high concentration of the first component, for example, greater than about 85% by volume, or preferably greater than about 90% by volume, and may be collected and combined with the second product stream at the outlet of the vacuum pump after compression.

[0075] In one embodiment, if a vacuum swing process is used during the conditioning step, both the first and third components can be simultaneously recovered during cooling of the contactor, in which case the conditioning effluent or third product stream can be sent to a condensation unit to further purify or separate the third component from the first component, and the first component recovered during the conditioning step can then be combined after compression with the second product stream or the first component recovered during the first regeneration step.

[0076] In yet another embodiment, the first component is CO2, the multi-component feed is a process flue gas from the combustion of a carbon-containing fuel, the second component is nitrogen, and the third component is water.

[0077] In yet another embodiment according to the present disclosure, a sorptive gas separation process is provided for separating at least a portion of a multi-component fluid mixture into one or more components.

[0078] In one embodiment, a process is provided that includes, during a sorption step, introducing a multi-component fluid mixture as a feed stream into at least one contactor having at least one sorbent material, sorbing at least a portion of a first component of the feed stream onto the at least one sorbent material, and recovering a first product stream. In an embodiment, the first product stream can include at least a second component and can at least periodically reduce the first component by more than about 50% based on the flux of the first component in the feed stream entering the contactor (the first product stream at least periodically includes a flux of the first component less than about 50% based on the flux of the first component in the feed stream). The process includes, during a first regeneration step, introducing a first regeneration stream having at least a third component into the at least one contactor to control the partial pressure of the third component, and sorbing at least a portion of the third component of the first regeneration stream onto the at least one sorbent material in the at least one contactor in an amount sufficient to generate heat. In embodiments, sufficient sorption of the third component can generate more than about 2 times, or preferably more than about 1.5 times, the amount of heat required for the desorption heat required for sorption of the first component from the at least one sorption material. In embodiments, the process further includes at least periodically recovering a second product stream that is more enriched in the first component than the feed stream. In embodiments, after condensation of the condensable components in the second product stream, the second product stream comprises more than about 85% by volume, or preferably more than about 90% by volume, of the first component.In an embodiment, the process further includes introducing the second product stream to a condenser, condensing at least a portion of the third component from the second product stream, forming a condensate stream and a purified second product stream, the purified second product stream being depleted in the third component relative to the second product stream; introducing a condition stream to the at least one contactor during a conditioning step; desorbing a portion of the third component and a portion of the first component sorbed on the at least one sorbent material in the at least one contactor by at least one of a partial pressure swing process or a pressure swing process; recovering a third product stream from the at least one contactor; introducing the third product stream to a condenser, condensing at least a portion of the third component from the third product stream, and forming a first stage condensate stream and a first stage purified third product stream, the first stage purified third product stream being depleted in the third component relative to the third product stream.

[0079] In one embodiment, the cyclic sorptive gas separation process includes, during a sorption or feeding step, introducing a multi-component fluid mixture as a feed stream into at least one contactor having at least one sorbent material, sorbing at least a portion of a first component of the feed stream onto the at least one sorbent material in the at least one contactor, and recovering a first product stream. In an embodiment, the first product stream can include at least a second component, which is at least periodically reduced by more than about 50% relative to the flux of the first component in the feed stream entering the contactor (the first product stream at least partially includes a flux of the first component less than about 50% relative to the flux of the first component in the feed stream). The process includes, during a first regeneration step, introducing a first regeneration stream having at least a third component into the at least one contactor to control the partial pressure of the third component, and sorbing at least a portion of the third component onto the at least one sorbent material in an amount sufficient to generate heat. In an embodiment, sufficient sorption of the third component can generate more than about 2 times, or preferably more than about 1.5 times, the amount of heat required for the desorption heat of the first component during the first regeneration step. In an embodiment, the process further comprises at least periodically recovering a second product stream enriched in the first component relative to the feed stream. In an embodiment, after condensation of the condensable components in the second product stream, the second product stream comprises more than about 60% by volume of the first component, preferably more than about 85% by volume of the first component. In an embodiment, the process further comprises during a conditioning step, introducing a condition stream into the at least one contactor, desorbing a portion of the third component and a portion of the first component sorbed on the at least one sorbent material in the at least one contactor by at least one of a partial pressure swing or a pressure swing, and recovering a third product stream from the at least one contactor.In an embodiment, the third product stream may be introduced to a condenser to condense at least a portion of the third component and reduce the pressure in the at least one contactor to assist in sorption of the third component.

[0080] In yet another embodiment, the first component is CO2, the multi-component feed is a process flue gas from the combustion of a carbon-containing fuel, the second component is nitrogen, and the third component is water.

[0081] In yet another embodiment according to the present disclosure, a sorptive gas separation process is provided for separating at least a first component from a multi-component fluid mixture.

[0082] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the sorption system includes a phase separation stage further including at least one or more of one or more heat exchangers, at least one sorption separator, at least a first condenser, or a first condenser, such as a condensing heat exchanger, and at least one fluid pump, such as an ejector, in some embodiments. In such an embodiment, the sorption separator may be stationary or mobile and may include at least one stationary or mobile contactor for supporting at least one sorption material.

[0083] The sorption separator may further include an enclosure that houses the at least one contactor. In embodiments, the enclosure may also aid in defining a plurality of stationary or mobile zones within the enclosure, such as, for example, a sorption zone, a first regeneration zone, a second regeneration zone, and a conditioning zone, each zone being substantially fluidly separated and a point on the at least one contactor being able to circulate through each zone.

[0084] In one embodiment, for example, a sorption separator includes at least one contactor that can move, cycle, and / or rotate about an axis through multiple stationary zones, or the sorption separator includes at least one stationary contactor that can have multiple zones that move, cycle, and / or rotate about the at least one contactor. In one embodiment, the sorption contactor includes a plurality of substantially parallel walls that can define a plurality of substantially parallel fluid flow paths oriented along a longitudinal axis of the contactor between axially opposed first and second ends, at least one sorbent material in and / or on the walls of the contactor, and optionally a plurality of axially continuous electrically and / or thermally conductive filaments oriented substantially along the longitudinal axis of the contactor that can be in direct contact with the at least one sorbent material in and / or on the walls of the contactor.

[0085] In yet another embodiment, multiple contactors or machines can be coupled and fluidly connected to form a system in which the exhaust or product stream of a contactor or machine can be introduced as a feed stream of another contactor or machine. In particular, a first portion of the first exhaust or first product stream can be sent to and introduced into another contactor or machine to improve recovery of a desired product, or a portion of the pre-regeneration stream or a portion of the pre-conditioning stream can be advantageously reused by recycling the portion to another contactor, with or without mixing, and introducing the portion into another stream.

[0086] In certain embodiments, a second portion of the first product having a high concentration of the first component can be sent to a contactor or machine that has been regenerated and conditioned to have a maximum sorption capacity for sorbing the first component during a sorption process cycle.

[0087] In one embodiment, a first portion of a recycle stream comprising a mixture of a first component and a second component can be delivered to and introduced into the contactor or machine during the sorption step. This recycle or first portion of the recycle stream can have a concentration of the first component that is higher than the concentration of the first component in the feed stream.

[0088] In certain embodiments, a portion of the effluent recovered from the contactor during the conditioning step, such as the third product stream or the effluent of the preconditioning step, can be recovered and sent to a pre-regeneration stream to be combined therewith and introduced into the contactor during the pre-regeneration step. By combining the pre-regeneration stream with the effluent recovered during the preconditioning or conditioning step, the third component introduced during the pre-regeneration step will be somewhat diluted, but the recycled third component contained in the preconditioning or conditioning effluent can contribute to preheating or heating the sorbent bed or contactor. During the pre-regeneration step, the pressure of the combined pre-regeneration stream can be increased to improve sorption of the third component.

[0089] When applied to CO2 capture from flue gas streams where the third component is water or water vapor, recovery of water in the sorption process can be cost beneficial. The two main sources of water that can be recovered from sorption processes and systems are during the sorption step and the conditioning step. A relatively small amount of water can be recovered during the regeneration step of the sorption process.

[0090] In one embodiment, after the first regeneration step, a preconditioning step can be added before the conditioning step to sorb and recover a third component or water from the contactor during the preconditioning step, and the concentration of water in the effluent stream recovered during the preconditioning step is high, for example, a concentration of about 30% water by volume or more.

[0091] In one embodiment, an exemplary such contactor may include the exemplary parallel passage adsorbent contactor disclosed in commonly owned US Pat. No. 8,940,072.

[0092] In one aspect, the contactor may be stationary or movable within the enclosure. In certain embodiments, it is desirable for at least one sorbent material of the contactor to be dynamically selectable to sorb a first component over at least one other component of a multi-component fluid mixture such that the dynamic selectivity is sufficiently high to provide a usable level of sorptive separation of the fluid mixture by selective sorption of the first component.

[0093] Such dynamic selectivity over a cycle of the sorption process can include at least one of an equilibrium selectivity or saturation of the first or third component of at least one sorbent material segment along the direction of flow.

[0094] In an embodiment of the process according to the present disclosure, an initial step of the sorption process or a feed stream cooling step of the feed stream can be utilized to reduce the temperature of the feed stream before the feed stream is introduced into the sorption separator and at least one contactor. During this initial step or feed stream cooling step of the feed stream, a feed stream source, such as a fuel combustor, can generate a multi-component fluid mixture or feed stream and introduce it into a sorption system and heat transfer device, such as a gas / gas heat exchanger, a gas / liquid heat exchanger, or a direct contact cooler (referred to herein as a "DCC"), and transfer heat from the feed stream to a coolant stream, such as a water stream, introduced into and within the DCC to reduce the temperature of the feed stream below a first temperature threshold. In one embodiment, the temperature of the feed stream can be reduced below a first temperature threshold, such as about 50°C, or particularly about 40°C, and even more particularly about 30°C. The feed stream and the coolant stream can then be recovered from the heat exchanger or DCC.

[0095] In one embodiment, during the sorption step, the feed stream can comprise a multi-component gas stream at a temperature at or below a first temperature threshold and at a pressure greater than about ambient pressure. In one embodiment, the ambient pressure can be, for example, about 70-105 kPa (absolute) (referred to herein as "kPa"), depending on factors such as, but not limited to, location, altitude, ambient environmental conditions and temperature at a particular location. abs "). In one embodiment, the feed stream may be introduced into the sorption separator, the sorption zone of the sorption separator, and at least one contactor or portion of a contactor within the sorption zone, entering a first end of the contactor and flowing in a direction substantially toward a second end of the contactor. When the feed stream contacts the at least one sorbent material of the contactor or portion of a contactor within the sorption zone, at least a portion of a first component of the feed stream, such as, for example, CO in an exemplary embodiment, which comprises a combustion gas feed stream, may be sorbed onto the at least one sorbent material to separate the first component from remaining unsorbed components of the feed stream.

[0096] In one such embodiment, the sorption process is exothermic, and heat of sorption is released during sorption of the first component onto the sorption material. This creates a heat wave moving in substantially the same direction as the direction of flow of the feed stream in the contactor, e.g., from the first end to the second end of the contactor. Most of the heat generated can be stored in the contactor in the form of heat capacity of the contactor at a temperature higher than the feed stream temperature, unless a significant portion of the third component is desorbed during the sorption step. The second component of the exemplary embodiment, e.g., the combustion gas feed stream, or the remaining unsorbed components of the feed stream, e.g., N2, constitute a first product stream in which the first component, e.g., CO2, is reduced from the feed stream at least periodically, and more specifically, the flux of the first component in the first product stream is at least 50% less than that of the feed stream. The first product stream can be recovered from the contactor, the sorption zone, the sorption separator, and the second end of the sorption system. In one embodiment, the sorption step may be completed and / or terminated when a predetermined value is reached (e.g., when a predetermined sorption time has elapsed, when a predetermined event is achieved, and / or before or after breakthrough of the first component from a location at or near the end (e.g., the second end) of the contactor, or upon detection of a rapid temperature increase at a particular location of the sorbent contactor. By continuously measuring changes in the concentration of the first component in the feed stream, a decrease in the flux of the first component in the flue gas stream or feed stream to a decrease in the flux of the first component in the first product stream, or changes in ambient temperature and pressure, the timing of the sorption step and the feed stream flow may also be synchronized to optimize recovery of the first component and utilization of the stream.

[0097] After completion and / or termination of the sorption step, a subsequent first regeneration step follows, which may be followed by a subsequent preconditioning step to partially remove the second component remaining in the pore space and dead volume of the contactor, for example by low pressure evacuation of the contactor and rinsing with water vapor at low pressure, for example less than 0.2 Pa partial pressure, to avoid extensive sorption of water vapor on the sorption material used in the contactor.

[0098] In one embodiment, a time fractionation-based split of the first product stream portion during the sorption step can be utilized. At least a portion of the first product stream (which can include a significant portion of the first component, or more than 10% of the feed flux of the first component, preferably more than 30% of the feed flux of the first component) can be recovered from the contactor and introduced as a portion of the feed stream to at least one of the other sorption separators or contactors during the sorption step, for example as a blend with the feed stream, or sequentially before or after the introduction of the feed stream depending on the concentration of the first component in the recovered first product stream portion, which advantageously increases the recovery of the first component from the feed stream.

[0099] In one embodiment, the first product stream splitting step can begin, for example, when a breakthrough point of the first component from the second end of the contactor is reached, prior to breakthrough of the first component from the second end of the contactor, when a predetermined temperature threshold is reached at or near the end of the contactor, or when a predetermined elapsed time threshold of the sorption step is reached.

[0100] In yet another embodiment, the first product stream splitting step is completed and / or terminated, for example, when a predetermined time threshold of the sorption step is reached, at or near the start of the first regeneration step, or when a predetermined concentration of at least one of the first component or second component is reached in the first product stream.

[0101] In one embodiment, a first regeneration step is utilized to at least partially regenerate or desorb at least a portion of a first component sorbed on at least one sorbent material in the contactor or a portion within a first regeneration zone of the contactor.

[0102] In an embodiment, the first regeneration step is initiated, for example, at the completion of the sorption step, at the end of the sorption step, or before the thermal wave created during the sorption step breaks through the end of the contactor (the end towards which the feed stream flows, e.g., the second end).

[0103] Alternatively, the first regeneration step can begin when less than about 5% of the first component entrained in the sorption step breaks through the end of the contactor, or before, when one or more predetermined thresholds are reached, such as thresholds related to the elapsed time of the sorption step, the duration of the sorption step, the pressure differential within the contactor, the temperature of the gas or solids within a portion of the contactor, and / or when one or more predetermined threshold concentrations or flows of a selected component or components or streams are reached.

[0104] In one embodiment, the first regeneration step can desirably reduce the consumption of high pressure or high energy steam streams by utilizing a desirably low energy first regeneration stream, such as a low pressure steam stream that can advantageously utilize energy and / or low pressure steam streams that may otherwise be discharged and not utilized in a particular process or integrated sorptive gas separation system. In one aspect, utilization of such a low energy regeneration stream can result in a reduction in energy losses or operational costs associated with the sorption process. Toward the end of the regeneration step, a first regeneration stream having a partial pressure of water vapor within a partial pressure range of about 0.5 to 1.2 Bara can be introduced to sorb or condense a desired amount of water onto or in the sorbent and / or contactor.

[0105] In one embodiment, during a first period of the first regeneration step, the partial pressure of the water vapor in the first regeneration stream is lowered to between about 0.05 and about 0.2 Bara to drive off some of the inert components, such as nitrogen and oxygen, from the contactor dead volume and pore space within the contactor prior to recovering the CO. During a second period of the first regeneration step, the partial pressure of the water vapor in the first regeneration stream is raised to above about 0.5 Bara, thereby allowing sorption of most of the water in the first regeneration stream, thereby resulting in the release of preferably at least about 1.5 times the amount of desorption heat of CO required for sorption, condensation, and pore condensation.

[0106] In one embodiment, the regeneration step requires 15 seconds or less, preferably 10 seconds or less, more preferably 8 seconds or less, and most preferably 5 seconds or less to desorb at least 50% of the sorbed first component from the at least one sorption material while consuming less than 6 moles of the third component per mole of CO2 captured, preferably less than 4 moles of the third component per mole of CO2 captured, and most preferably less than 3 moles of the third component per mole of CO2 captured.

[0107] During the first regeneration step, desorption of at least a portion of the first component sorbed onto the at least one sorbent material can be primarily facilitated by at least one of a partial pressure swing, e.g., the difference between the partial pressure or concentration of the at least one component of the first regeneration stream and the equilibrium partial pressure of said at least one component sorbed onto the at least one sorbent material; an adsorption heat energy swing, e.g., the difference in adsorption heat energy between the at least one component of the first regeneration stream and said at least one component sorbed onto the at least one sorbent material; and / or a vacuum swing, e.g., a pressure swing during a feeding or separation step and a regeneration step, e.g., the first regeneration step, or a combination of these processes.

[0108] In yet another embodiment, the first regeneration stream may include a significant condensable fluid stream and multiple first regeneration streams may be utilized during the first regeneration step, such as a (first) first regeneration stream including a significant first component and a (second) first regeneration stream including a significant third component, or a (first) first regeneration stream having a water vapor partial pressure of between about 0.05 and 0.2 Bara and a (second) first regeneration stream having a water vapor partial pressure of greater than about 0.5 Bara.

[0109] For example, an initial injection of CO2 at the start of the first regeneration step may be advantageous to increase the purity of the recovered portion of CO2 in the second product stream, or the lower purity second product stream can be recycled to introduce a portion of the lower purity second product stream into the contactor just prior to the first regeneration step, as the lower purity second product stream can preheat or add additional heat to the contactor and sorbent, resulting in increased recovery of CO2.

[0110] According to certain process embodiments, in the first regeneration step, a first regeneration stream source (e.g., a low pressure stage or a very low pressure stage of a multi-stage steam turbine, a very low pressure steam turbine, a heater or a heat exchanger) is supplied with a pressure of, for example, about 300 kPa. abs Below, especially about 200kPa abs Below, or more specifically, about 100 kPa abs A first regeneration stream having low energy, such as water in the form of a steam stream at a pressure below 0.15 Mpa, can be fed and introduced into the sorption system, the sorption separator, the first regeneration zone, the contactor or a portion of the first regeneration zone of the contactor.

[0111] The pressure of the first regeneration stream or steam stream can also be reduced before entering the contactor by passing it as a drive stream through the high pressure port of an ejector and recovering the lower pressure steam stream produced during the conditioning step from the low pressure port of the ejector. Because the amount of subatmospheric steam recovered is small, additional steam compression devices can be added to loop or recycle the steam within the ejector to collect a larger amount of low pressure steam or to increase the amount of low pressure steam.

[0112] In one such embodiment, when the first regeneration stream contacts the at least one sorbent material, a third component (e.g., HO) having a stronger affinity for the at least one sorbent material than the first component (e.g., CO) is sorbed onto the at least one sorbent material to generate a heat of adsorption that can be utilized in combination with the heat stored in the sorbent by sorption of the first component during the sorption step (which can also be referred to as a feed step or a separation step) and, to a lesser extent, the heat contained in the first regeneration stream, to desorb at least a portion of the first component sorbed onto the at least one sorbent material of the contactor or a portion in the first regeneration zone of the contactor during the first regeneration step.

[0113] Advantageously, utilizing at least a portion of the heat of adsorption, e.g., sorption of the third component or HO, generated during the first regeneration step can reduce the amount of energy, e.g., thermal energy and / or exergy, required or desired and utilized in the first regeneration stream, allowing the first regeneration stream to have an amount of heat that is less than approximately the amount of heat consumed in the sorption of at least one component (e.g., the first component) that is sorbed onto at least one sorption material in the contactor and recovered in the second product stream, allowing for utilization of a lower energy first regeneration stream, and / or reducing the amount of first regeneration stream introduced during the first regeneration step (which can result in reduced energy consumption and / or formation of condensation on the at least one sorption material).

[0114] In one embodiment, a portion of the first regeneration stream and / or the first component desorbed from the at least one sorbent material forms a second product stream that is more enriched in the first component than the feed stream. The second product stream can be recovered from, for example, the first end of the contactor, or an end, such as a portion in the first regeneration zone of the contactor, the first regeneration zone, and the first end of the sorption separator.

[0115] In certain embodiments, a first portion of the second product stream recovered from the contactor can be enriched in the first component relative to the feed stream or can contain significant amounts of the first component at a low partial pressure ratio relative to the saturation pressure of the third component (higher first component concentration at lower relative humidity), and a second or subsequent portion of the second product stream recovered from the contactor or a portion in the first regeneration zone of the contactor, the first regeneration zone, and the sorption separator can be highly enriched in the first component (e.g., in a concentration range of about 60% to 95% by volume of the first component) and enriched in the third component relative to the feed stream or can contain significant amounts of the third component.

[0116] In yet another embodiment, a first portion of the second product stream enriched in the first component, which may contain a significant amount of the first component, may be utilized and introduced as at least a portion of the recycle stream of the regeneration step, such as the second recycle stream of the second regeneration step. In one such aspect, a second portion of the second product stream enriched in or containing a significant amount of the third component may be introduced to at least one condenser or condensing heat exchanger during the condensation step.

[0117] In one embodiment, a condensation step may be utilized to condense and separate at least one condensable component from at least a portion of the second product stream and at least a portion of the third product stream recovered from the contactor and sorption separator, which may be introduced into a condenser or condensing heat exchanger to form a second product condensate stream and a purified second product stream that may be of a higher purity than or may have an enriched concentration of the first component in the second product stream recovered from the sorption separator and contactor.

[0118] A pressure drop or vacuum can also be induced in the condenser or condensing heat exchanger during the condensation step, but this is not required. In one embodiment, the condensation step is after the first regeneration step, but can be performed substantially simultaneously or substantially consecutively with a regeneration step, e.g., the first regeneration step, the second regeneration step, and / or the conditioning step.

[0119] The condensing step includes introducing at least a portion of the second product stream or at least a portion of the third product stream recovered from the contactor or sorption separator into a product circuit or a high temperature circuit of at least a first condenser, e.g., a first condensing heat exchanger of the at least a first condenser stage, introducing a coolant stream recovered from a coolant source into a coolant circuit or a low temperature circuit of the at least a first condenser (e.g., a first condensing heat exchanger of the at least a first condenser stage), and generating a condensate stream of the at least a first condenser (e.g., a first condensing heat exchanger of the at least a first condenser stage). removing heat from the product circuit or high temperature circuit to condense at least one component of at least a portion of the second product stream and at least a portion of the third product stream in the product circuit or high temperature circuit of at least a first condenser (e.g., a first condensing heat exchanger of said at least first condenser stage) from at least a portion of the second product stream and at least a portion of the third product stream; and maintaining a pressure of, for example, about 100 kPa in at least the high temperature circuit of at least the first condenser (e.g., the first condensing heat exchanger), at least a portion of the sorption separator, and at least a portion of the contactor. abs Below, or specifically about 80kPa abs Less than or equal to, or more specifically, about 50 kPa abs Below, or most specifically, about 20 kPa abs The method may include forming a purified second product stream and a condensate stream while inducing a reduced pressure and / or vacuum below 100° C.; recovering a refrigerant stream from a refrigerant circuit or a low temperature circuit of the at least first condenser (e.g., a first condensing heat exchanger of the at least first condenser stage); and recovering the purified second product stream and the condensate stream from a product circuit or a high temperature circuit of the at least first condenser (e.g., a first condensing heat exchanger of the at least first condenser stage).

[0120] Liquid water recovered from the high temperature circuit of at least the first condenser may be recycled to the boiler to produce steam.

[0121] In one embodiment, during the condensation step, at least a first condenser stage including at least a first condenser, e.g., a first condensing heat exchanger, having a fluidically separated cooling or low temperature circuit and a product or high temperature circuit, can be utilized. In the condensation step, at least a portion of the second product stream and at least a portion of the third product stream can be introduced into the product or high temperature circuit of at least a first condensing heat exchanger of at least the first condensation stage, e.g., at least one contactor, a first regeneration zone of a sorption separator, a second regeneration zone of a sorption separator, at least a portion of a third product stream capable of concentrating a third component recovered from the sorption separator. A coolant stream may be withdrawn from a condenser coolant source and introduced into the cooling circuit or low temperature circuit of at least a first condensing heat exchanger of at least a first condensing stage to transfer heat away from the product circuit of at least a first condensing heat exchanger of at least a first condensing stage, e.g., at a pressure of about 100 kPa in the product circuit and in the fluidly connected passages, e.g., the fluidly connected portion of the sorption separator, the first regeneration zone of the sorption separator, the second regeneration zone of the sorption separator, the fluidly connected portion of the contactor, and the passages upstream from the sorption separator. abs Below, especially about 80kPa abs Below, more specifically, about 50 kPa abs Below, more specifically, about 20 kPa abs Condensable components, e.g., the third component, of at least a portion of the second product stream or at least a portion of the third product stream in the product circuit can be condensed and separated to form a condensate stream comprising the first component and a purified second product stream, optionally while inducing a pressure drop and / or vacuum below:

[0122] A coolant stream may be withdrawn from the cooling circuit of at least the first condensing stage and at least the first condensing heat exchanger. A condensate stream may be withdrawn by pump from the product circuit and the high temperature circuit of at least the first condensing heat exchanger and at least the first condensing stage. After at least partial condensation or separation of condensable components from at least a portion of the second product stream and at least a portion of the third product stream in the product circuit, a purified second product stream may be formed and withdrawn from the product circuit of at least the first condensing heat exchanger and at least the first condensing stage.

[0123] At least one pump, such as, for example, an ejector, a vacuum pump, or a single or multi-stage compressor operating at a subambient inlet pressure, and / or at least one valve, such as, for example, a check valve or a throttling valve, may be fluidly connected downstream of the product recovery circuit or downstream of the condenser or condensing heat exchanger and / or condensing stage to assist in at least one of recovering the purified second product stream from the condenser or condensing heat exchanger and / or condensing stage, maintaining a reduced pressure or vacuum in the condenser or condensing heat exchanger and / or condensing stage, and / or further reducing the pressure in the condenser or condensing heat exchanger and / or condensing stage.

[0124] In an embodiment, at least one pump, such as, for example, an ejector, a vacuum pump, or a single or multi-stage compressor operating at subambient inlet pressure, and / or at least one valve, such as, for example, a check valve or a throttling valve, may be fluidly connected downstream of the condenser or condensing heat exchanger and / or condensing stage to assist in at least one of recovering the third component from the conditioning step, maintaining a reduced pressure or vacuum in the condenser or condensing heat exchanger and / or condensing stage, further reducing the pressure in the condenser or condensing heat exchanger and / or condensing stage, and / or reducing the pressure in the sorbent contactor.

[0125] The purified second product stream recovered from at least the first condensing heat exchanger and / or at least the first condensing stage or pump can be sent to an end use of the purified second product stream via a compressor to increase the pressure of the purified second product stream to form a compressed second product stream. In one aspect, maintaining a reduced pressure or vacuum within the product circuit of at least the first condensing heat exchanger and at least the first condensing stage and the sorption separator, the first regeneration zone, the second regeneration zone, and the fluidly connected portions of at least a portion of the contactor can advantageously enable a vacuum desorption mechanism or vacuum assisted desorption of one or more components from at least one sorbent material of the contactor or at least one sorbent material of a portion within the first regeneration zone and / or the second regeneration zone of the contactor during the first regeneration step and / or the second regeneration step.

[0126] Additionally, in one embodiment, the pressure drop or vacuum in the contactor may also reduce the amount of the first regeneration stream or third component required or required for the first regeneration step, formation of condensation and / or sorption in the condensed state of the condensable component, such as, for example, the third component or HO on the at least one sorbent material, which may advantageously further result in a reduction in the energy and operational costs consumed in desorption of the sorbed component or regeneration of the at least one sorbent material. The amount of the third component sorbed in the first regeneration step is directly proportional to the amount of water accumulated on the sorbent prior to the first regeneration step and the equilibrium capacity of the partial pressure of the third component in the first regeneration gas stream at the temperature of the sorbent at the end of the regeneration step.

[0127] The partial pressure of the third component or the pressure of the water vapor, if not diluted, is desirably regulated and controlled to inject sufficient energy into the sorbent to raise the sorbent temperature and provide the heat of desorption of the first component.

[0128] In an alternative embodiment, by utilizing at least a first condenser stage including at least a first condensing heat exchanger and at least one ejector, the pressure drop or vacuum can be induced without utilizing a mechanically operated vacuum pump, such as an electrically operated vacuum pump, which can advantageously result in reduced energy consumption and operating costs during at least the first regeneration step and the sorptive gas separation process.

[0129] In yet another embodiment, when utilizing the vacuum desorption mechanism described above to assist in the regeneration of at least one sorbent material, for example during a first regeneration step, the first regeneration stream can be introduced into the contactor at an appropriately reduced pressure to facilitate vacuum-assisted desorption of the first component from the sorbent material. Such pressure reduction of the first regeneration stream can be achieved, for example, by throttling a valve or by mechanical expansion to achieve some degree of energy recovery.

[0130] In one embodiment, the heat of compression extracted in an aftercooler or intercooler downstream of a vacuum pump or compressor or between compressor stages of a multi-stage compressor can be recovered and utilized in a sorptive gas separation process, for example, to produce a low pressure steam stream. In such an embodiment, the low pressure steam stream is generated at a pressure of about 300 kPa. abs Below, especially about 200 kPa abs Below, or more specifically, about 100 kPa absor lower, which may form at least a portion of the first regenerated stream to supplement the steam recovered from the low exergy regenerated stream source, the first regenerated stream source, or a steam turbine, or to increase the temperature of a fluid stream containing a significant third component to a temperature suitable for utilization as the first and / or second regenerated stream. In another embodiment, further or additional condensation of the third component from the purified second product stream may be achieved by utilizing additional condensers or condensing heat exchanger stages and / or between at least the lower pressure stages of a multi-stage compressor utilized to compress the purified second product stream recovered from the condensing heat exchanger.

[0131] In one embodiment, during the condensation step, at least a first ejector may be utilized to assist in at least one of withdrawing the purified second product stream from the condenser, maintaining a reduced pressure or vacuum in the condenser, and / or further reducing the pressure in the condenser, and may be fluidly connected downstream of the condenser or condensing heat exchanger and fluidly connected to a source of the purified second product stream, such as, for example, a compressor, capable of supplying the purified second product stream at an elevated pressure. In one aspect, the purified second product stream may be withdrawn from the condenser or condensing heat exchanger and introduced into a low pressure port of the ejector. In yet another ... abs Ultra, especially 200kPa abs Over, or even more specifically, 600 kPa abs A purified second product stream (referred to herein as the "compressed second product stream") at an elevated pressure above 1000 psi can be withdrawn from one or more lower pressure stages of the compressor or multi-stage compressor and introduced as a drive stream into the high pressure port of the ejector, which can be desirable because it can assist in recovering the purified first component in the second product stream from the contactor.

[0132] In one embodiment, a pre-regeneration step can be utilized after the sorption step and prior to the first regeneration step to increase the purity of the second product stream withdrawn from the contactor during the first regeneration step. During the pre-regeneration step, a pre-regeneration stream can be utilized that includes at least a portion of the first regeneration stream or a fluid stream that includes a significant third component, such as, for example, a first portion of the condition stream, and can be withdrawn from a source of the first regeneration stream and introduced into the sorption system, the sorption separator, and the at least one contactor prior to injecting the first regeneration stream.

[0133] In one embodiment, the pre-regeneration stream can desorb at least a portion of the second component or other diluent fluid components that may be undesirably cosorbed on the at least one sorbent material to form a feed stream reflux that can contain a higher concentration of the second component than the other components in the feed stream reflux and can be more enriched in the first component than the feed stream. The feed stream reflux can be recovered from the first end of the contactor, recycled, and introduced into the contactor before or after the sorption step.

[0134] In certain process embodiments, a conditioning step after the first regeneration step can be utilized to at least partially regenerate at least one sorbent material of the contactor, e.g., to at least partially desorb a third component sorbed on the at least one sorbent material. During the conditioning step, desorption of the component sorbed on the at least one sorbent material can be driven primarily by a temperature swing and / or a partial pressure or concentration swing of the at least one component. Most advantageously, a partial pressure swing of the third component is used to both remove the third component and cool the sorbent contactor during the conditioning step, as faster process steps and process cycles are favorable for process costs.

[0135] The conditioned stream can include at least one component having a partial pressure less than the equilibrium partial pressure of the at least one component sorbed on the at least one sorbent material in the contactor, and / or a fluid stream enriched in a second component relative to the feed stream, e.g., having a concentration of the second component greater than about 50%. According to one embodiment, the conditioned stream can be at a temperature equal to or greater than a second temperature threshold, e.g., about the condensation temperature of the conditioned stream, and less than the temperature of the at least one sorbent material during the first regeneration step. In one such embodiment, a fluid stream suitable for use as the conditioned stream can include, for example, a combustion gas stream or an elevated temperature air stream generated in a fuel combustor and recovered, and / or a portion of a second product stream, e.g., a first portion of the second product stream having a low partial pressure of a third component or low humidity.

[0136] In certain process embodiments, in the conditioning step, a conditioned stream source, such as a fuel combustor, can introduce a conditioned stream into the sorption system, the sorption separator, the conditioning zone, and the contactor or a portion of the contactor within the conditioning zone, where the conditioned stream enters the first end of the contactor and flows substantially toward the second end of the contactor or in a cocurrent direction relative to the direction of flow of the feed stream. As the conditioned stream flows through the contactor and contacts the at least one sorbent material, a temperature swing and / or partial pressure or concentration difference between the conditioned stream and the equilibrium partial pressures of the sorbed components, such as the third component and the first component, can desirably cause at least a portion of the sorbed components to desorb from the at least one sorbent material. In one such embodiment, the conditioned stream and / or a portion of the desorbed components can form a third product stream that can be more enriched in the first component and / or the third component than the feed stream. A third product stream can be recovered from at least one of the second end of the contactor, the conditioning zone, the sorption separator, and the sorption system.

[0137] In one such example, a first portion of the third product stream recovered from the contactor may be enriched in the third component or may contain, for example, a significant amount of the third component or a concentration of the third component that is greater than the concentration of at least one of the first and / or second components, and a second or subsequent portion of the third product stream recovered from the contactor may be enriched in the first component or may contain, for example, a significant amount of the first and / or second component or may contain, for example, a significant amount of the first and / or second component or a concentration of at least one of the first and / or second components that is greater than the concentration of the third component. In one such embodiment, by utilizing a first regeneration stream during the first regeneration step and a condition stream during the conditioning step that comprise different regeneration media (e.g., different gases and / or different gas compositions) and streams, consumption of at least one of the first regeneration or conditioning media and streams for the regeneration or sorption process of the at least one sorbent material may be advantageously reduced.

[0138] In exemplary such embodiments, the conditioning step may also reduce the temperature of the at least one sorbent material and the contactor, e.g., to a temperature below that during the first regeneration step, due to desorption of the third component and / or the first component sorbed to the at least one sorbent material, while reducing the formation of condensate that may advantageously aid in the regeneration process while reducing the energy consumption and operating costs of the sorptive gas separation process. During the conditioning step, the contactor and / or the at least one sorbent material may be heated to a pressure of, e.g., about 100 kPa. abs Less than (or approximately 70-100 kPa depending on factors such as, but not limited to, the location, altitude, condition, and temperature of the surrounding environment at a particular location) abs and a third product stream may be withdrawn from the contactor or the second end of the contactor and introduced to join the contactor as a portion of the feed stream, such as by being introduced into a DCC prior to being introduced into the contactor.

[0139] In one such embodiment, such subambient pressure during the conditioning step is advantageous as it may increase the efficiency of the sorption process, e.g., the recovery of the component sought to be separated, such as the first component, and / or the purity of the second product stream.

[0140] In alternative process embodiments according to the present disclosure, during the conditioning step, the conditioned stream may comprise a fluid stream that is more enriched in the first component than the feed stream. The conditioned stream may be provided at a temperature equal to or greater than an exemplary second temperature threshold, or may be provided at a temperature equal to or greater than a third temperature threshold (e.g., about the upper temperature of the at least one sorbent material during the first regeneration step or during desorption of at least a portion of the first component sorbed on the at least one sorbent material).

[0141] In yet another embodiment, the pressure and composition of the condition stream is adjusted and / or controlled to include at least one component (e.g., a third component) having a partial pressure higher than the equilibrium partial pressure of the at least one component (e.g., a third component) sorbed on the at least one sorbent material in the contactor, which causes the at least one component to sorb to the at least one sorbent material.

[0142] In yet another embodiment, the at least one component is water vapor and the ratio of moles of water vapor sorbed or condensed within the pores of the contactor sorbent to moles of CO2 removed from the sorbent is less than 6, preferably less than 4, or most preferably less than 3.

[0143] When a first portion and / or a first period of the second product stream withdrawn from the contactor (during the first regeneration step) is utilized as at least a portion of the feed stream during the sorption step or is introduced unmixed, a second and / or a subsequent portion of the second product stream can be withdrawn from the contactor (during the first regeneration step) and introduced to at least one condenser or condensing heat exchanger to further purify or increase the purity of the first component, e.g., CO2.

[0144] In certain process embodiments, a condensation step may be utilized to condense and separate at least one condensable component from at least a portion of the second product stream and at least a portion of the third product stream recovered from the contactor and the sorption separator to form a third product condensate stream and a purified third product stream that may have a reduced concentration of the third component relative to the concentration of the third component in the third product stream recovered from the sorption separator and the contactor.

[0145] During the conditioning step, the contactor and / or at least one sorbent material is subjected to a pressure of subambient pressure, or about 100 kPa. abs Less than (or for example 70-100kPa abs The third component may be recycled to an evaporator (e.g., a steam generator) to reduce consumption of the third component by the rapid cycling sorption separation process, and the condition stream may be introduced to the sorption separator and contactor to enter the contactor, and / or at least a portion of the third product stream recovered from the contactor may be introduced to at least one condenser or condensing heat exchanger. The recovered condensate containing the third component may then be recycled to an evaporator (e.g., a steam generator) to reduce consumption of the third component by the rapid cycling sorption separation process.

[0146] In one embodiment according to the present disclosure, the sorption process includes a feed stream cooling step, a sorption step, a pre-regeneration step, a first regeneration step, and a conditioning step.

[0147] In embodiments, the sorption step, pre-regeneration step, first regeneration step, and conditioning step can be cycled in sequence and repeated substantially continuously or intermittently. The feed stream cooling step, sorption step, pre-regeneration step, first regeneration step, and conditioning step can be performed substantially simultaneously within a sorption system, such as, for example, a sorption system utilizing five or more sorption separators and contactors, or a sorption system utilizing a single sorption separator with a single contactor moving or cycling through at least five zones within the sorption separator.

[0148] In yet another alternative process embodiment according to the present disclosure, the sorption process may further include at least one depressurization step and at least one pressurization step, where the at least one depressurization step may occur after the sorption step and before the first regeneration step, and the at least one pressurization step may occur after the first regeneration step and before the conditioning step or the sorption step.

[0149] 1 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a sorption system and process comprising a plurality of stationary or fixed contactors 100, 101, and 102, a feed stream conduit 201, a first product stream conduit 202, a condition stream conduit 203, a third product stream conduit 204 for collecting an effluent of the condition stream, a first regeneration stream conduit 205, and a second product stream conduit 206. Valves are fluidly connected between the conduits 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, and 206 and the contactors 100, 101, and 102 to control the flow of fluid streams into and out of the contactors during each process step. The sorption separation system further includes valves 201-100, 202-100, 203-100, 204-100, 205-100, and 206-100 fluidly connected to contactor 100; valves 201-101, 202-101, 203-101, 204-101, 205-101, and 206-101 fluidly connected to contactor 101; and valves 201-102, 202-102, 203-102, 204-102, 205-102, and 206-102 fluidly connected to contactor 102.

[0150] Table 1 below shows the valves and valve positions of the sorption separation system shown in FIG. 1. Each row of the table represents a valve and its position for each contactor, and each column of the table represents the corresponding step in the sorption process for each contactor during one period of time. The valves are identified with the associated conduit and contactor, e.g., valves 201-100 represent valves fluidly connected in and / or between conduit 201 and contactor 100. FIG. 1 and the table below show an embodiment of a sorption process having three steps for each contactor: a sorption step A, a first regeneration step B, and a conditioning step C. In the table below, a "o" indicates that the valve is open and a "x" indicates that the valve is closed. In this example, contactors 100, 101, and 102 are operated out of phase or substantially sequentially to produce semi-continuous flow of the feed stream, the second product stream, and the condition gas stream. The three steps illustrated are a sorption step using a feed stream, a first regeneration step using a first regeneration stream, and a conditioning step using a condition stream.

[0151] [Table 1]

[0152] In one embodiment of a system for carrying out the process of the present invention, the sorbent contactors are stationary or fixed contactors grouped in sets of three or more contactors operating at coordinated cycle speeds and phases. Each contactor is connected to at least three inlet conduits, each having a valve, and three outlet conduits, each having a valve, operable to enable and disable the fluid connection between each contactor and the conduits. The valves can be, for example, rotary valves, two-way valves, three-way valves, gate valves, butterfly valves, etc., with preferably reduced piping distances and / or volumes between the valves and the contactors.

[0153] 2 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a sorption system and process comprising a plurality of stationary or fixed contactors 100, 101, and 102, a feed stream conduit 201, first product stream conduits 202a and 202b, a first regenerator stream conduit 205, a second product stream conduit 206, and a first product recycle conduit 208. Valves are fluidly connected to each fluid connection between the conduits and the contactors to control the flow of fluid streams into and out of the contactors during each process step. Valves are identified with their associated conduits and contactors, e.g., valves 201-100 represent valves fluidly connected in and / or between conduit 201 and contactor 100. The sorption separation system further includes valves 201-100, 202a-100, 202b-100, 208-100, 205-100, and 206-100 fluidly connected to contactor 100; valves 201-101, 202a-101, 202b-101, 208-101, 205-101, and 206-101 fluidly connected to contactor 101; and valves 201-102, 202a-102, 202b-102, 208-102, 205-102, and 206-102 fluidly connected to contactor 102.

[0154] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a sorption process having three steps for each contactor, namely A1, A2, and B. Table 2 below illustrates the valves and corresponding valve positions of the sorption separation system illustrated in FIG. 2. Each row of the table represents a valve and its position for each contactor, and each column of the table represents the corresponding step in the sorption process for each contactor during one period of time. Valves are identified with their associated conduit and contactor, e.g., valves 201-100 represent valves fluidly connected in and / or between conduit 201 and contactor 100. Valves are indicated as open with a "circle" and valves are indicated as closed with a "cross." In this example, contactors 100, 101, and 102 are operated out of phase to produce a semi-continuous flow of the feed stream, the second product stream, and the first product stream. The three steps illustrated are a first sorption step A1, a second sorption step A2, and a first regeneration step B using a first regeneration stream. In this example, two sorbent contactors are operated substantially in series to allow for improved recovery of the first component while increasing the saturation level of the first component in the contactor during the second sorption step prior to the first regeneration step. A condensation unit (not shown in FIG. 2) can be utilized in fluid connection in conduit 208 to improve the performance of some sorption materials sorption processes and systems by removing a third component from the first product recycle stream. Some of the sorption steps, such as sorption step A1, can also produce results similar to typical conditioning steps in other sorption processes when the feed stream introduced in sorption step A1 contains a relatively low concentration of the third component that allows stripping the third component sorbed on the sorption material while sorbing the first component.

[0155] [Table 2]

[0156] In sorptive gas separation applications where a first component is separated from a fuel process flue gas stream, the partial pressure of water in the feed stream introduced to the contactor during the sorption step can be much lower than during the first regeneration step because a portion of the water is removed.

[0157] Although FIG. 2 shows a reversal of flow direction when switching between the first sorption step A1 and the second sorption step A2, a reversal of flow direction is not required for the practice of the present technique.

[0158] In one alternative system embodiment for carrying out the process of the present invention, the sorbent contactors are stationary or fixed contactors grouped in sets of three or more contactors operating at coordinated cycle speeds and phases. Each contactor is connected to at least three inlet conduits, each having a valve, and three outlet conduits, each having a valve, operable to enable and disable the fluid connection between each contactor and the conduits. The valves can be, for example, rotary valves, two-way valves, three-way valves, gate valves, butterfly valves, and the like, preferably with reduced piping distances and / or volumes between the valves and the contactors. At least one conduit can be used to connect the contactors in series, such that a process effluent, such as the exhaust stream of a first contactor, becomes at least a portion of the feed stream of a second contactor.

[0159] In an alternative embodiment, the sorption separation process may use a sorption system with the same physical layout of the sorption system as in Figure 2, except that the sorption step is divided into three sorption steps: a first sorption step A1 using a contactor performing step A1 fluidly connected in series with and upstream of a contactor performing step A3, a second sorption step A2 using a contactor that operates to allow a feed stream to flow straight through the contactor to sorb and separate a first component from the feed stream to produce a first product stream and recover the first product stream, and a third sorption step A3 using contactors that operate in series to promote and increase saturation of the sorbent in the contactor, sometimes referred to as a feed saturation step.

[0160] Table 3 below shows an embodiment of a sorption process having three sorption steps, a first sorption step A1, a second sorption step A2, and a third sorption step A3 for each contactor, and a first regeneration step B using a first regeneration stream, and the corresponding valve positions of the valves and sorption separation system shown in FIG. 2. Each row of the table represents a valve and its position for each contactor, and each column of the table represents the corresponding step in the sorption process for each contactor during one period of time. Valves are identified with their associated conduit and contactor, e.g., valves 201-100 represent valves in and / or fluidly connected between conduit 201 and contactor 100. Valves are indicated as open with a "circle" and valves are indicated as closed with a "cross."

[0161] [Table 3]

[0162] In this example, contactors 100, 101, and 102 are operated out of phase to show how multiple contactors can be used to produce semi-continuous flow of the feed stream, the feed effluent or the first product stream, and the second and third product streams. A condensation unit (not shown in FIG. 3) can be fluidly connected and utilized in conduit 208 to improve the performance of some sorption materials sorption processes and systems by removing a third component from the first product stream. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the flow resistance in the second sorption step A2, where there is only one sorbent contactor in the path of the feed stream to the first product stream conduit 202a, is significantly lower than the flow resistance in the first sorption step A1 or the third sorption step A3, where two sorbent contactor beds are operated in series. This results in the pressure in conduit 201 and conduit 202a or 202b being substantially constant up to the valves, and a higher flow through the sorbent contactors during the second sorption step A2. It is desirable to minimize flow resistance of the feed stream in the sorption machine and contactor to allow for faster cycles of the process and / or reduce the energy used to drive optional fans or blowers that may be used to pressurize or move the feed stream.

[0163] Although FIG. 2 shows a reversal of flow direction when switching between the first sorption step A1 and the second sorption step A2, a reversal of flow direction is not required for the practice of the present technique.

[0164] 3A and 3B are plots showing the results of a numerical simulation of a MOF sorbent-based contactor, showing snapshots of the temperature and CO2 and HO loading profiles near the midpoint of a first regeneration step utilizing a steam stream as the first regeneration stream, where the steam injection is in a countercurrent direction to the direction of flow of the feed stream in the contactor during the sorption step. Figure 3A shows a plot 400 of temperature as a function of axial position, with temperature on the Y-axis and axial position of the contactor at 1 meter on the X-axis. Figure 3B shows the loading of sorbed species on the Y-axis and the axial position of the 1 meter contactor on the X-axis, with plot 401 showing the amount of the third component or water component sorbed on the sorbent (or water loading) in Kmol per Kg of sorbent as a function of axial position, plot 402 showing the amount of the first component or carbon dioxide component sorbed on the sorbent (or CO2 loading) in Kmol per Kg of sorbent as a function of axial position, area 410 representing the desorbed first component or carbon dioxide component, and area 420 representing the resorbed first component or carbon dioxide component. Figures 3A and 3B represent time points during the regeneration step. Arrows 454 and 456 represent the direction of temperature front movement, and arrow 452 represents the desorption front of the first or carbon dioxide component as the regeneration or steam stream is introduced into the contactor from axial position 1.0 m to 0.0 m of the contactor during the regeneration step as shown by arrow 450. Temperature change 430 represents the temperature change as a result of sorption of the third or water component, and temperature change 440 represents the temperature change as a result of resorption of the first or carbon dioxide component.

[0165] In this case, about 1 Bara of pure water vapor was simulated and introduced into the contactor from axial position 1.0 m to 0.0 m of the contactor as indicated by arrow 450. In Figure 3A, a large temperature rise or change 430 can be seen at an axial position from about 0.6 m to 1.0 m of the contactor where the water vapor is sorbed and releasing the heat of adsorption, and a second smaller temperature rise or change 440 can be seen at an axial position from about 0.3 m to 0.5 m of the contactor where some of the CO2 is being resorbed within the contactor on its way out of the contactor.

[0166] In FIG. 3B, the shaded area shows the change in CO2 loading relative to the loading profile recorded at the end of the sorption step. At the midpoint of the first regeneration step, almost no CO2 escapes from the contactor due to the large increase in CO2 sorption capacity when the high concentration second product effluent formed in the contactor is contacted. Region 410 represents the integral of the desorbed first or CO2 component between axial positions 0.6 m and 1 m, which coincides very well with region 420, which represents the amount of CO2 resorbed between axial positions 0.3 m and 0.5 m. This phenomenon is very similar to a chromatographic purification step in which the desired product is concentrated in a color column.

[0167] It is important that the heat and gas composition fronts moving through the contactor during the first regeneration step are moving at the same speed throughout the contactor to minimize the use of excess steam to push the CO2 out of the contactor. Resorption itself has a low impact on the energy ramifications of the process since the heat of adsorption is stored in the sorbent structure and can be partially returned during desorption or replace some of the steam or energy required to increase the temperature of the contactor during the first regeneration step. Arrows 454 and 456 represent the direction of temperature front movement and arrow 452 represents the desorption front of the first component or carbon dioxide component during the first regeneration step.

[0168] 4 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a sorption system comprising a RAM 509 having a contactor 500 further comprising at least a sorbent and configured with four stationary zones or segments (for associated process steps or states), where the zones or segments are substantially fluidly separated within the contactor 500. Segments A2 and A3, the contactor 500, and the RAM 509 are fluidly connected to receive a feed stream 501. The outlet of segment A2 is fluidly connected to recover a second portion of the first product or effluent stream 502, and the outlet of segment A3 is fluidly connected to recover the first product or effluent stream 501-R from the outlet of segment A3 and introduce the effluent stream 501-R to the inlet of segment A1. The outlet of segment A1 is fluidly connected to recover the first product or effluent stream 507 from segment A1 and to combine the effluent stream 507 with the effluent stream 502. RAM 509 and contactor 500 are fluidly connected to receive recycle stream 503 in segment B and to withdraw second product stream 504 from segment B.

[0169] In one embodiment, the contactor 500 rotates around a central axis and moves to different feed and exhaust fluid connectors arranged on a stator plate (not shown in FIG. 5) perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the contactor 500. The feed stream 501 is directed towards and introduced into segments A2 and A3, and a first product or exhaust stream 501-R is generated at the outlet of segment A3 and collected therefrom. The exhaust stream 501-R is introduced back into segment A1 as a feed stream during the pre-feed or first sorption step to improve the recovery. The exhaust stream 507 can be combined with the exhaust stream 502 collected from segment A2. The regeneration stream 503 is introduced into segment B in a countercurrent direction with respect to the flow direction of the feed stream 501 of segments A2 and A3 during the respective sorption steps to produce a second product stream 504 enriched in the first component than the feed stream 501.

[0170] In certain embodiments, the contactor 500 cycles between four steps, including a pre-feed or first sorption step that includes recycling and introducing at least a portion of the effluent stream 501-R to improve the recovery of the first component and conditioning the sorbent in segment A1 by cooling and removing at least a portion of the third component sorbed on the sorbent; a second sorption step to sorb the first component and increase the recovery of the first component to greater than about 90%. a feed saturation or third sorption step in which feed stream 501 is introduced into segment A3 and contactor 500 to reduce the recovery of the first component to less than about 80%, and a regeneration step in which regeneration stream 503 having a partial pressure of the third component higher than the equilibrium saturation level of the portion of contactor 500 within segment A3 during third sorption is introduced into segment B and contactor 500 to cause exothermic sorption or condensation of the third component in the sorbent while substantially simultaneously releasing the first component sorbed to the sorbent.

[0171] 5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the invention having two stages in a configuration with a rotary adsorption machine (RAM) with a second stage RAM operating similarly to that shown in FIG. 4. In the first stage, a first RAM 610 is used to remove a portion of moisture from the flue gas, where a second portion of the flue gas is used as a feed stream 501 for the first RAM 610. The first RAM 610 is fluidly connected to recover an effluent stream 602 and introduce the effluent stream 602 as a feed stream to a second stage or segment A2 of the second RAM 510 for separating a first component or carbon dioxide from the feed stream. The first portion of the flue gas bypasses the first RAM 610 and is used as a feed stream 501 for a segment A3 of the second RAM 510.

[0172] In FIG. 5, an exemplary embodiment of a sorption system includes a first RAM 610 having a contactor 600 further comprising at least a first sorbent and configured with two zones or segments, and a second RAM 510 having a contactor 500 further comprising at least a second sorbent and configured with four zones or segments. The contactor 600 and the zones or segments of the contactor 500 are substantially fluidly separated. The first RAM 610 and the contactor 600 are fluidly connected to receive and / or introduce a second portion of the feed stream 501 into segment D1 and the contactor 600 and to recover a first product stream or effluent stream 602 from segment D1 and the contactor 600, and to receive and / or introduce a recycle stream 603 into segment E and to recover an effluent stream 604 from segment E, which may include a third component or water in a higher concentration than the recycle stream 603. In the second RAM 510, segment A2, contactor 500, and RAM 510 are fluidly connected to receive as a feed stream the effluent stream 602 from the contactor 600 and segment D1 of the first RAM 610, and segment A3, contactor 500, and RAM 510 are fluidly connected to receive as a feed stream a first portion of said feed stream 501. The outlet of segment A2 is fluidly connected to withdraw a second portion of the first product or effluent stream 502, and the outlet of segment A3 is fluidly connected to withdraw a third portion of the first product or effluent stream 501-R from the outlet of segment A3 and introduce the effluent stream 501-R to the inlet of segment A1 as a feed stream. The outlet of segment A1 is fluidly connected to withdraw a first portion of the first product or effluent stream 508 from segment A1 and combine the effluent stream 508 with the effluent stream 502. RAM 510 and segment B of contactor 500 are fluidly connected to receive regenerated stream 503 and to withdraw second product stream 504 from segment B. The first sorbent in contactor 600 may or may not be the same sorbent as the second sorbent in contactor 500.

[0173] In one embodiment, a first RAM 610 having a contactor 600 is configured before or upstream of a second RAM 510 having a contactor 500, where the second RAM 510 is used to separate and remove a first component from a multi-component fluid stream used as a feed stream 501. A first portion of the flue gas or feed stream 501 bypasses the first RAM 610 and is used as a feed stream 501 to segment A3 of the second RAM 510.

[0174] The first RAM 610 and contactor 600 are used to remove the third component from the second portion of the feed stream 501. If the feed stream is a combustion flue gas, the first RAM 610 and contactor 600 are utilized for removal of the third component or water. During the sorption step, the second portion of the feed stream 501 is introduced into and flows through segment D1 of the contactor 600, where the third component is sorbed and separated from the second portion of the feed stream 501 by the first sorbent. The remaining unsorbed components become an effluent stream 602 that is partially depleted in the third component (e.g., water) compared to the feed stream 501. As the contactor 600 rotates about its axis, the sorbent in segment E is regenerated by introducing a dry gas stream, such as a regeneration stream 603, e.g., a low humidity air stream, to generate an effluent stream 604 enriched in the third component compared to the second portion of the feed stream 501 by partial pressure swing, pressure swing, or vacuum swing. The effluent stream 604 is then withdrawn from segment E, the contactor 600, and the first RAM 610.

[0175] The effluent 602 from segment D1 of the first RAM 610 is then used as a feed stream to segment A2 of the second RAM 510. The second RAM 510 and contactor 500 operate as described in FIG. 4 except for using a conditioned (or dried) feed steam, e.g., using the effluent stream 602 recovered from segment D1 of the RAM 610 as a feed stream to segment A2 of the RAM 510, and adding a condenser 505 to remove a portion of the third component from the effluent stream 501-R as a condensate stream 506. In the case of combustion flue gas cleaning, removing water from the effluent stream 602 for use as a feed stream to be introduced into segment A2 during the second sorption step and / or removing water from the effluent stream 501-R to be introduced into segment A1 during the pre-feed or first sorption step significantly improves the performance of some MOF-based sorbents that have competing water adsorption at the CO2 adsorption site.

[0176] In certain embodiments, a sorption system using the described process comprises two sorption machines or RAMs fluidly connected in series, e.g., RAM 610 and RAM 510, where the first RAM or first RAM 610 removes a majority of the third component from a feed stream, e.g., the second portion of feed stream 501, in the range of greater than about 30% to less than about 80%, to produce a low humidity effluent or product stream, e.g., effluent stream 602, which can then be used as a feed stream to segment A2 of the second RAM 510, which operates to recover the first component contained in the feed gas, e.g., the first portion of feed stream 501 and the second portion of feed stream 501.

[0177] In yet another embodiment, the RAM can further comprise a condenser using a cooling stream or a pressurized expansion loop fluidly connected to recover a third portion of the first product stream from the contactor and the RAM and to recycle and introduce the third portion of the first product stream or effluent stream as a feed stream into the contactor and the RAM. The condenser can be fluidly connected to recover the first product stream or effluent stream 501-R from segment A3 of the contactor 500 and to recycle and introduce the first product stream or effluent stream 501-R as a feed stream into segment A1 of the contactor 500.

[0178] 6 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the invention having two stages in a rotary adsorption machine (RAM) configuration. In the first stage, a first RAM 720 operates in a simplified cycle having two sorption steps and a regeneration step. A second portion of the first product stream, which contains a higher percentage or concentration of the first component than the first portion of the first product stream from the first RAM 720, is directed to a second stage and a second RAM 730 to increase the recovery of the first component.

[0179] In FIG. 6, an exemplary embodiment of a sorption system using the process described in this disclosure includes a first RAM 720 having a contactor 700 further comprising at least a first sorbent and configured with three zones or segments, and a second RAM 730 having a contactor 710 further comprising at least a second sorbent and configured with four zones or segments. The zones or segments of the contactor 700 and the contactor 710 are substantially fluidly separated. In one aspect, the first RAM 720 having the contactor 700 is configured before or upstream of and fluidly connected to the second RAM 730 having the contactor 710. Segments A2 and A3 of the contactor 710 and the second RAM 730 are fluidly connected to receive and introduce as a feed stream a second portion of the first product or effluent stream 711 from the contactor 700 and segment D2 of the first RAM 720. The contactor 700 and segment D1 and segment D2 of the first RAM 720 are fluidly connected to receive the feed stream 701. The first RAM 720 and segment D1 are fluidly connected to withdraw a first portion of the first product or effluent stream 702. In the second RAM 730, segments A2 and A3, the contactor 710, and the RAM 730 are fluidly connected to receive the feed stream from the contactor 700 and segment D2 of the first RAM 720 from the effluent stream 711. The outlet of segment A2 is fluidly connected to withdraw a second portion of the first product or effluent stream 712, and the outlet of segment A3 is fluidly connected to withdraw a third portion of the first product or effluent stream 711-R from the outlet of segment A3 and introduce the effluent stream 711-R to the inlet of segment A1. An outlet of segment A1 is fluidly connected to withdraw a first portion of a first product or effluent stream 708 from segment A1 and to combine effluent stream 708 with effluent stream 712. RAM 730 and contactor 710 are fluidly connected to receive a regenerated stream 713 in segment B and to withdraw a second product stream 714 from segment B.The first sorbent in the contactor 700 may or may not be the same sorbent as the second sorbent in the contactor 710. Both the first RAM 720 and the second RAM 730 are used to separate and recover a first component, such as carbon dioxide, from a multi-component gas stream, such as a flue gas stream, utilized as a feed stream 701. The first RAM 720 and the contactor 700 use a simpler cycle with fewer process steps that can increase productivity but result in lower recovery of the first component. The second RAM 730 and the contactor 710 use a more complex cycle with more process steps that result in increased recovery from a feed stream that is a portion of the effluent stream from the first RAM 720 and the contactor 700.

[0180] In one embodiment, the first RAM 720 and the contactor 700 are configured with three segments or three process steps, where the feed stream 701 is introduced into the first RAM 720, segment D1, segment D2, and the contactor 700 to contact the first sorbent. During the first sorption step, which corresponds to and takes place in segment D1, a first component is separated from the feed stream 701 and removed with a recovery rate of greater than about 90% as a first portion of a first product stream or effluent stream 702 that can be disposed of, for example, by venting to the atmosphere. The contactor 700 then moves or rotates to perform a feed saturation step or a second sorption step in segment D2, but with a significantly lower recovery rate of the first component than the first sorption step in segment D1. A second portion of the first product or effluent stream 711 is withdrawn from the contactor 700 in segment D2 and used as a feed stream to the second RAM 730 and contactor 710. A first regenerated stream 703 has a partial pressure of a third component higher than the equilibrium saturation level of the sorbent during the immediately preceding second sorption step performed in segment A2 and is introduced to the first RAM 720, segment E, and contactor 700 to cause exothermic sorption or condensation of the third component onto the sorbent in segment E while simultaneously releasing the first component sorbed in and / or on the sorbent. A second product stream 704 is withdrawn from segment E and may be further purified before incorporating the first component as a product.

[0181] In another embodiment, the second RAM 730 and the contactor 710 move or rotate around the central axis to different feed and exhaust fluid connectors arranged on a stator plate (not shown in FIG. 6) perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the contactor 710. The effluent stream 711 is sent and introduced as a feed stream to the second RAM 730 and segments A2 and A3, and a third portion of the first product stream produced in and recovered from segment A3 as effluent stream 711-R is returned as a feed stream to segment A1 during the pre-feed or first sorption step to increase recovery. A condenser 715 is fluidly connected to segment A3 to separate and remove a portion of the condensable third component contained in the effluent stream 711-R and introduce the dried effluent stream 711-R as a feed stream to segment A1. A condensate stream 506 is recovered from the condenser 715. A first portion of the first product or effluent stream 708 recovered from segment A1 is combined with a second portion of the first product or effluent stream 712. A first regenerated stream 713 is introduced to the second RAM 730, segment B, and contactor 710 to cause exothermic sorption or condensation of a third component within the sorbent while substantially simultaneously releasing the first component sorbed on the sorbent. A second product stream 714 is recovered from segment B and may be further purified before incorporating the first component as a product.

[0182] In certain embodiments, a sorption system using the described process comprises two sorption machines or RAMs fluidly connected in series, e.g., a first RAM and a second RAM, where the first RAM is fluidly connected upstream of the second RAM, and the first sorption machine or first RAM produces two portions of a first product stream, e.g., a first portion of a first product stream and a second portion of the first product stream. A first portion of the first product stream has a low breakthrough point for the first component, or less than about 10% of the flux of the first component, e.g., carbon dioxide, contained in the feed stream during the same period as collection, and a second portion of the first product stream has a higher breakthrough point for the first component, and the second portion of the first product stream is sent as a feed stream to and introduced into a second RAM or a second sorption machine, and at least one step of the sorption process includes a partial pressure swing and generating a heat of adsorption of a third component in the at least one sorption machine or RAM that is greater than or equal to about 1.5 times the heat of desorption of the first component recovered in the process. In one embodiment, the heat of adsorption that is generated is used to desorb the components from the sorbent.

[0183] In yet another embodiment, the first sorption machine or RAM operating in the simplified cycle has a productivity of the first component per cubic meter of sorbent contactor volume that is about 1.5 times the productivity per cubic meter of sorbent contactor volume of the second sorption machine or RAM.

[0184] 7 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a sorption system that enables use of the separation processes described in this disclosure, comprising a RAM 820 having a contactor 800 further comprising at least a sorbent and configured with five zones or segments. The zones or segments of the contactor 800 are substantially fluidly separated. The RAM 820 and the contactor 800 are fluidly connected to receive and / or introduce into segment A1 a feed stream 801 and withdraw a first portion of the first product stream 802 from segment A1, to receive and / or introduce into segment B1 a pre-regeneration stream 803 and withdraw a first portion of the second product stream 804 from segment B1, to recycle and introduce into segment A2 a first portion of the second product stream 804 and withdraw a second portion of the first product stream 810 from segment A2, to receive and / or introduce into segment B2 a regeneration stream 805 and withdraw a second portion of the second product stream 806 from segment B2, and to receive and / or introduce into segment C a condition stream 807 and withdraw a third product stream 808 from segment C. Segment A2 can be fluidly connected to combine a second portion of the first product stream 810 with a first portion of the first product stream 802.

[0185] In one embodiment, feed stream 801 is introduced into RAM 820 and contactor 800 at segment A1 to contact the sorbent in segment A1 where at least a portion of the first component is sorbed by the sorbent to produce a first portion of a first product stream 802, which is withdrawn from contactor 800, segment A1, and RAM 820. The regeneration step is divided into two consecutive regeneration steps performed at segments B1 and B2, where pre-regeneration stream 803 is introduced into contactor 800 at segment B1 and regeneration stream 805 is introduced into contactor 800 at segment B2 to cause exothermic sorption or condensation of a third component onto the sorbent while simultaneously releasing the first component sorbed in or on the sorbent. A first portion of the second product stream 804 is withdrawn from the contactor 800 and segment B1 and redirected to and introduced into segment A2 and the centrifuge 800, the first portion of the second product stream 804 being partially depleted of the first component from the feed stream 801. A second portion of the first product stream 810 is produced in the contactor 800 and segment A2 and may then be withdrawn from the contactor 800 and segment A2 to combine with the first portion of the first product stream 802. A second portion of the second product stream 806 is withdrawn from the contactor 800 and segment B2 and may be further purified to collect the first component. A conditioned stream 807 is introduced into the contactor 800 at segment C to produce a third product stream 808 which is then withdrawn from the contactor 800, segment C, and the RAM 820. Pre-playback stream 803 and playback stream 805 can, but do not necessarily have to, have the same source and composition.

[0186] In certain embodiments, a sorption system using the processes described herein comprises one RAM having at least five segments.

[0187] 8 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a sorption system that enables the use of the separation process described in this disclosure, comprising a RAM 830 having a contactor 800 further comprising at least a sorbent and configured with six zones or segments. The zones or segments of the contactor 800 are substantially fluidly separated. The RAM 830 and the contactor 800 are configured to receive and / or introduce a feed stream 801 into segment A1 and recover a first portion of a first product stream 802 from segment A1, to receive and / or introduce a pre-regeneration stream 803 into segment B1 and recover a first portion of a second product stream 804 from segment B1, to recycle and introduce a first portion of the second product stream 804 into segment A2 and recover a second portion of a first product stream 810 from segment A2, and to receive and / or introduce a regeneration stream 805 into segment B2. Segment A2 is fluidly connected to introduce and withdraw a second portion of the second product stream 806 from segment B2, to receive and / or introduce to segment C2 a condition stream 807 and withdraw a second portion of the third product stream 808 from segment C2, to receive and / or introduce to segment C1 a pre-condition stream 809 and withdraw a first portion of the third product stream 811 from segment C1, and to introduce and combine a first portion of the third product stream 811 with the pre-regeneration stream 803 and / or introduce to segment B1. Segment A2 may be fluidly connected to introduce a second portion of the first product stream 810 with a first portion of the first product stream 802. In this example, the connections and streams shown in FIG. 8 are also in FIG. 9 with the addition of a segment for a conditioning step in which a first portion of the third product stream is recycled to combine with the pre-regeneration stream used in the pre-regeneration step.A high concentration of the third component may be present in the first portion of the third product stream 811 due to the increased temperature of segment C1 of the contactor, and recycling the first portion of the third product stream may be advantageous in increasing the temperature of segment B1 of the contactor 800 during the pre-regeneration step. The pre-regeneration stream 803 and the regeneration stream 805 may, but need not, have the same source and composition.

[0188] In certain embodiments, a sorption system using the processes described herein comprises a RAM having at least six segments.

[0189] FIG. 9 is a graph showing a concentration plot 110 of a first component or carbon dioxide component, a concentration plot 111 of a second component or nitrogen component, and a concentration plot 112 of a third component or water component as component concentrations versus time during the regeneration step observed in the second product stream. Concentrations are shown on the Y-axis and time is shown on the X-axis. A first portion of the second product stream 101 contains a greater proportion of the second component or nitrogen than the first component or carbon dioxide, and a second portion of the second product stream 102 contains a greater proportion of the first component than the second component, and also shows the splitting of the second component stream into a second product stream with a lower purity of the first component and a second product stream with a higher purity of the first component. The first portion of the second product stream 101 can be recycled to the sorption step or the pre-regeneration step. The second portion of the second product stream 102 can be recovered and introduced into a condenser to remove water from the mixture.

[0190] FIG. 10 is a simplified flow diagram showing an embodiment of a combination of an ejector, compressor, high pressure circuit, and low pressure circuit fluidly connected to a contactor, or a portion of the contactor that performs a second regeneration during a second regeneration step, or a segment that performs a first conditioning during a first conditioning step that creates a vacuum and allows a portion of the low pressure stream withdrawn from the sorbent contactor under subambient vacuum pumping conditions to be upgraded to a stream with sufficient partial pressure of the third component to be used in the first regeneration step or a portion of the first regeneration step. In an embodiment of the process, the process can be used to increase the pressure of the steam removed from the bed from a pressure range of about 0.3 to 0.7 Bara to about 0.8 to 1.2 Bara. This process can maximize the recovery of the steam during this step, and a heated steam compression pump can be used to recycle a portion of this medium pressure steam.

[0191] FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of an ejector / compressor combination with a hot liquid loop that can be fluidly connected to a contactor or to a section that performs a second regeneration during the second regeneration step to create a vacuum to remove water from the sorbent and upgrade to higher pressure steam or high temperature water that can be flashed with the steam generated for part of the first regeneration step by recovering subatmospheric steam. In one embodiment, hot water is flowed through the ejector to pull or create a vacuum. The regeneration of the steam can be performed by flashing at least a portion of the water at a temperature above 100° C. in the ejector pump loop. Heating or make-up heat is provided by an additional water heater fluidly connected to the loop. The flash can be operated near the subatmospheric point of use, which can be advantageous due to the prospect of heat recovery and integration of waste heat.

[0192] Figure 12a is a process flow diagram showing the division of the feed and regeneration steps into three substeps. Here, it allows switching between single-pass contact with the feed or regeneration stream and continuous contact with the feed or regeneration stream in two contactors. The advantage of changing the flow configuration of the fluid streams during the sorption cycle is to maximize the product recovery and product purity of the process. Figure 12b shows an example of the implementation of the three substeps B1, B2, and B3 in a moving bed or moving contactor system. The red plots above each flow direction arrow show the concentration profile of the first component in the flow direction of the sorbent bed or contactor as a function of time and step of the process. Note that after the peak of the first component in the local concentration in the sorbent, there is a high concentration of the third component that pushes the first component in the direction of flow. Reversing the flow direction during regeneration allows the third component to flow into the dead volume between the sorbent bed surface and the isolation valve, reducing the risk of dilution of the product by remaining undesirable gas components such as the second component.

[0193] Figure 13 is a process flow diagram in which the sorbent is partially immersed in a liquid containing the third component in conjunction with a pressure drop. The feeding and conditioning steps are the same as in Figure 12a. In this case, the vapor of the third component is formed in situ at the pressure of the regeneration step. This eliminates some energy losses by superheating the third component and transporting the fluid stream in the vapor phase to the separation vessel. It also creates an opportunity to recover some of the heat generated by the adsorption of the third component on the sorbent.

[0194] In an embodiment of a system enabling the process described in this invention, the vessel housing the sorbent contactor is fluidly connected to an ejector at a low pressure inlet side of the ejector. The ejector is also connected to the drive stream at a high pressure stream inlet side of the ejector, and the outlet of the ejector is fluidly connected to a compressor and has a branch to an intermediate pressure steam reservoir. The outlet of the compressor is connected to a heat exchanger and a steam inlet before connecting back to the high pressure inlet side of the ejector.

[0195] Any of the sorption separators or sorption contactors described in any of the embodiments detailed above may be used with any of the following adsorbents: desiccants, activated carbon, graphite, carbon molecular sieves, activated alumina, molecular sieves, aluminophosphates, silicoaluminophosphates, zerolites, ion-exchanged zeolites, hydrophilic zeolites, hydrophobic zeolites, modified zeolites, natural zeolites, faujasite, clinoptilolite, mordenite, metal-exchanged silicoaluminophosphates, monopolar resins, bipolar resins, aromatic cross-linked polystyrene, etc. Any suitable sorbent material may be utilized, such as matrices, brominated aromatic matrices, methacrylate copolymers, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, nanomaterials, metal salt sorbents, perchlorates, oxalates, alkaline earth metal particles, ETS, CTS, metal oxides, backed alkali carbonates, alkali promoted hydrotalcites, chemisorbents, amines, polyethyleneimine doped silica (PEIDS) sorbents, organometallic sorbents, and metal organic framework sorbent materials, as well as combinations thereof.

[0196] In one embodiment, a cyclic sorptive gas separation process for separating components of a feed stream comprising at least a first component and a second component, comprising: (a) i. introducing the feed stream into a contactor having at least a first sorbent therein to contact the feed stream with the first sorbent; ii. sorbing at least a portion of said first component onto said at least said first sorbent; iii. producing a first product stream that is at least partially depleted in said first component relative to said feed stream; and iv. recovering said first product stream from said at least one contactor. A supplying or sorption step comprising: (b) i. introducing or feeding at least a first recycle stream having a third component into said at least one contactor; ii. sorbing or condensing a portion of said third component in said at least one contactor; iii. desorbing a portion of the at least first component sorbed on the at least first sorbent; iv. recovering a second product stream from said at least one contactor. A regeneration step comprising: The regenerating step further includes controlling a partial pressure of the third component in the first regenerated stream to a partial pressure threshold of equal to or greater than 0.4 Bara during at least a portion of the regenerating step. a regeneration step, the at least the first sorbent is one of a metal-organic framework (MOF) sorbent, a polyethyleneimine-doped silica (PEIDS) sorbent, an amine-containing porous network polymer sorbent, an amine-doped porous material sorbent, an amine-doped MOF sorbent, a zeolite sorbent, activated carbon, doped activated carbon, doped graphite, and an alkali-doped or rare earth-doped porous inorganic sorbent; Cyclic sorptive gas separation process.

[0197] In such embodiments, the process may further comprise, during step (a), controlling the temperature of said feed stream to a feed temperature threshold of 80° C. or less.

[0198] Further, during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor occurs for a first duration, and during step (a), the contacting of the feed stream along the at least one contactor occurs for a second duration, the first duration being less than or equal to 40% of the second duration.

[0199] In an embodiment, the above process may further comprise, during step (a), contacting the feed stream along the at least one contactor with a dosage of the first component within a dosage threshold range of 0.3 to 3 mmol of the first component per gram of sorbent contained in the at least one contactor.

[0200] Additionally, in an embodiment, the process may further comprise contacting the first regenerated stream during step (b) with a dosage of the third component along the at least one contactor within a dosage threshold range of 1 to 6 mmol of the third component per gram of the sorbent contained in the at least one contactor.

[0201] In another embodiment, the process may further comprise, during step (b), recovering the second product stream at a dose of the first component recovery within a first component dose recovery threshold range of 0.15 to 1.5 mmol of the first component per gram of the sorbent contained in the at least one contactor.

[0202] In another embodiment, the process may further comprise, after step (b), a step (c) of reducing the partial pressure of said third component in the vapor phase in said at least one contactor and recovering a third product stream from said at least one contactor.

[0203] In an alternative embodiment, step (c) may include reducing the pressure in said at least one contactor and recovering a third product stream from said at least one contactor.

[0204] Furthermore, in another alternative embodiment, step (c) can include introducing a conditioned stream into the at least one contactor, the conditioned stream having the third component and having a third component partial pressure less than or equal to a third component partial pressure threshold that is 50% of the equilibrium vapor pressure of the third component at the temperature of the at least the first sorbent at the end of step (b); washing or scavenging the at least one contactor; and recovering a third product stream from the at least one contactor.

[0205] In such an alternative embodiment, the process may further include recovering said conditioned stream and said feed stream from the same source.

[0206] Further, in such alternative embodiments, the conditioned stream may be a portion of the feed stream.

[0207] Further, in an alternative form of this embodiment, step (c) can be performed at a conditioning pressure in said at least one contactor and step (a) can be performed at a feed pressure in said at least one contactor, said conditioning pressure being less than said feed pressure.

[0208] Additionally, in an alternative form of this embodiment, the process may further include conditioning the conditioned stream by removing a portion of the third component from the conditioned stream prior to contacting the conditioned stream along the at least one contactor.

[0209] In such embodiments, the process may further include at least one of cooling and condensing the conditioned stream and removing the portion of the third component from the conditioned stream.

[0210] In one embodiment, the process may further include contacting the conditioned stream with a second sorbent to selectively remove the portion of the third component from the conditioned stream, wherein the second sorbent is different from the first sorbent.

[0211] In one embodiment, the process may further include contacting the conditioned stream with a second sorbent material to selectively remove the portion of the third component from the conditioned stream, wherein the second sorbent material is the same as the second sorbent.

[0212] In alternative embodiments, the process can include performing the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 2 minutes, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising at least the first sorbent is for a duration of no more than 15 seconds, or preferably performing the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 1 minute, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising at least the first sorbent is for a duration of no more than 8 seconds, or even more preferably performing the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 30 seconds, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising at least the first sorbent is for a duration of no more than 6 seconds.

[0213] Further, the process can include retaining unsorbed molecules of the feed stream in the at least one contactor for a residence time duration of 5 seconds or less, preferably 2 seconds or less, and more preferably 1 second or less.

[0214] In an embodiment, the process may further comprise flowing said feed stream into said at least one contactor within a feed superficial velocity threshold range of 0.2 to 10 m / s.

[0215] Further, in an embodiment, the process may also include flowing at least one of the feed stream, the first regeneration stream, and the condition stream into the at least one contactor within a feed superficial velocity threshold range of 1 to 30 m / s.

[0216] In an embodiment, the process is 2 / m 3 or more, or preferably 2000m 2 / m 3 The method can also include providing the at least one contactor having a wetted surface area of ​​at least 100 nm.

[0217] Further, embodiments may include providing said at least one contactor having a pressure drop during step (a) of 30 kPa or less, or preferably 10 kPa or less.

[0218] In an embodiment, the process may further include providing the at least one contactor with a sorbent cycle capacity for sorption of the first component based on a heat capacity of the at least one contactor in contact with the feed stream and / or the first regenerator stream of 0.1 mmol / Joule per Kelvin or greater.

[0219] In an embodiment, the process may also include flooding or immersing the at least one contactor in a liquid and evacuating gas within one or more channels or pores of the at least one contactor to increase the portion of the first component.

[0220] In an embodiment, the process may also include at least one of reducing pressure in the at least one contactor, flooding or immersing the at least one contactor in liquid, draining the liquid from the at least one contactor after flooding or immersing the at least one contactor in liquid, and purging the at least one contactor.

[0221] In embodiments, the at least one contactor further comprises a first contactor and a second contactor, and the process further comprises contacting the feed stream with the first contactor in the first contactor during at least a portion of step (a), recovering the first product stream from the first contactor, and introducing the first product stream from the first contactor as a feed stream to the second contactor. In such embodiments, the process further comprises contacting the feed stream in the second contactor during at least a portion of step (a), and recovering the first product stream from the second contactor.

[0222] In an alternative embodiment, the process further comprises providing a plurality of said at least one contactor and performing at least one of steps (a), (b) and (c) simultaneously or in parallel in said plurality of said at least one contactor, or performing at least one of steps (a), (b) and (c) by alternating or alternating steps (a), (b) and (c) in said plurality of said at least one contactor.

[0223] In another alternative embodiment, the at least one contactor further comprises a first contactor, a second contactor, and a third contactor fluidly connected in series, and the process further comprises, during at least a portion of a first step (a), contacting the feed stream with the first contactor in the first contactor, recovering the first product stream from the first contactor, and introducing the first product stream from the first contactor as a feed stream to the second contactor, and during at least a portion of a second step (a), contacting the feed stream in the second contactor, recovering the first product stream from the second contactor, and introducing the first product stream from the second contactor as a feed stream to the third contactor.

[0224] In an embodiment, the process may further include a step (b2) immediately following step (b), reducing the pressure in said at least one contactor, contacting a second regenerator stream along said at least a first sorbent, desorbing said first component and said third component from said at least said first sorbent, and recovering said first component and said third component from said at least one contactor.

[0225] In such embodiments, during step (b2), the pressure in the at least one contactor is in the range of 0.1 to 0.4 Bara.

[0226] In an embodiment, the process may further include condensing and recycling the third component from at least one of the feed stream, the first product stream, and the third product stream, and using the third component in the first regeneration stream, wherein the third component is water.

[0227] In another alternative embodiment, the process may further include removing at least a portion of the third component from the third product stream to form a conditioned third product stream, and recycling the conditioned third product stream as at least a portion of the first regeneration stream.

[0228] In such embodiments, the second regeneration stream has an oxygen concentration that is less than the oxygen concentration of at least one of the feed stream or atmospheric air.

[0229] Further, in such embodiments, the pressure of the feed stream is in the range of 1 to 5 Bara.

[0230] In another alternative embodiment, the process may further include, during step (c), introducing a driving fluid into an ejector and inducing a vacuum in said at least one contactor to recover said third product stream from said at least one contactor.

[0231] In such embodiments, the driving stream is a pressurized gas comprising the third component, the driving stream being at a pressure greater than 1 Bara or preferably greater than 2 Bara and having a concentration of the third component greater than 50%, preferably greater than 90%, and more preferably greater than 98%.

[0232] Further, in such embodiments, the drive stream is liquid at a temperature at which the saturation partial pressure of the third component is greater than 0.4 Bara, preferably greater than 1 Bara.

[0233] In an embodiment, the first component is carbon dioxide, the second component is nitrogen, and the third component is water.

[0234] In a second broad aspect of the present invention, a cyclic sorptive gas separation process for separating components of a feed stream comprising at least a first component and a second component, comprising: (a1) flowing a first feed stream through at least one contactor containing at least one sorbent; sorbing said first component of said first feed stream onto said at least one sorbent; producing a first portion of a first product stream at least partially depleted in said first component from said feed stream; and recovering said first portion of the first product stream from said at least one contactor. a first supplying or sorption step comprising: (a2) flowing a second feed stream along the at least one contactor containing the at least one sorbent; sorbing the first component of the second feed stream onto the at least one sorbent; producing a second portion of a first product stream at least partially depleted in the first component relative to the second feed stream; and recovering the second portion of the first product stream from the at least one contactor. a second supplying or sorption step comprising: (b1) contacting a first recycle stream having at least said third component with said at least one contactor containing said at least one sorbent, sorbing or condensing a portion of said third component of said first recycle stream onto said at least one sorbent and desorbing said first component, and recovering a first portion of a second product stream from said at least one contactor. A first regeneration step including: (b2) controlling a partial pressure of the third component of the second recycle stream to a third component partial pressure threshold of equal to or greater than 0.4 Bara for at least a portion of step (b2); contacting the second recycle stream with the at least one contactor comprising the at least one sorbent; sorbing or condensing a portion of the third component of the second recycle stream onto the at least one sorbent and desorbing the first component; and recovering a second portion of the second product stream from the at least one contactor. a second regeneration step, comprising: (c1) reducing the partial pressure of the third component or the relative humidity of the vapor phase contained in the at least one contactor and recovering a first portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor; reducing the pressure of the vapor phase contained in the at least one contactor and recovering a first portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor; and introducing a first conditioned stream into the at least one contactor, the first conditioned stream having the third component and a third component partial pressure that is less than or equal to a third component partial pressure threshold that is 50% of the equilibrium vapor pressure of the third component at the temperature of the at least one sorbent at the end of step (b); washing or scavenging the at least one contactor; and recovering a first portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor. A first conditioning step comprising at least one of: (c2) reducing the partial pressure of the third component or the relative humidity of the vapor phase contained in the at least one contactor and recovering a second portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor; reducing the pressure of the vapor phase contained in the at least one contactor and recovering a second portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor; and introducing a second conditioned stream into the at least one contactor, the second conditioned stream having the third component and a third component partial pressure that is less than or equal to a third component partial pressure threshold that is 50% of the equilibrium vapor pressure of the third component at the temperature of the at least one sorbent at the end of step (b); washing or scavenging the at least one contactor; and recovering the second portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor. and a second conditioning step comprising at least one of: In an embodiment, the at least one sorbent is one of a metal-organic framework (MOF) sorbent, a polyethyleneimine-doped silica (PEIDS) sorbent, an amine-containing porous network polymer sorbent, an amine-doped porous material sorbent, an amine-doped MOF sorbent, a zeolite sorbent, activated carbon, doped activated carbon, doped graphite, and an alkali-doped or rare earth-doped porous inorganic sorbent, and steps (a1) and (a2), (b1) and (b2), or (c1) and (c2) are performed with at least one of a different pressure, a different temperature, or a different process stream composition between the steps.

[0235] In such embodiments, during step (a1), the partial pressure of the third component in the first feed stream is less than the partial pressure of the third component in the second feed stream during step (a2).

[0236] Further, in an alternative embodiment, during step (a1), the pressure of the first feed stream is a first feed stream pressure, and during step (a2), the pressure of the second feed stream is a second feed stream pressure, and the first feed stream pressure is less than the second feed stream pressure.

[0237] In an embodiment, the process may further comprise, during step (a1), drawing a vacuum on the at least one contactor with a pump to reduce the pressure in the at least one contactor and the first feed stream to the first feed stream pressure.

[0238] In an embodiment, the process may further comprise, during step (a2), compressing the second feed stream using a compressor or pump to increase the pressure of the second feed stream to the second feed stream pressure.

[0239] In an embodiment, during step (b1), the first regeneration stream is at a pressure in the pressure range of 0.1 to 0.4 Bara and has a first component or a third component to wash at least the second component in the pore space of the at least one contactor.

[0240] Alternatively, in an embodiment, during step (b1), the first regenerator stream has a concentration of the third component within a third component concentration threshold range of greater than 20% by volume and less than 90% by volume.

[0241] In an embodiment, the process further comprises recovering said first portion of the third product stream during step (c1) and using said first portion of the third product stream as at least a portion of the first recycle stream during step (b1).

[0242] In such embodiments, the process may further include, during step (c1), introducing a driving fluid having the third component into an ejector and inducing a vacuum to recover the first portion of the third product stream from the at least one contactor. In embodiments, the driving fluid is at a pressure equal to or greater than a driving fluid pressure threshold of 2 Bara.

[0243] In another alternative embodiment, the process further comprises recovering at least one condensate stream from at least one of the first portion of the first product stream, the second portion of the first product stream, the first portion of the second product stream, the second portion of the second product stream, the first portion of the third product stream, or the second portion of the third product stream, and during step (c1), introducing the at least one condensate stream into an ejector as a driving fluid and inducing a vacuum in the at least one contactor to assist in desorption of the third component.

[0244] In such embodiments, the process further comprises recovering the first portion of the third product stream during step (c1), and using the first portion of the third product stream as at least a portion of the first recycle stream during step (b1).

[0245] In an alternative embodiment, the process further comprises recovering during step (c1) a first portion of a third product stream having a first partial pressure of the third component, and recovering during step (c2) a second portion of the third product stream having a second partial pressure of the third component, wherein the first partial pressure of the third component is higher than the second partial pressure of the third component.

[0246] In other embodiments, the process may further include recovering the first portion of the third product stream during step (c1) and using the first portion of the third product stream as at least a portion of the first recycle stream during step (b1).

[0247] In an embodiment, the process may further comprise, during step (c1), controlling the pressure of the first portion of the third product stream by a pump, an ejector, a condensing heat exchanger; recovering the third component from the first portion of the third product stream; and introducing the third component recovered from the first portion of the third product stream as at least a portion of the first recycle stream in step (b1) or at least a portion of the second recycle stream in (b2), or as at least a portion of the first recycle stream in step (b1) and at least a portion of the second recycle stream in (b2).

[0248] In an alternative embodiment, the process may further comprise flooding or immersing said at least one contactor in a liquid after step (a2) and before step (b1), and venting gas in one or more channels or pores of said at least one contactor to augment said portion of said first component recovered from said at least one contactor or said second product stream in step (b1).

[0249] In an alternative embodiment, the process may further comprise at least one of reducing the pressure in said at least one contactor prior to step (b1); flooding or immersing said at least one contactor in liquid; draining said liquid from said at least one contactor after flooding or immersing said at least one contactor in liquid; and purging said at least one contactor.

[0250] In an embodiment, the process may further include providing a plurality of said at least one contactor and performing at least one of steps (a1), (b1) and (c1) simultaneously or in parallel in said plurality of said at least one contactor, or performing at least one of steps (a1), (b1) and (c1) by staggering or alternating steps (a1), (b1) and (c1) in said plurality of said at least one contactor.

[0251] In an alternative embodiment, the at least one contactor further comprises a first contactor, a second contactor, and a third contactor fluidly connected in series, and the process further comprises, during at least a portion of step (a1), contacting the feed stream with the first contactor in the first contactor, recovering the first product stream from the first contactor, and introducing the first product stream from the first contactor as a feed stream to the second contactor, and may further comprise, during at least a portion of step (a2), contacting the feed stream in the second contactor, recovering the first product stream from the second contactor, and introducing the first product stream from the second contactor as a feed stream to the third contactor.

[0252] In an alternative embodiment, the at least one contactor comprises a first contactor and a second contactor fluidly connected in series, and the process further comprises: contacting the first recycle stream with the first in the first contactor during at least a portion of step (b1), recovering a first portion of the second product stream from the first contactor, and contacting the first portion of the second product stream from the first contactor as the first recycle stream in the second contactor; and contacting the first recycle stream in the second contactor and recovering a second portion of the second product stream from the second contactor during at least a portion of step (b2).

[0253] In such embodiments, the at least one contactor further comprises a third contactor fluidly connected in series with the second contactor, and the process further comprises a step (b3) immediately following step (b2), and further comprises contacting the second portion of the second product stream from the second contactor as a first regeneration stream in the third contactor during at least a portion of the third step (b3).

[0254] In the above embodiment, the process may further include fluidly connecting the at least one contactor of the plurality in series during steps (a1) and (b1), and fluidly connecting the at least one contactor of the plurality in parallel during at least a portion of step (c1).

[0255] In an alternative embodiment, the at least one contactor further comprises a first contactor, a second contactor, and a third contactor, and the process comprises performing one of steps (b1), (b2), and (b3) in the first contactor, the second contactor, and the third contactor, wherein steps (b1), (b2), and (b3) are performed in parallel, step (b3) immediately following step (b2); during step (b3), contacting a third regenerant stream with the at least one sorbent in one of the first contactor, the second contactor, and the third contactor, and recovering a third portion of the second product stream from one of the first contactor, the second contactor, or the third contactor; and during step (b1), removing a third portion of the second product stream recovered in step (b3). The method can further include using the third portion as at least a portion of the first regenerator stream, contacting the first regenerator stream with the at least one sorbent in one of the first contactor, the second contactor, and the third contactor, and recovering the first portion of the second product stream from one of the first contactor, the second contactor, or the third contactor, and during step (b2), contacting the second regenerator stream with the at least one sorbent in one of the first contactor, the second contactor, and the third contactor, and recovering the second portion of the second product stream as a purified first component stream, wherein steps (b1), (b2), and (b3) are performed in the first contactor, the second contactor, and the third contactor in sequence.

[0256] In an alternative embodiment, the process may further comprise flowing during step (a1) the first feed stream having a first partial pressure of the first component, and flowing during step (a2) the second feed stream having a second partial pressure of the first component, wherein the first concentration is less than the second concentration and the first partial pressure is less than the second partial pressure.

[0257] In such embodiments, the first feed stream comprises an air stream, the second feed stream comprises a flue gas stream, the first component is carbon dioxide, and the third component is water.

[0258] Further, in an embodiment, the at least one contactor further comprises a first contactor and a second contactor, and the process further comprises performing in the first contactor steps (a1), (a2), (b), or (b1) and (b2), and (c), or (c1) and (c2), and performing in the second contactor steps (a2), (b), or (b1) and (b2), and (c), or (c1) and (c2).

[0259] In an embodiment, the process may further include a step (b3) immediately following step (b2), which may include reducing the pressure in the at least one contactor, contacting the second regenerator stream or the third regenerator stream along with the at least one sorbent, desorbing the first component and the third component from the at least one sorbent, and recovering the first component and the third component from the at least one contactor.

[0260] In an embodiment, during step (b3), the pressure in the at least one contactor is in the range of 0.1 to 0.4 Bara.

[0261] In an embodiment, the first component is carbon dioxide, the second component is nitrogen, and the third component is water.

[0262] In an embodiment, the process may further comprise carrying out the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 2 minutes, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising the at least one sorbent is for a duration of no more than 15 seconds, or preferably no more than 10 seconds, or preferably carrying out the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 1 minute, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising the at least one sorbent is for a duration of no more than 8 seconds, or more preferably carrying out the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 30 seconds, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising the at least one sorbent is for a duration of no more than 6 seconds.

[0263] In an alternative broad embodiment, a cyclic sorptive gas separation process for separating components of a feed stream comprising at least a first component and a second component comprises: (a) contacting the feed stream along at least one contactor comprising at least one sorbent; (b) sorbing the first component of the feed stream onto the at least one sorbent; (c) producing a first product stream that is partially depleted in said first component relative to said feed stream; and (d) recovering said first product stream from said at least one contactor; (e) generating a first recycle stream having a third component in a vessel fluidly connected to the at least one contactor or in the at least one contactor, the first recycle stream having a third component partial pressure equal to or greater than a third component partial pressure threshold of 0.4 Bara during at least a portion of step (b); (f) contacting the first regenerator stream with the at least one sorbent in the at least one contactor; (g) sorbing or condensing a portion of the third component of the first recycle stream onto the at least one sorbent and desorbing a portion of the first component from the at least one sorbent; (h) recovering a second product stream from the at least one contactor; Includes.

[0264] In an embodiment, the at least one sorbent is one of a metal-organic framework (MOF) sorbent, a polyethyleneimine-doped silica (PEIDS) sorbent, an amine-containing porous network polymer sorbent, an amine-doped porous material sorbent, an amine-doped MOF sorbent, a zeolite sorbent, activated carbon, doped activated carbon, doped graphite, and an alkali-doped or rare earth-doped porous inorganic sorbent.

[0265] In one embodiment, the process may further comprise contacting said first regenerator stream in said at least one contactor during step (b) at a pressure in said at least one contactor between a pressure threshold range of 0.4 Bara to 0.95 Bara, wherein said first regenerator stream is in a liquid phase at a temperature equal to or greater than a vaporization temperature of said third component in said at least one contactor during step (b).

[0266] Alternatively, in another embodiment, the process may include, during step (b), generating a heat of adsorption by sorbing the portion of the third component of the first regenerator stream onto the at least one sorbent, and transferring at least a portion of the heat of adsorption to the third component in the liquid phase by at least one of thermal conduction and thermal convection.

[0267] In an embodiment, the process further comprises providing said at least one contactor having a wetted surface of said at least one contactor that repels liquid phase water to prevent liquid water from occupying the pore volume and / or flow paths of said at least one contactor.

[0268] Furthermore, in an embodiment, the process may further include flooding or immersing said at least one contactor in a liquid after step (a) and before step (b), and venting gas in one or more channels or pores of said at least one contactor to augment said portion of said first component recovered from said at least one contactor or said second product stream during step (b).

[0269] Furthermore, in an alternative embodiment, the process may further include at least one of reducing the pressure in said at least one contactor prior to step (b); flooding or immersing said at least one contactor in liquid; draining said liquid from said at least one contactor after flooding or immersing said at least one contactor in liquid; and purging said at least one contactor.

[0270] In an alternative embodiment, the at least one contactor comprises a first contactor and a second contactor, and the process may further comprise, during at least a portion of step (a), contacting the feed stream with the first contactor in the first contactor, recovering the first product stream from the first contactor, and introducing the first product stream from the first contactor as a feed stream to the second contactor, and may further comprise, during at least a portion of step (a), contacting the feed stream in the second contactor, recovering the first product stream from the second contactor, and passing the first product stream from the second contactor as a feed stream.

[0271] In an embodiment, the process may also further include a step (b2) immediately following step (b) comprising reducing the pressure in the at least one contactor, contacting a second regenerator stream along with the at least one sorbent, desorbing the first component and the third component from the at least one sorbent, and recovering the first component and the third component from the at least one contactor.

[0272] In such an embodiment, the pressure in the at least one contactor is in the range of 0.1 to 0.4 Bara.

[0273] In an embodiment, the process may further include condensing and recycling the third component from at least one of the feed stream, the first product stream, and the third product stream, and using the third component for at least one of the first recycle stream and the second recycle stream, wherein the third component is water.

[0274] In an embodiment, the first component is carbon dioxide and the third component is water.

[0275] In such an embodiment, the pressure of the feed stream is in the range of 1 to 5 Bara.

[0276] In an embodiment, the process may also include carrying out the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 2 minutes, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising the at least one sorbent is for a duration of no more than 15 seconds, or preferably no more than 10 seconds, or preferably carrying out the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 1 minute, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising the at least one sorbent is for a duration of no more than 8 seconds, or more preferably carrying out the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 30 seconds, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising the at least one sorbent is for a duration of no more than 6 seconds. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0277] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention showing a sorption separation system having a stationary contactor and a feed stream conduit, a first product stream conduit, a condition stream conduit, a third product stream conduit, a first regenerator stream conduit, a second product stream conduit, and valves between the conduits and the contactor. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention showing a sorption separation system having a stationary contactor and a feed stream conduit, a first product stream conduit, a first regenerator stream conduit, a second product stream conduit, a first product recycle conduit, and valves between the conduits and the contactor. [Figure 3A] 1 is a graph showing a plot of temperature as a function of axial position with temperature on the Y-axis and axial position of the contactor at 1 meter on the X-axis. [Figure 3B]FIG. 3B is a graph showing a plot illustrating the amount of the third component or water component sorbed in the contactor of FIG. 3A as a function of axial position, and a plot illustrating the amount of the first component or carbon dioxide component sorbed as a function of axial position. [Figure 4] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the invention in which a contactor 500 has a rotary adsorption machine (RAM) configured to rotate about an axis through four stationary zones or segments A1, A2, A3, and B. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the invention having a two stage configuration with a rotary adsorption machine (RAM) having a second stage RAM. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention having two stages in a configuration with a rotary adsorption machine (RAM), where the first stage or first RAM is fluidly connected to collect an effluent stream and introduce the effluent stream as a feed stream into the second stage or second RAM. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment having a single stage rotary adsorption machine (RAM) or a RAM utilizing two sorption steps, two regeneration steps, and a conditioning step, where a first portion of the second product stream is recycled back to the second sorption step. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment having a single stage rotary adsorption machine (RAM) or a RAM with an additional conditioning step. [Figure 9] 1 is a graph showing a plot of the concentration of a first component or carbon dioxide component of a representative concentration profile of a gas stream, such as a second product stream exiting a contactor during a regeneration step using steam as the regeneration stream, over time, with concentration shown on the Y-axis and time shown on the X-axis. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention showing integration of water vapor recovery and upgrading with a vacuum conditioning step using an ejector, heated water pump, and water heater / heat exchanger. [Figure 11]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention showing a water vapor recovery system for upgrading water vapor recovered at low pressure during the vacuum drying step of a separation cycle, the system having an ejector, a heated water pump, and a water heater / heat exchanger. [Figure 12a] FIG. 2 is a process flow diagram of an embodiment of the invention in which the feed and regeneration steps are divided into three sub-steps and alternate between single pass operation and sequential operation with adjacent sorbent contactors. [Figure 12b] 1 is a graph showing an example of the implementation of three regeneration sub-steps B1, B2, and B3 in a moving bed or contactor system. [Figure 13] 1 is a process flow diagram of an embodiment of the invention in which a portion of the sorbent is immersed in a liquid containing a third component in conjunction with a reduction in pressure.

Claims

1. 1. A cyclic sorptive gas separation process for separating components of a feed stream comprising at least a first component and a second component, comprising: (a) i. introducing the feed stream into a contactor having at least a first sorbent therein to contact the feed stream with the first sorbent; ii. sorbing at least a portion of the first component onto the at least the first sorbent; iii. producing a first product stream that is at least partially depleted in said first component relative to said feed stream; and iv. recovering said first product stream from said at least one contactor. A supplying or sorption step comprising: (b) i. introducing or feeding at least a first recycle stream having a third component into said at least one contactor; ii. sorbing or condensing a portion of said third component in said at least one contactor; iii. desorbing a portion of the at least a first component sorbed on the at least a first sorbent; iv. recovering a second product stream from said at least one contactor. A regeneration step comprising: the regenerating step further comprises controlling a partial pressure of the third component in the first regenerated stream to a partial pressure threshold of equal to or greater than 0.4 Bara during at least a portion of the regenerating step. a regeneration step, the at least the first sorbent is one of a metal organic framework (MOF) sorbent, a polyethyleneimine doped silica (PEIDS) sorbent, an amine-containing porous network polymer sorbent, an amine-doped porous material sorbent, an amine-doped MOF sorbent, a zeolite sorbent, activated carbon, doped activated carbon, doped graphite, and an alkali-doped or rare earth-doped porous inorganic sorbent; Cyclic sorptive gas separation process.

2. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor occurs for a first duration and during step (a), the contacting of the feed stream along the at least one contactor occurs for a second duration, the first duration being no more than 40% of the second duration.

3. 3. The process of claim 1 or 2, further comprising contacting the feed stream during step (a) with a dosage of the first component along the at least one contactor that is within a dosage threshold range of 0.3 to 3 mmol of the first component per gram of sorbent contained in the at least one contactor.

4. 4. The process of claim 1, further comprising contacting the first regenerated stream during step (b) along the at least one contactor with a dosage of the third component within a dosage threshold range of 1 to 6 mmol of the third component per gram of the sorbent contained in the at least one contactor.

5. 5. The process of claim 1, further comprising, after step (b), step (c) of introducing a conditioned stream into the at least one contactor, the conditioned stream having the third component and a third component partial pressure that is less than or equal to a third component partial pressure threshold that is 50% of the equilibrium vapor pressure of the third component at the temperature of the at least the first sorbent at the end of step (b), washing or scavenging the at least one contactor, and recovering a third product stream from the at least one contactor.

6. 6. The process of any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising retaining unsorbed molecules of the feed stream in the at least one contactor for a residence time duration of 5 seconds or less, preferably 2 seconds or less, and more preferably 1 second or less.

7. 1000m ２ / m ３ or more, or preferably 2000m ２ / m ３ 7. The process of claim 1, further comprising providing the at least one contactor having a wetted surface area of ​​at least about 100 nm.

8. 1. A cyclic sorptive gas separation process for separating components of a feed stream comprising at least a first component and a second component, comprising: (a1) flowing the first feed stream along at least one contactor containing at least one sorbent; sorbing said first component of said first feed stream onto said at least one sorbent; generating a first portion of a first product stream at least partially depleted in said first component relative to said feed stream; and recovering said first portion of a first product stream from said at least one contactor. a first supplying or sorption step comprising: (a2) flowing a second feed stream along the at least one contactor containing the at least one sorbent; sorbing said first component of said second feed stream onto said at least one sorbent; generating a second portion of the first product stream at least partially depleted in the first component relative to the second feed stream; and recovering a second portion of the first product stream from said at least one contactor. a second supplying or sorption step comprising: (b1) contacting a first recycle stream having at least said third component with said at least one contactor comprising said at least one sorbent; sorbing or condensing a portion of the third component of the first recycle stream onto the at least one sorbent and desorbing the first component; and recovering a first portion of the second product stream from said at least one contactor. A first regeneration step, comprising: (b2) adjusting the partial pressure of the third component of the second regeneration stream by at least one of steps (b2). controlling the partial pressure threshold of the third component to equal to or greater than 0.4 Bara over the portion; The second regenerated stream is passed through the at least one sorbent containing the at least one sorbent. contacting the contactor; a portion of the third component of the second regenerator stream to the at least one sorbent sorbing or condensing onto said first component and desorbing said first component; and Recovering a second portion of the second product stream from the at least one contactor. and a second regeneration step, comprising: (c1) i. reducing the partial pressure of said third component or the relative humidity of a vapor phase contained in said at least one contactor and recovering a first portion of a third product stream from said at least one contactor; ii. reducing the pressure of the vapor phase contained in said at least one contactor and recovering a first portion of a third product stream from said at least one contactor; iii. introducing a first conditioned stream into said at least one contactor, said first conditioned stream having said third component and having a third component partial pressure less than or equal to a third component partial pressure threshold that is 50% of the equilibrium vapor pressure of said third component at the temperature of said at least one sorbent at the end of step (b), washing or scavenging said at least one contactor, and recovering a first portion of a third product stream from said at least one contactor; A first conditioning step including at least one of: (c2) i. reducing the partial pressure of said third component or the relative humidity of the vapor phase contained in said at least one contactor and recovering a second portion of a third product stream from said at least one contactor; ii. reducing the pressure of the vapor phase contained in said at least one contactor and recovering a second portion of a third product stream from said at least one contactor; iii. introducing a second conditioned stream into said at least one contactor, said second conditioned stream having said third component and having a third component partial pressure less than or equal to a third component partial pressure threshold that is 50% of the equilibrium vapor pressure of said third component at the temperature of said at least one sorbent at the end of step (b), washing or scavenging said at least one contactor, and recovering a second portion of a third product stream from said at least one contactor; and a second conditioning step comprising at least one of: the at least one sorbent is one of a metal organic framework (MOF) sorbent, a polyethyleneimine doped silica (PEIDS) sorbent, an amine-containing porous network polymer sorbent, an amine-doped porous material sorbent, an amine-doped MOF sorbent, a zeolite sorbent, activated carbon, doped activated carbon, doped graphite, and an alkali-doped or rare earth-doped porous inorganic sorbent; steps (a1) and (a2), steps (b1) and (b2), or steps (c1) and (c2) are carried out with at least one of different pressures, different temperatures, or different process stream compositions between the steps; Cyclic sorptive gas separation process.

9. 9. The process of claim 8, wherein during step (a1), the pressure of the first feed stream is a first feed stream pressure and during step (a2), the pressure of the second feed stream is a second feed stream pressure, and the first feed stream pressure is less than the second feed stream pressure.

10. 10. The process of claim 8 or 9, further comprising recovering the first portion of the third product stream during step (c1); and using the first portion of the third product stream as at least a portion of the first recycle stream during step (b1).

11. controlling the pressure of the first portion of the third product stream by a pump, an ejector, and a condensing heat exchanger during step (c1); recovering the third component from the first portion of the third product stream; introducing the third component recovered from the first portion of the third product stream as at least a portion of the first recycle stream of step (b1) or at least a portion of the second recycle stream of (b2), or as at least a portion of the first recycle stream of step (b1) and at least a portion of the second recycle stream of (b2); 11. The process of claim 8, further comprising:

12. 12. The process of any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the at least one contactor comprises a first contactor and a second contactor fluidly connected in series, the process further comprising: contacting the first recycle stream with the first contactor in the first contactor during at least a portion of step (b1), recovering a first portion of the second product stream from the first contactor, and contacting the first portion of the second product stream from the first contactor in the second contactor as the first recycle stream; and contacting the first recycle stream in the second contactor and recovering a second portion of the second product stream from the second contactor during at least a portion of step (b2).

13. 1. A cyclic sorptive gas separation process for separating components of a feed stream comprising at least a first component and a second component, comprising: (a) contacting the feed stream along at least one contactor comprising at least one sorbent; (b) sorbing the first component of the feed stream onto the at least one sorbent; (c) producing a first product stream that is partially depleted in said first component relative to said feed stream; and (d) recovering said first product stream from said at least one contactor; (e) generating a first recycle stream having a third component in a vessel fluidly connected to the at least one contactor or in the at least one contactor, the first recycle stream having a third component partial pressure equal to or greater than a third component partial pressure threshold of 0.4 Bara during at least a portion of step (b); (f) contacting the first regenerator stream with the at least one sorbent in the at least one contactor; (g) sorbing or condensing a portion of the third component of the first recycle stream onto the at least one sorbent and desorbing a portion of the first component from the at least one sorbent; (h) recovering a second product stream from the at least one contactor; 1. A cyclic sorptive gas separation process comprising:

14. 14. The process of claim 13, further comprising contacting the first recycle stream in the at least one contactor during step (b) at a pressure in the at least one contactor between a pressure threshold range of 0.4 Bara to 0.95 Bara, wherein the first recycle stream is in a liquid phase at a temperature equal to or greater than a vaporization temperature of the third component in the at least one contactor during step (b).

15. 15. The process of claim 13 or 14, further comprising carrying out the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 2 minutes, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising the at least one sorbent is for a duration of no more than 15 seconds, or preferably no more than 10 seconds, or preferably carrying out the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 1 minute, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising the at least one sorbent is for a duration of no more than 8 seconds, or even more preferably carrying out the sorptive gas separation process for no more than 30 seconds, wherein during step (b), the contacting of the first regenerator stream along the at least one contactor comprising the at least one sorbent is for a duration of no more than 6 seconds.

Images