An integrated sorptive gas separation process and system employing an in-line combustor, a heat exchanger, and a flash drum for producing steam
The integrated sorptive gas separation process addresses inefficiencies in conventional systems by using an in-line combustor and flash drum to optimize steam production and heat recovery, enhancing efficiency and durability while reducing nitrogen and oxygen content, thus improving product purity and lowering costs.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/IB2025/050386
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-01-16
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-24
AI Technical Summary
Conventional sorptive gas separation processes using auxiliary combustors are inefficient due to high nitrogen and oxygen content in the influent stream, leading to reduced sorbent durability, increased energy consumption, and lower product purity, with variations in gas mixtures requiring custom systems and high operating costs.
An integrated sorptive gas separation process utilizing an in-line combustor within the gas stream to produce steam for sorbent regeneration, minimizing additional nitrogen and oxygen introduction, and employing a flash drum and heat exchanger to optimize heat recovery and steam production at lower pressures.
Enhances sorptive separation efficiency by reducing nitrogen volume, increasing sorbent durability, and improving product purity while minimizing energy consumption and operational costs, with adaptable systems for varying gas mixtures.
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Figure IB2025050386_24072025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] AN INTEGRATED SORPTIVE GAS SEPARATION PROCESS AND SYSTEM EMPLOYING AN IN-LINE COMBUSTOR, A HEAT EXCHANGER, AND A FLASH DRUM FOR PRODUCING STEAM
[0002] FIELD
[0003] The present technology relates generally to an integrated sorptive gas separation processes employing an in-line combustor, a heat exchanger and a flash drum for producing steam for regenerating a sorbent used in a sorptive separator, and systems thereof.
[0004] BACKGROUND
[0005] Moisture and temperature swing sorptive gas separation methods are known in the art for use in separation of a target component from multi-component gas mixtures. These methods can be used for preferentially sorbing a target component of an influent or feed stream on and / or in a solid sorbent material, thereby separating the target component from the remaining components in the feed stream, and subsequently regenerating the sorbent allowing for cyclic reuse of the sorbent. In some methods, water in the form of steam, can be employed as a regeneration medium to desorb the sorbed component from the sorbent, thereby regenerating the sorbent material. Sorptive gas separation processes and systems employing solid sorbents offer advantages including, for example, a compact foot-print, and reduced energy consumption relative to gas separation processes employing liquid absorbents.
[0006] Industrial processes where gas separation can be desirable include combustion processes, combined cycle processes, or combined heat and power processes, where an oxidant and a carbon-containing fuel are combusted to generate, for example, heat, a combustion gas stream (also known as a combustion flue gas stream or a flue gas stream) and mechanical power, such as through expansion of combustion gases and / or a suitable working fluid. The separation of one or more gas components from the combustion gas stream can be desirable, such as for the removal and / or sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas from the flue gas stream, or separation of carbon dioxide during a cement production process. Other industrial processes where gas separation can be desirable include gas separation of a target component, for example, oxygen, nitrogen, or an acid gas component, from a process gas stream including, for example, separation of hydrogen sulfide from a gas stream, purification of an oxygen stream, or purification of a nitrogen stream.
[0007] Typically, boilers or heat recovery steam generators are designed to produce steam at pressures in excess of 300 kPa and therefore high in exergy (or useful energy). In processes and systems, incorporating moisture and / or temperature swing sorptive gas separation processes, regeneration of sorbents can be accomplished with steam at pressures below 300 kPa, and therefore the use of steam high in exergy for regeneration of sorbents can be inefficient. Therefore, it can be desirable to reduce the quantity of steam high in exergy consumed for regeneration of the sorbent as the availability of steam high in energy can be limited and / or highly valued.
[0008] One option to reduce the consumption of steam high in exergy can be to integrate a steam generation sub-process and sub-system into a primary process and system for generating a primary flue gas where heat can then be used to produce a steam stream for regeneration of the sorbents. An auxiliary combustor can be used in a steam generation sub-process to generate heat, however the auxiliary combustor creates additional carbon dioxide, increasing the total quantity of carbon dioxide desired for separation and capture as well as increases the quantity of nitrogen (from combustion of an additional air-fuel mixture) supplied to the sorptive separator, resulting in a reduction in gas separation efficiency relative to separating only CO2 from the flue gas from the primary combustor. Furthermore, separating and capturing additional CO2 formed in the auxiliary combustor results in increasing the steam required for regeneration of sorbents.
[0009] In the conventional approach of using an air stream as an oxidant for an auxiliary combustor, the combustion process produces a combustion stream containing additional quantities of nitrogen, oxygen, water and CO2 relative to the multi-component gas mixture. This results in increasing the flux of nitrogen in the influent or feed stream to the sorptive separator by about 20 to 40 wt%. This increase in nitrogen flux and corresponding dilution of the target component for separation has several disadvantages. First, it can de-rate or reduce the sorptive and separation capacity of the sorptive separator, for example, when head losses through the sorbent separator limits throughput. Second, moving the additional gas through the system requires additional energy and costs. Third, the increase in nitrogen concentration reduces the concentration of the target component, for example, CO2, and water in the influent stream to the sorptive separator and increases the separation energy duty by shifting the equilibrium target component or CO2 saturation point of the sorbent. Furthermore, additional quantity of air introduced into the auxiliary combustor can also increase the cooling duty in a conditioning step of a gas stream if it can be desirable to remove water from the gas stream, and / or in a sorptive gas separation process. The additional air can also increase the separation energy duty by shifting the equilibrium target component or CO2 saturation point on the sorbent.
[0010] Combustors, for example, a duct burner, can be employed as an auxiliary combustor to utilize and increase the heat energy of a flue gas stream, where the heat can be subsequently used in a downstream process. Catalytically assisted combustion of a supplemental fuel in diesel engine exhaust for NOx emission control purposes can be disclosed in US Patent No. US 7,533,521 , where oxygen was cyclically depleted to produce hydrogen and heat to regenerate a downstream catalyst. Catalytic exhaust after-treatment devices are known for their ability to react hydrocarbons even in low oxygen concentration streams. Tri-way catalysts in gasoline engine powertrains can remove trace unreacted hydrocarbons in exhaust streams with less than 1 % oxygen. Generating steam using a conventional auxiliary combustor and boiler cannot operate at high oxygen conversion rates because of the high concentration of oxygen in air and resulting elevated flame temperatures, which increases sharply the formation of nitric oxides.
[0011] Composition and parameters of multi-component gas mixtures or process streams desired for gas separation vary between applications and customers. The variations can undesirably result in custom sorptive gas separation processes and / or systems, further resulting in volume manufacturing and associated challenges. Furthermore, for some applications, the multi-component gas mixtures or process streams comprise a high concentration of oxygen which can be detrimental to the life of the sorbent.
[0012] The present novel process and system addresses the limitations of conventional sorptive gas separation processes using an auxiliary combustor for producing steam, for example, limited fuel and thermal efficiency, high operating cost, increased nitrogen volume and / or high oxygen content of the influent stream of the sorptive separator, which can result in reduced sorbent durability and / or low product purity of a separated product stream recovered from the sorptive separator.
[0013] SUMMARY
[0014] In a broad aspect, an integrated sorptive gas separation process comprises: (a) supplying a multi-component gas stream with a first component as a first stream, dividing the first stream into a second stream and a sixth stream, the sixth stream with a first oxygen concentration and a first quantity of heat; (b) admitting the second stream to an in-line combustor for use as an oxidant, admitting a fuel stream into the in-line combustor, combusting the oxidant and the fuel stream to produce a third stream, the third stream with a second oxygen concentration and a second quantity of heat; (c) admitting the third stream, the sixth stream, and a first water stream into a liquid-gas heat exchanger, transferring at least a portion of the first quantity of heat from the sixth stream and at least a portion of the second quantity of heat from the third stream to the first water stream, converting the first water stream to a first steam stream, converting the third stream to a fourth stream; (d) admitting the fourth stream into a sorptive separator comprising a sorbent, sorbing the first component on or in the sorbent, producing a first product stream depleted in the first component relative to the first stream, and recovering the first product stream from the sorptive separator, and (e) admitting the first steam stream into the sorptive separator and desorbing at least a portion of the first component sorbed on or in the sorbent, producing a second product stream enriched in the first component relative to the first stream, and recovering the second product stream from the sorptive separator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Figure 1 can be a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating an integrated sorptive gas separation system 200a with an in-line combustor 210, a liquid-gas heat exchanger 230, and a sorptive separator 260;
[0016] Figure 2 can be a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating an integrated sorptive gas separation system 200b configured with a first heat exchanger 225 and a third heat exchanger 227 which replaces the liquid-gas heat exchanger 230 in integrated sorptive gas separation system 200a shown in Fig. 1 ; and
[0017] Figure 3 can be a process flow diagram showing various stream volumes and energy used in two cases, a prior art case of using an auxiliary boiler for generating steam and the novel case of using a duct burner with a flash drum for generating steam.
[0018] DESCRIPTION
[0019] Definitions
[0020] Acid gas: includes but not limited to carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen (or nitric) oxides.
[0021] Adiabatic: when referring to a chemical reaction such as combustion, an adiabatic process can be defined as the conversion of substantially all of the heat energy generated by the process into the fluid reaction products rather than transferred to the environment or additional cooling or heating streams that are not part of the reaction.
[0022] CO2: carbon dioxide, the terms carbon dioxide and CO2 can be used interchangeably herein.
[0023] N2: molecular diatomic nitrogen, the terms nitrogen and N2 can be used interchangeably herein.
[0024] H2O: water, the terms water and H2O can be used interchangeably herein.
[0025] O2: molecular diatomic oxygen, the terms oxygen and O2 can be used interchangeably herein. Target component or first component: a gas component desirably sorbed and separated from an influent stream or feed stream of a sorptive separator. Typically for a flue gas as a feed stream, the target component can be CO2.
[0026] Second component: a component desirably sorbed and desorbed from an influent stream or regeneration stream of a sorptive separator to transfer energy in form of a heat of sorption and desorption to the sorbent. In the present invention, the second component can be water typically in the form of steam.
[0027] Dry basis (concentration): the concentration of one component after one or more condensable components, for example, water, are removed from the stream.
[0028] HEX: heat exchanger, device transferring heat from a stream at one temperature to another stream at a different temperature with the heat flux derived from a source (at a higher temperature) being directed to a sink (at a lower temperature).
[0029] HRSG: Heat Recovery Steam Generation device typically configured with gas flowing through conduits to supply heat to liquid water in contact with the outside of the conduits on the shell side with a steam collection volume connected to a steam drum.
[0030] Flue gas: a mixture of gases formed by combustion and other oxidative reactions, the terms flue, flue gas, and combustion gas can be used interchangeably herein.
[0031] First stream or first feed: a multi-component gas mixture with a target gas component for separation. The multi-component gas can be supplied from an industrial source or a combustor from an industrial process, for example, a primary combustor.
[0032] Second stream and sixth stream: a portion of the first stream which flow rates are controlled through a flow splitter or flow diverter.
[0033] Third stream or second feed: a gas stream produced by an in-line combustor or duct burner within the integrated sorptive gas separation system. The third stream comprises at least one of the first stream and an effluent gas stream from the duct burner or in-line combustor.
[0034] Fourth stream: effluent of the first heat exchanger or HRSG produced by cooling the second stream. Fifth stream: effluent of the second heat exchanger or DCC produced by further cooling and drying of the fourth stream.
[0035] First product stream: effluent of the sorptive separator depleted in first component, typically CO2, relative to the first stream.
[0036] Second product stream: effluent of the sorptive separation enriched in first component, typically CO2, relative to the first stream.
[0037] External combustor or Primary combustor: a combustor typically combusting hydrocarbon-containing fuels in the presence of O2 to produce energy for a primary process and a multi-component gas stream or a first stream for an integrated sorptive gas separation process and system.
[0038] Duct burner or in-line combustor: a device configured in a gas duct which combusts a fuel with an oxidant from a gas source, including for example, a stationary gas turbine, a boiler, an internal combustion engine, a kiln, a process gas source, to allow the firing of the fuel to produce a combustion or flue gas stream and, in embodiments, heat a gas stream within the gas duct. The duct burner or in-line combustor preferentially utilizes a catalytic process to react with the fuel and residual O2 in a gas stream from the gas source, for example, a multi-component stream or first stream. The duct burner or in-line combustor can be a non-catalytic type of combustor.
[0039] Air fuel equivalence ratio: ratio of an actual air to fuel ratio supplied to the in-line combustor divided by a stoichiometric air to fuel ratio in the same units. An equivalence ratio of 1 means there can be no fuel and no O2 left in the combustion stream if the combustion can be 100% efficient. Also known as the Lambda ratio.
[0040] Fuel Air equivalence ratio: Also known as Phi, ratio of an actual fuel to air ratio supplied to the in-line combustor divided by a stochiometric fuel to air ratio.
[0041] Pressure: all pressure values stated herein are absolute pressure, unless stated otherwise.
[0042] Low pressure steam: steam at a pressure equal to or lower than about 120 kPa absolute pressure, unless stated otherwise.
[0043] First Product Stream: an effluent fluid stream recovered from a sorptive separator depleted in a target component or a first component, for example, CO2, N2, O2, or acid gas components, relative to an influent or feed stream of the sorptive separator, during a sorbing step and process. The first product stream comprises components which were not sorbed by the sorbents. It can be also known as a raffinate stream of a sorptive separator.
[0044] Second Product Stream: an effluent fluid stream recovered from a sorptive separator enriched in a target component or first component, for example, CO2, N2, O2, or acid gas components, relative to an influent or feed stream of the sorptive separator, during a regenerating step and process. The second product stream comprises the first component sorbed on and / or in the sorbent during a sorbing step and desorbed from the sorbent during a subsequent desorbing or regenerating step.
[0045] Indirect heat exchanger: heat exchanger where a hot stream and one or more cool streams are fluidically separated and in thermal contact through a wall, barrier, membrane or rotating heat capacitor. A direct contact cooler or DCC can be not an indirect heat exchanger. The terms for Indirect heat exchanger and heat exchanger can be used interchangeably herein.
[0046] PFD: Process Flow Diagram, typically a block diagram with connections between blocks indicating a physical connection or a process fluid stream and a transfer of matter or energy between blocks, or a sequence of events and dependencies.
[0047] Heat pump: an apparatus for heating or cooling by transferring heat by mechanical means from or to an external reservoir.
[0048] Description
[0049] An integrated sorptive gas separation process and system can be provided for separation of a target component from a multi-component gas mixture. The sorptive gas separation process employs a swing sorptive process including, for example, a temperature swing process and / or a moisture swing process, in a sorptive separator comprising a solid sorbent. The target component can be, for example, carbon dioxide or CO2, nitrogen, oxygen, or an acid gas component. The multicomponent gas mixture can be a process gas stream, a biogas stream, a flue gas stream, and / or a combustion gas stream. The integrated sorptive gas separation process and system can be combined with a primary process and system external of the integrated sorptive gas separation process and system, where the primary process and system can be any industrial process and system including and not limited to, for example, a combustion process, a combined cycle process, a combined heat and power process, a cement production process, a biogas process, and industrial gas production processes. The solid sorbent has at least one of absorptive and adsorptive properties. Water which can be in the form of steam can be preferably employed to regenerate the sorbent in the sorptive separator during the sorptive gas separation process.
[0050] In embodiments, an integrated sorptive gas separation process can be provided to produce a steam stream for a sorptive gas separation process and specifically for regeneration of the sorbents in a sorptive separator.
[0051] A multi-component gas mixture source, from for example a primary combustor such as a gas turbine or boiler, or a process gas stream source, supplies a multi-component gas mixture or stream as a first stream to the embodiment integrated sorptive gas separation process and system comprising a liquid-gas heat exchanger, a flash drum fluidically connected to the liquid-gas heat exchanger, and a sorptive separator having at least one solid sorbent fluidically connected to the flash drum.
[0052] In an embodiment the flash drum and liquid-gas heat exchanger are combined in one device. In one aspect, the liquid-gas heat exchanger can be a heat recovery steam generator (also referred to as “HRSG”).
[0053] In a further embodiment, the flash drum, liquid-gas heat exchanger produces steam at a pressure equal to or less than about 120 kPa absolute, preferably below 90 kPa absolute and more preferably below 70 kPa absolute.
[0054] In a further embodiment, the flash drum can be fluidically connected to the sorptive separator for supplying the steam generated in the flash drum to the sorptive separator.
[0055] For a sorptive gas separation process using steam as a regeneration medium, methods disclosed herein for producing steam offers advantages over conventional methods using an auxiliary boiler and operating at pressures of about 300 kPa absolute as it allows for greater heat recovery in the system. In conventional systems, waste heat can only be used in pre-heating of water, whereas with generation of steam at low pressures, part of the waste heat can be used to produce steam at temperatures greater than 90°C, preferably at a temperature greater than 70°C.
[0056] Typically, the quantity of heat available in a first stream to produce steam can be limited and insufficient to generate the steam desired for regeneration of the sorbent in sorptive gas separation applications, such as, CO2 capture applications. For example, in applications where a flue gas stream can be supplied as a first stream, the sensible heat in the first stream in the gas phase can be about 1 to 1 .5 kJ / Kg K, while the heat of water vaporization can be about 40.6 kJ per mole of water. Because of the shortfall between the supply of steam through heat recovery using a heat exchanger and flash drum, and the demand for steam for the regeneration of the sorbent, additional steam can be desired.
[0057] In one embodiment, the steam can be produced by an in-line combustor producing additional heat for converting water to steam in a flash drum or a liquid-gas heat exchanger operating at sub ambient pressure.
[0058] The current invention further increases the quantity of heat available within the muti-component gas stream by combusting a fuel with oxygen present in the muti- component gas stream.
[0059] In another embodiment, steam can be produced by a liquid-gas heat exchanger and a flash drum by introducing a third stream into the liquid-gas heat exchanger where the sensible heat of the third stream can be greater than the sensible heat of the first stream.
[0060] In an embodiment, the third stream can be produced in an in-line combustor, such as, a duct burner by reacting the second stream with a fuel stream.
[0061] The fuel for the in-line combustor in the integrated sorptive gas separation process and system can be the same or different fuel used in the primary combustor. For example, the primary combustor can use coal while the in-line combustor in the integrated sorptive gas separation process and system can use natural gas. In another example, the primary combustor can use natural gas while the in-line combustor in the integrated sorptive gas separation process and system can use a bio-methane fuel.
[0062] In embodiments, a heater can be used to create additional heat to convert a water stream to steam in a flash drum where the heater heats the water stream before admitting it into the flash drum at a reduced pressure relative to a pressure in the heater, and / or using an in-line combustor (other than the primary combustor), a liquidgas heat exchanger and a flash drum where the in-line combustor adds heat to the second stream and the liquid-gas heat exchanger for transferring a fraction of the heat into a water stream within the liquid-gas heat exchanger, and the water stream can be admitted into the flash drum at a reduced pressure.
[0063] In an embodiment, a muti-component gas stream from a primary combustor or a second stream can be used as the oxidant for the combustion process within the integrated sorptive gas separation process and system, a third stream produced by the combustion process within the integrated sorptive gas separation process and system does not comprise additional nitrogen relative to the muti- component gas stream or first stream as additional air can be not admitted to the in-line combustor within the integrated sorptive gas separation process and system.
[0064] In embodiments, the in-line combustor can be fluidly connected to: a multicomponent gas mixture source or first stream source to recover a portion of the first stream or a second stream as an oxidant, a gaseous or liquid fuel source to recover a fuel stream as a fuel, and a liquid-gas heat exchanger for recovering the effluent or third stream from the in-line combustor; the liquid-gas heat exchanger can be fluidly connected to a flash drum; and the flash drum can be fluidly connected to the sorptive separator. A sixth stream and the third stream can be used as influent streams for a sorptive separator and the steam produced in a flash drum can be used as the regeneration stream for the sorptive separator. The in-line combustor mixes and combusts the first stream or second stream (as an oxidant) and the fuel stream to produce heat and the third stream.
[0065] In a preferred embodiment, the in-line combustor can be configured substantially within the first stream or the second stream. In one aspect, the in-line combustor can be a duct burner.
[0066] In alternative embodiments, the in-line combustor can be fluidly connected to the multi-component gas mixture source or first stream source to recover a portion of the first stream or a second stream as an oxidant, and can be fluidly connected to a fuel source, for recovering a carbon-containing fuel stream including but not limited to, for example, natural gas, propane, butane, methane, or gasoline.
[0067] In one aspect, the in-line combustor mixes and combusts an oxidant and a fuel, and preferably combusts equal to or greater than about 80% of the oxygen in the multi-component gas mixture or second stream. The in-line combustor can produce heat and a third stream with a lower oxygen concentration, an increased CO2 concentration and temperature relative to the first stream.
[0068] Configuring the in-line combustor substantially within the first stream or the second stream enables substantially all of the CO2 produced by the in-line combustor to be discharged in the third stream, where it can be advantageously captured downstream by a sorptive separator without being diluted by the addition of air and nitrogen for combustion.
[0069] Advantages of using a duct burner as the in-line combustor include, for example, increased concentration of CO2 in the effluent of the duct burner or third stream relative to the first stream, a decreased concentration of oxygen in the third stream relative to the first stream, additional heat can be available for an integrated sorptive gas separation process relative to heat solely in the first stream, and an increase in the concentration of water in the third stream. The increased concentration of water in the third stream facilitates recovery of water and increases the energy that can be recovered from condensing water through a heat recovery device or heat pump.
[0070] In an embodiment, water can be introduced in the form of droplets or mist into the second stream before or within the in-line combustor, to lower the adiabatic combustion temperature of the in-line combustor or duct burner. The liquid water can also increase the heat capacity of the gases combusted in the in-line combustor which reduces the temperature differential across the combustion zone, improving the efficiency of the colder portions of the combustion zone, and reducing unwanted combustion by-products such as soot, nitrous oxides, etc.
[0071] While a peak temperature of the in-line combustor can be reduced due to the limited oxygen concentration in the oxidant supplied to the in-line combustor such as the second stream, a large fraction of the heat of reaction produced in the in-line combustor for the formation of steam can be recovered in the low pressure section of the flash drum when the steam effluent from the flash drum can be at a concentration greater than about 30 wt.% or about 60 wt.%.
[0072] In an embodiment, a diverter valve can be used to divide and divert a first portion of the multi-component gas mixture or stream as a second stream to the in-line combustor and a second portion of the multi-component gas stream as a sixth stream to the liquid-gas heat exchanger. The diverter valve can be controlled such that the sixth stream and the second stream are at desired flow rates and / or at a desired ratio of the sixth stream to the second stream.
[0073] A majority of the heat produced from combustion or reaction in the in-line combustor can be used for producing steam as the heat produced can be added to a hot gas stream such as the second stream, already at elevated temperatures rather than adding heat to a cool gas stream where a portion of the heat can be used to increase the temperature of the cool gas stream. This advantageously reduces the quantity of fuel consumed to generate steam for regeneration of the sorbents and the sorptive separation process.
[0074] An integrated sorptive gas separation process and system with an in-line combustor configured substantially within the second stream, offers the advantage that substantially all of the CO2 produced by the in-line combustor can be directed to and captured by the sorptive separator. The use of the oxygen in the second stream as the oxidant for the in-line combustor advantageously reduces the separation energy cost by increasing the separation capacity of the sorptive separator as no additional air or oxygen, relative to the first stream, used for combustion can be introduced into the influent stream of the sorptive separator.
[0075] Configuring the in-line combustor substantially within the second stream also offers the advantage of utilizing otherwise can bee waste heat contained in the second stream resulting in an increase of the energy efficiency for a sorptive gas separation process and system. Employing residual oxygen in the second stream as the oxidant for combustion in the in-line combustor offers the advantages of reducing the O2 concentration in the influent stream, for example, a third stream, a fourth stream, or a fifth stream, to the sorptive separator resulting in increasing the durability and lifetime of the sorbent; reducing the influent volume and nitrogen volume admitted into the sorptive separator resulting in increasing the efficiency and capacity of the sorptive separator and sorptive process; increasing the target or first component (for example, CO2) recovery from the sorptive gas separation process and system, and increasing the purity or concentration of a second product stream recovered from the sorptive separator.
[0076] A typical in-line combustor or duct burner operates with an excess quantity of oxygen to ensure a stable flame and consistent emission profile while attempting to reduce the quantity of unreacted fuel remaining post combustion. Operation of an inline combustor at reduced oxygen concentrations can be achieved by combining catalytic combustion and traditional homogeneous gas phase combustion, or by the use of a fully catalytic combustion process. Typically, in non-catalytic combustion processes, depending on an adiabatic combustion effluent temperature, the oxygen concentration post combustion can be between about 2% to 8%. Catalytic combustion enables combustion at reduced oxygen concentrations and the ability to control and improve the efficiency in the blending of the fuel and oxidant. This tends to avoid excess fuel breaking through to the effluent side of the duct burner or in-line combustor which can be a limiting factor in minimizing the remaining O2 concentration in the flue gas post combustion. Reducing the oxygen concentration of a flue gas stream produced by a catalytic type of combustor to below 0.5% can be achieved. For reference, a tri-way catalyst removing trace hydrocarbons from the exhaust of a gasoline engine can reduce the O2 content of the exhaust to less than 1000 ppm in order to enable the reduction of most of the nitrous oxide to nitrogen.
[0077] In an embodiment, the in-line combustor or duct burner can be a catalytic in-line combustor employing a catalyst for initiating or carrying out at least a portion of and improving the integrity of the combustion process. In one aspect, the in-line combustor can comprise a monolith with a metallic or ceramic support structure coated with or impregnated with a catalyst comprising at least one of: platinum, palladium, ruthenium, iridium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, and / or copper.
[0078] In an embodiment, the in-line combustor or duct burner can be configured to comprise at least one catalytic pilot element to stabilize the combustion ignition front or flame. In another embodiment the in-line combustor can have a post combustion catalytic section to reduce the concentration of unreacted fuel in the second stream or third stream. Further still, in another embodiment, the in-line combustor can have both a catalytic pilot and a post combustion catalytic section.
[0079] In embodiments, substantially all of the heat generated in the in-line combustor can be derived from contact with a heterogeneous catalyst.
[0080] In a process embodiment, an in-line combustor can be operated by admitting the second stream and a fuel stream into the in-line combustor, mixing the second stream with the fuel stream and forming a mixed oxidant-fuel stream, igniting and combusting the mixed oxidant-fuel stream to produce heat and a third stream, and recovering the third stream from the in-line combustor.
[0081] In a process embodiment, an in-line combustor comprising at least one catalyst can be operated by admitting the second stream and a fuel stream into the inline combustor, mixing the second stream with the fuel stream forming a mixed oxidantfuel stream, directing the mixed oxidant-fuel stream to contact one or more catalysts, where a contact time between the mixed oxidant-fuel stream and the one or more catalysts can be less than about 1 second, or preferably less than about 0.1 second, combusting the mixed oxidant-fuel stream to produce heat and a third stream, and recovering the third stream from the in-line combustor.
[0082] If the gas velocity in the in-line combustor can be between 5 to 30 meters per second, a contact time of about 0.1 seconds corresponds to about 0.5 to about 3 meters of catalyst bed or catalytic contactor length. A gas velocity exiting the fuel nozzles of the in-line combustor can be greater than a flame propagation velocity of the mixture at the temperature and pressure conditions of a mixing section of the in-line combustor.
[0083] An exemplary sorptive gas separation system for separating 3000 metric tons per day of CO2 with a sorptive separator with about 300 cubic meters of sorbent, a catalytic combustor or combustor can have a catalytic monolith with a volume of less than about 6 cubic meters with an expected cost of the catalyst of less than about 5% of the cost of the sorbent. The use of an in-line combustor configured in line or in a duct can reduce the flow and volume of nitrogen admitted into the sorptive separator and reduce the flow and volume of an influent stream of the sorptive separator by up to about 25%. The relative cost savings from the reduced sorbent volume can offset the catalyst cost of the combustor, where the catalyst has a washcoat loading of 1 % platinum or palladium. Additional cost savings can be achieved by the reduction of the O2 concentrations in the influent stream admitted into to the sorptive separator, resulting in reducing or eliminating a process and components otherwise desired to remove oxygen from the second product stream of the sorptive separator in order to achieve a desired purity of the second product stream, such as, a desired purity of a first component, such as CO2 by reducing the quantity of residual oxygen present in that stream.
[0084] In embodiments, the temperature of the second stream entering the in-line combustor or duct burner can be greater than about 120°C, or preferably greater than about 250°C. During operation, a fraction of the in-line combustor can be maintained at temperatures above the light off temperature of the catalyst, typically above 200°C. The in-line combustor can be maintained at a temperature above which cooling of the in-line combustor inlet by convection can be at a rate less than that of heat propagating back from the heat of combustion. Combustion of methane on a palladium-based catalyst, for example, has a light off temperature between about 200°C and 300°C depending upon the air and fuel concentrations, reactant flow rates, and geometry. In one aspect an electric heating element can be used to increase the temperature of a fraction of the in-line combustor volume if a temperature of the influent gas to the in-line combustor or second stream can be below a light-off temperature of the oxidant-fuel mixture. In one aspect, an electric element can be used to create and maintain a hot surface as an ignition source for the oxidant-fuel mixture such as a glow plug.
[0085] Alternatively, the third stream produced by the in-line combustor, can be recycled to contact the in-line combustor for increasing the temperature of the in-line combustor after the start of the combustion process.
[0086] In an embodiment, an in-line combustor initiates combustion with a catalyst as a catalyst enables improved combustion and flame stability at lower concentrations of O2, for example, below about 10% O2, about 5% O2, or about 2% O2, relative to non-catalytic in-line combustors or duct burners. The in-line combustor can have and use a catalyst to facilitate the combustion and flame stability of fuels such as propane or natural gas in an environment with low concentrations or levels of O2 where the catalyst includes, for example, platinum, palladium, ruthenium, iridium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, and copper.
[0087] In an embodiment, a diverter can be used to divide a portion of a first stream to produce a second stream and a sixth stream. The in-line combustor can combine and combust a fuel stream with the oxygen in the second stream to produce a third stream comprising unreacted components of the second stream and the combustion products of the in-line combustor. The in-line combustor increases the temperature of the third stream to a temperature equal to and greater than about 200°C, about 350°C, about 500°C, or about 750°C. In one aspect, the temperature of the third stream can be in a temperature range of about 200°C to about 1000°C. The increase in exergy and temperature in the third stream enables efficient production of steam where greater than about 95% of the supplemental chemical energy in the fuel admitted to the in-line combustor can be used to produce steam in a flash drum downstream of the inline combustor.
[0088] Some solid sorbents used in a sorptive separator can be effectively regenerated by temperature and / or moisture swing mechanisms by contacting steam at a pressure between about 50 and about 120 kPa with the sorbent. Conventional boilers and heat recovery steam generators are designed to produce steam at pressures well in excess of 300 kPa. For moisture or temperature swing sorptive gas separation processes and separators, steam low in exergy, for example, at a pressure less than about 300 kPa can be used to regenerate the solid sorbent. Therefore, the use of steam high in exergy for regeneration of the sorbent tends not to be efficient and therefore it undesirably increases the operating cost of an integrated sorptive gas separation process and system.
[0089] In a process embodiment, in which a portion of or substantially all of the steam produced and recovered from the flash drum can be generated at a low pressure, for example, equal to or less than about 300 kPa absolute, equal to or less than about 200 kPa absolute, or equal to or less than about 100 kPa absolute. The steam stream recovered from the flash drum can then be directed to a contactor in a sorptive separator with pressure head losses of less than 5 kPa. In an embodiment integrated sorptive gas separation process, the process comprises introducing at least a fraction of a combustion gas stream as a first stream into a sorptive gas separation system, supplying and / or dividing at least a portion of the first stream to form a second stream, introducing the second stream and a fuel stream into a in-line combustor, the first stream or the second stream with a concentration of oxygen of greater than 2% and a first stream temperature or a second stream temperature, mixing the first stream or the second stream with the fuel stream to produce a mixed oxidant-fuel stream, igniting or reacting the mixed oxidant-fuel stream, producing a third stream with a lower concentration of oxygen relative to the concentration of oxygen in the first stream or the second stream and a temperature greater than 100°C relative to the first stream temperature or the second stream temperature; introducing the third stream into a liquid-gas heat exchanger, introducing a first water stream into the liquid-gas heat exchanger, producing and recovering a first steam stream from the liquid-gas heat exchanger, and producing a fourth stream; and introducing the fourth stream into a sorptive separator; sorbing at least the first component on a sorbent in the sorptive separator, producing a first product stream depleted in the first component relative to the first stream or the second stream; introducing the first steam stream into the sorptive gas separator, desorbing at least the first component from the sorbent, producing a second product stream enriched in the first component relative to the first stream or second stream, and recovering the second product stream from the sorptive separator.
[0090] In further embodiments, the integrated sorptive gas separation process further comprises: introducing the fourth stream into a second heat exchanger and reducing the temperature of the fourth stream, condensing water from the fourth stream for forming a condensate stream, forming a fifth stream, and introducing the fifth stream into the sorptive separator; increasing a temperature of the first water stream to produce a heated water stream, introducing the heated water stream into a flash drum to produce the first steam stream; the in-line combustor can be at least one of a duct burner and a catalytic in-line combustor; controlling at least one of the second stream and the fuel stream for combustion within the in-line combustor to achieve a concentration of oxygen in the third stream, the concentration of oxygen can be equal to or less than about 4 vol%, about 2 vol%, or about 1 vol%; and controlling the dividing of the first stream into the second stream and a sixth stream for achieving a temperature of the third stream of greater than 300°C.
[0091] In an embodiment, the integrated sorptive gas separation process can also further comprise: mixing a fraction of the combustion gas stream from an external or primary combustor as a first stream or a second stream with a fuel stream, reacting greater than 98% of the fuel stream with oxygen in the first stream or second stream in an in-line combustor, producing heat and forming a third stream enriched in carbon dioxide and a depleted in oxygen relative to the first stream or the second stream; introducing the third stream and a first water stream comprising water at a pressure greater than 120 kPa into a liquid-gas heat exchanger, forming a fourth stream and a heated water stream with a temperature greater than 60°C, recovering the heated water stream from the liquid-gas heat exchanger at a pressure of less than 120 kPa, introducing the heated water stream into a flash drum, producing a first steam stream at a pressure of less than 120 kPa, cooling the heated water stream for producing a liquidgas heat exchanger recycle fluid stream, recovering at least a fraction of the liquid-gas heat exchanger recycle fluid stream and the first steam stream from the flash drum and introducing the liquid-gas heat exchanger recycle fluid stream into the liquid-gas heat exchanger; introducing the fourth stream or a fifth stream into a sorptive separator with a sorbent, sorbing at least the first component on the sorbent, and forming a first product stream depleted in the first component relative to the first stream or second stream; introducing the first steam stream into the sorptive separator, sorbing water from the first steam stream on the sorbent, desorbing the first component from the sorbent, forming a second product stream, and recovering the second product stream from the sorptive separator; and desorbing water from the sorbent by at least one of contacting the sorbent with a purge gas, exposing the sorbent to a vacuum, and heating the sorbent.
[0092] In further embodiments, the integrated sorptive gas separation process can further comprise repeating the steps of the integrated sorptive gas separation process at a frequency of at least one of once per minute and to recover greater than 80% of the first component in the first stream; introducing the fourth stream into a second heat exchanger and reducing the temperature of the fourth stream, condensing water from the fourth stream for forming a condensate stream, forming a fifth stream, and introducing the fifth stream into the sorptive separator; controlling at least one of a temperature of the third stream, a flow rate of the liquid-gas heat exchanger liquid supply stream or heated water stream introduced into the liquid-gas heat exchanger or flash drum, and a pressure of steam recovered from the flash drum for controlling a quantity of steam recovered from the flash drum; recovering the first steam stream from the liquid-gas heat exchanger or flash drum at a rate equal to or greater than 0.8 kg of steam per kg of carbon dioxide separated from the first stream or second stream and with a pressure in a range of 70 kPa to 120 kPa; transferring heat from the third stream in the liquid-gas heat exchanger for generating the first steam stream at a rate of equal to or greater than 0.8 kg of steam per kg of carbon dioxide in the first stream or second stream; adjusting a fuel-air equivalence ratio in the in-line combustor in a range of 0.8 to 0.99; increasing a temperature of the first water stream to produce a heated water stream, introducing the heated water stream into a flash drum to produce the first steam stream; the in-line combustor can be at least one of a duct burner and a catalytic in-line combustor; controlling at least one of the second stream and the fuel stream for combustion within the in-line combustor to achieve a concentration of oxygen in the third stream, the concentration of oxygen can be equal to or less than about 4 vol%, about 2 vol%, or about 1 vol%; and controlling the dividing of the first stream into the second stream and a sixth stream for achieving a temperature of the third stream of greater than 300°C.
[0093] In an embodiment, the process can comprise: supplying a multicomponent gas stream with a first component as a first stream, dividing the first stream into a second stream and a sixth stream, the sixth stream with a first oxygen concentration and a first quantity of heat; admitting the second stream to an in-line combustor for use as an oxidant, admitting a fuel stream into the in-line combustor, combusting the oxidant and the fuel stream to produce a third stream, the third stream with a second oxygen concentration and a second quantity of heat; admitting the third stream, the sixth stream, and a first water stream into a liquid-gas heat exchanger, transferring at least a portion of the first quantity of heat from the sixth stream and at least a portion of the second quantity of heat from the third stream to the first water stream, converting the first water stream to a first steam stream, converting the third stream to a fourth stream; admitting the at least one of the fourth stream or a fifth stream into a sorptive separator comprising a sorbent, sorbing the first component on or in the sorbent, producing a first product stream depleted in the first component relative to the first stream, and recovering the first product stream from the sorptive separator; and admitting the first steam stream into the sorptive separator and desorbing at least a portion of the first component sorbed on or in the sorbent, producing a second product stream enriched in the first component relative to the first stream, and recovering the second product stream from the sorptive separator.
[0094] In further embodiments, the process can comprise controlling at least one of the mass flow of the second stream, the mass flow of oxygen in the second stream, the mass flow of oxygen for combustion in the in-line combustor, and the mass flow of fuel for combustion in the in-line combustor to produce the third stream with the second oxygen concentration; the process of controlling the mass flow of the second stream or the mass flow of oxygen in the second stream can be performed by dividing the first stream into the second stream and the sixth stream; the process of dividing can be actively controlled by adjusting a mechanical throttle valve or a fan; or passively controlled by a pressure drop in at least one of a conduit for the second stream and a conduit for the sixth stream; the second oxygen concentration can be at least one of less than the first oxygen concentration and less than about 4 vol% oxygen, about 2 vol% oxygen, or about 1 vol% oxygen; converting the sixth stream to at least a portion of the fourth stream; admitting the fourth stream into a second heat exchanger, and converting the fourth stream to the fifth stream, for example, by reducing a temperature of the fourth stream to less than 80°C; the processes of converting the first water stream to the first steam stream can be performed at a pressure below atmospheric pressure or 100 kPa absolute; the process of admitting the first water stream into the liquid-gas heat exchanger can be at a pressure below atmospheric pressure or 100 kPa absolute; the second quantity of heat can be greater than the first quantity of heat; the first component can be carbon dioxide; the multicomponent gas stream can be a combustion gas stream or a flue gas stream; at least one of the in-line combustor can be a duct burner and a catalytic in-line combustor; and controlling the dividing of the first stream into the second stream and a sixth stream for achieving a temperature of the third stream of greater than 300°C.
[0095] In an embodiment, the process can comprise distributing and / or dividing a multi-component gas mixture or stream as a first stream into a second stream and a sixth stream; admitting the second stream to an in-line combustor for use as an oxidant, admitting a fuel stream into the in-line combustor, combusting the oxidant and the fuel stream to produce a third stream, and recovering the third stream from an in-line combustor; admitting the third stream into a first heat exchanger to transfer heat to a first HEX water stream within the first heat exchanger and forming a fourth stream; increasing a temperature of the first HEX water stream to equal to or greater than about 85°C, about 90°C, or about 95°C, to form a first HEX hot water stream; recovering the first HEX hot water stream from the first heat exchanger and admitting the first HEX hot water stream into a flash drum where a pressure of the first HEX hot water stream can be controlled and reduced, forming a steam stream in the flash drum; recovering the steam stream from the flash drum; recovering the fourth stream from the first heat exchanger; in a first sorbing step, admitting the sixth stream, a seventh stream, or an eighth stream into a sorptive separator for sorbing and separating a first component, for example CO2, from the sixth, seventh or eighth streams thereby forming a first product stream depleted in the target or first component relative to the first stream; recovering the first product stream from the sorptive separator; in a regenerating step, admitting the steam stream into the sorptive separator for desorbing the first component from the sorbent for forming a second product stream enriched in the first component relative to the first stream; and recovering the second product stream from the sorptive separator.
[0096] In a further embodiment of the integrated sorptive gas separation process, the process can comprise admitting the fourth stream into a second heat exchanger or direct contact cooler for at least one of reducing a temperature of the fourth stream, and removing water from the fourth stream, to produce a fifth stream; recovering the fifth stream from the second heat exchanger or DCC (direct contact cooler), and admitting the fifth stream into the sorptive separator. In a further embodiment, the integrated sorptive gas separation process can also comprise a second sorbing step, admitting the fourth stream or fifth stream into a sorptive separator for sorbing and separating a target or first component, for example CO2, from the fourth stream or fifth stream thereby forming the first product stream depleted in the first component relative to the first stream.
[0097] Further still, in another embodiment, the integrated sorptive gas separation process can comprise admitting the seventh stream into a fourth heat exchanger for reducing a temperature of the seventh stream to produce an eighth stream; recovering the eighth stream from the fourth heat exchanger, and admitting the eighth stream into the sorptive separator.
[0098] In a further embodiment, the integrated sorptive gas separation can further comprise process, controlling the dividing of the first stream into the second stream and a sixth stream for achieving a temperature of the third stream of greater than 300°C.
[0099] The sorbing step and regenerating step can occur sequentially and be repeated.
[0100] In embodiments, the third stream can be at a temperature equal to or greater than about 200°C, or at a temperature in a range of about 200°C to about 1000°C, and can be admitted into a first heat exchanger, for transferring heat energy to a first HEX water stream within the first heat exchanger, reducing a temperature of the third stream to a temperature equal to or less than about 100°C to form a fourth stream, and increasing a temperature of the first HEX water stream to a temperature equal to or greater than about 80°C, about 90°C, about 100°C or about 105°C, or preferably a temperature in a range of about 80°C to about 105°C.
[0101] In an embodiment, the first heat exchanger can transfer heat energy from the third stream to the first HEX water stream such that a temperature difference between a temperature of the third stream at the outlet of the first heat exchanger subtracting a temperature of the first HEX water stream at the outlet of the first heat exchanger can be in a range of about 10°C to about 30°C, or about 15°C to about 25°C. The first HEX water stream can be at a pressure of equal to or greater than about 200 kPa. Subsequent steps include, for example, recovering and admitting a first HEX hot water stream into the flash drum; actively or passively controlling and reducing the pressure of the flash drum water stream to a pressure of equal to or less than about 100 kPa; forming steam within the flash drum and recovering a steam stream from the flash drum for admitting into the sorptive separator.
[0102] The fourth stream can be further cooled in a second heat exchanger or in a DCC to form a fifth stream with a temperature equal or less than about 80°C.
[0103] For an integrated sorptive gas separation process and system configured with a plurality of sorptive separators, each sorptive separator can be configured with and fluidly connected to its own flash drum as a source of steam. In alternative embodiments of an integrated sorptive gas separation process and system having and using a plurality of sorptive separators, the sorptive gas separation process and system can further comprise a plurality of flash drums where each sorptive separator can be fluidly connected to a flash drum for producing steam. In another alternative embodiment, an integrated sorptive gas separation process and system having and using a plurality of sorptive separators, a plurality of flash drums, and a plurality of inline combustors, each flash drum can be fluidly connected to the in-line combustor.
[0104] In an alternative embodiment, the first HEX hot water stream or a heated water stream can be admitted into the flash drum and circulated through packing material or structured packing contained in the flash drum to increase the surface area and contact area between the first HEX hot water stream or a heated water stream and void space filled by low pressure steam to assist in generating steam and can limit the quantity of liquid droplet carried over to the steam stream.
[0105] In an embodiment, a means to demist or reduce the quantity of liquid water droplets entrained in the steam stream recovered from the flash drum can also be incorporated. A mechanical droplet filter or a heated media to vaporize liquid droplets can be employed within or downstream of the flash drum depending on the particulars of steam pressure and temperature and the desire for superheating of the steam admitted to the sorptive separator.
[0106] In an alternative embodiment, the first stream can be divided into two fractions, a second stream which can be supplied and admitted to the in-line combustor or duct burner for generating a third stream, and a sixth stream supplied to and admitted into a third heat exchanger for producing a seventh stream. At least a portion of the second stream can be converted by the in-line combustor into a third stream having a lower oxygen concentration and an increased water and target component concentration, such as CO2, relative to the first stream.
[0107] The third stream and the seventh stream can be cooled separately by at least one heat exchanger and hot water from the at least one heat exchangers can be supplied to the flash drum to produce steam.
[0108] After the third stream and the sixth stream have been admitted into the first heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger respectively, the effluent fourth stream and seventh stream can be cooled further in a second heat exchanger and a fourth heat exchanger respectively. In one aspect, condensed liquid water can be recovered from the fourth stream and seventh stream.
[0109] In embodiment of the integrated sorptive gas separation process, a fifth stream and an eighth stream can be admitted into a sorptive separator for use in two separate sorbing steps of a sorptive gas separation process within the sorptive separator. In a first sorbing step, the first sorbing step comprises admitting the seventh stream or eighth stream into the sorptive separator to contact the sorbent subsequently followed by a second sorption step where the second sorbing step comprises admitting the fourth stream or fifth stream into the sorptive separator to contact the sorbent, wherein the seventh stream and eighth stream can have a lower first component concentration, such as CO2, relative to the fourth stream and the fifth stream; and / or the fourth stream and the fifth stream have a higher first component concentration, such as CO2, relative to the seventh stream and the eighth stream.
[0110] Use of two separate sorbing steps with a greater concentration of the first component concentration, such as CO2, in the influent stream during a subsequent or second sorbing step can increase a sorptive capacity and loading during a cycle of a sorptive gas separation process while reducing the quantity of energy required to desorb the first component the sorbent, therefore deceasing the energy to separate the first component from the multi-component gas mixture or first stream.
[0111] Another benefit of the integrated sorptive gas separation processes using two sorbing steps can be that the fifth stream employed for the second sorbing step has a reduced O2 concentration relative to the eighth stream employed for the first sorbing step which reduces the quantity of O2 carried over into the subsequent regenerating or desorbing step of regenerating the sorbent and recovering the first component such as CO2.
[0112] A reduced oxygen content of the influent stream, for example, the fourth, fifth, seventh, and / or eighth streams, to a sorptive separator can be synergistically beneficial to the sorptive separation process using a solid sorbent such as an increased lifetime of the sorbent resulting from a decreased oxygen degradation.
[0113] An influent stream for example, the fourth, fifth, seventh and / or eighth streams, to the sorptive separator having a reduced or low oxygen concentration also results in increasing the purity of the first component, for example, CO2 recovered from the second product stream of the sorptive separator without adding or increasing a purge step prior to a sorbent regenerating or desorbing step in the sorptive gas separation process. Reducing the duration or quantity of gases used in the purge step or purge stream increases the energy efficiency of the sorptive gas separation process as this can reduce the quantity of the first component, such as CO2, purged and recycled to a sorbing step for sorption to achieve an improved recovery rate of the first component, such as CO2.
[0114] A lower O2 concentration in the influent stream admitted into the sorptive separator can also reduce the oxidation degradation of some sorbents. For example, an amine-based sorbent’s lifetime can be strongly correlated to the kinetics of oxidation of the sorbent. A lower O2 concentration can extend the lifetime of amine-based sorbents, for example, when an amine-based sorbent can be exposed to temperatures above about 70°C, which leads to an acceleration of oxidative damage.
[0115] In an embodiment integrated sorptive gas separation process, the process comprises: supplying a combustion gas stream with a first component as a first stream, dividing the first stream into a second stream and a sixth stream, the sixth stream with a first oxygen concentration and a first quantity of heat; admitting the second stream to a in-line combustor for use as an oxidant, admitting a fuel stream into the in-line combustor, combusting the oxidant and the fuel stream to produce a third stream, the third stream with a second oxygen concentration and a second quantity of heat; admitting the third stream and a first water stream into a first heat exchanger, transferring at least a portion of the second quantity of heat from the third stream to the first water stream and forming a second water stream, converting the third stream to a fourth stream; admitting the sixth stream, at least one of a third water stream and a fourth water stream into a third heat exchanger, transferring at least a portion of the first quantity of heat from the sixth stream to the at least one of the third water stream and the fourth water stream and forming a fifth water stream, converting the sixth stream to a seventh stream; combining the second water stream with the fifth water stream for forming a sixth water stream, admitting the sixth water stream into a flash drum, forming a first steam stream and a seventh water stream; admitting the at least one of the fourth stream, a fifth stream, the seventh stream and an eighth stream into a sorptive separator comprising a sorbent, sorbing the first component on or in the sorbent, producing a first product stream depleted in the first component relative to the first stream, and recovering the first product stream from the sorptive separator; and admitting the first steam stream into the sorptive separator and desorbing at least a portion of the first component sorbed on or in the sorbent, producing a second product stream enriched in the first component relative to the first stream, and recovering the second product stream from the sorptive separator.
[0116] In further embodiments of the integrated sorptive gas separation process: controlling at least one of the mass flow of the second stream, the mass flow of oxygen in the second stream, the mass flow of oxygen for combustion in the in-line combustor, and the mass flow of fuel for combustion in the in-line combustor to produce the third stream with the second oxygen concentration; the process of controlling the mass flow of the second stream or the mass flow of oxygen in the second stream can be performed by dividing of the first stream into the second stream and the sixth stream; the process of dividing can be actively controlled by adjusting a mechanical throttle valve or a fan, or passively controlled by a pressure drop in at least one of a conduit for the second stream and / or a conduit for the sixth stream; the second oxygen concentration can be at least one of less than the first oxygen concentration and / or less than 4 vol% oxygen, about 2 vol% oxygen, or about 1 vol% oxygen; admitting the fourth stream into a second heat exchanger, and converting the fourth stream to the fifth stream for example, by reducing a temperature of the fourth stream to less than about 80°C; admitting the seventh stream into a fourth heat exchanger, and converting the seventh stream to the eighth stream by reducing a temperature of the seventh stream to less than about 80°C; converting the sixth water stream to the first steam stream in the flash drum at a pressure below atmospheric pressure or 100 kPa absolute; the second quantity of heat can be greater than the first quantity of heat; operating the sorptive separator having at least a first sorbing step, a second sorbing step and a regenerating step, where the first sorbing step, second sorbing step, and regenerating step occur sequentially, wherein admitting the seventh stream or the eighth stream into the sorptive separator occurs during the first sorbing step and admitting the fourth stream or the fifth stream occurs during the second sorbing step; the first component can be carbon dioxide; the multicomponent gas stream can be a combustion gas stream or a flue gas stream; the in-line combustor can be at least one of a duct burner and a catalytic in-line combustor; and controlling the dividing of the first stream into the second stream and a sixth stream for achieving a temperature of the third stream of greater than about 300°C.
[0117] Referring to Fig. 2, can be a schematic diagram of an embodiment integrated sorptive gas separation system 200b configured with a first heat exchanger 225 and a third heat exchanger 227 which replaces a liquid-gas heat exchanger 230 in integrated sorptive gas separation system 200a shown in Fig. 1 , and a sorptive separator 260 configured to receive a fifth stream 241 for a first sorbing step, and an eighth stream 251 for a second sorbing step. The integrated sorptive gas separation system 200b comprise a diverter 205, an in-line combustor 210, a first heat exchanger 225, a third heat exchanger 227, a flash drum 220, a sorptive separator 260. In further embodiments, integrated sorptive gas separation system 200b further comprise one or more of a second heat exchanger 240, a fourth heat exchanger 250, a reservoir 270, a fan 258, a fan 268, a fifth heat exchanger 290, and a sixth heat exchanger 280. A multi-component gas source 100, for example, a combustor such as a primary combustor, a process gas source, or a biogas source can be fluidly connected for supplying a multi-component gas mixture or stream as a first stream 101 to a diverter 205 for dividing first stream 101 , into a second stream 201 and a sixth stream 212 with a first oxygen concentration and a first quantity of heat. Diverter 205 can be passively or actively controlled and / or operated and can be fluidly connected for supplying and admitting the second stream 201 as an oxidant into an in-line combustor 210, for example, a catalytic in-line combustor, a non-catalytic in-line combustor, a duct burner, or a catalytic duct burner. A fuel source (not shown in Fig. 2) can be fluidly connected for supplying and admitting a fuel stream 202 to in-line combustor 210, for combusting the oxidant and fuel stream 202 for producing a third stream 211 with at least one of a second oxygen concentration, a second quantity of heat, and a temperature equal to or greater than about 350°C, preferably equal to or greater than about 500°C, or most preferably equal to or greater than about 700°C. Third stream 211 comprise greater concentrations of CO2 and water, and lower concentrations of O2 relative to first stream 101 . In-line combustor 210 can be a duct burner, a catalytic in-line combustor, a catalytic duct burner, or any suitable combustor. In-line combustor 210 can be fluidly connected for recovering and admitting the third stream 211 to a first heat exchanger 225 for transferring heat to a first HEX water stream 219w within first heat exchanger 225, increasing a temperature of first HEX water stream 219w to equal to or greater than about 85°C, preferably equal to or greater than about 90°C, or more preferably equal to or greater than about 95°C, to form a first HEX hot water stream 224a and a fourth stream 226. First heat exchanger 225 can be fluidly connected for recovering and admitting fourth stream 226 into a sorptive separator 260 (not shown in Fig. 2) during a second sorbing step of a sorptive separation process. In embodiments, and as shown in Fig. 2, the first heat exchanger 225 can be fluidly connected into a second heat exchanger 240 for example, a direct contact cooler (DCC), for at least one of reducing a temperature and removing water from fourth stream 226 to produce a fifth stream 241 . Second heat exchanger 240 can be fluidly connected for recovering and admitting fifth stream 241 to sorptive separator 260 during a second sorbing step of the sorptive separation process. Second heat exchanger 240 can be fluidly connected to receive a first water stream 104w for transferring heat from second heat exchanger 240. Diverter 205 can be fluidly connected for recovering and admitting sixth stream 212 to a third heat exchanger 227, for example, a liquid-gas heat exchanger, for transferring heat from sixth stream 212 to a third HEX water stream 218w within third heat exchanger 227 and forming a seventh stream 228, increasing a temperature of third HEX water stream 218w to equal to or greater than about 85°C, preferably equal to or greater than about 90°C, or more preferably equal to or greater than about 95°C, to form a third HEX hot water stream 224w. A reservoir 270 can be fluidly connected for recovering and admitting a supplemental water stream 271w to third heat exchanger 227. First heat exchanger 225 can be fluidly connected for recovering and admitting first HEX hot water stream 224a to flash drum 220. Third heat exchanger 227 can be fluidly connected for recovering and admitting third HEX hot water stream 224wto flash drum 220. First HEX hot water stream 224a and third HEX hot water stream 224w can be mixed prior to admitting into flash drum 220. A pressure within flash drum 220 can be controlled and adjusted to a pressure of less than about 120 kPa absolute, preferably below about 100 kPa absolute, most preferably below about 80 kPa absolute, resulting in conversion of first HEX hot water stream 224a and third HEX hot water stream 224w into steam and forming a steam stream 221 . The steam produced in flash drum 220 can be recovered to maintain a substantially constant pressure in flash drum 220 while a substantially constant flow to and a quantity of a hot aqueous liquid within flash drum 220 can be maintained to provide the necessary heat of vaporization for flash drum 220. Flash drum 220 can be fluidly connected for recovering and admitting a first portion of a return water stream 217w as first HEX water stream 219w to first heat exchanger 225, and a second portion of return water stream 217w as third HEX water stream 218w to third heat exchanger 227. Flash drum 220 can be fluidly connected for recovering and admitting steam stream 221 to sorptive separator 260. Third heat exchanger 227 can be fluidly connected for admitting a seventh stream 228 to sorptive separator 260 (not shown in Fig. 2) during a first sorbing step of the sorptive separation process. In embodiments, and as shown in Fig. 2, the third heat exchanger 227 can be fluidly connected to a fourth heat exchanger 250, for example, a direct contact cooler, for at least one of reducing a temperature and removing water from seventh stream 228 to produce an eighth stream 251 . Fourth heat exchanger 250 can be fluidly connected for recovering first water stream 104w from the first water stream source (not shown in Fig. 2) and to reservoir 270 for admitting a coolant stream 250w into reservoir 270. Fourth heat exchanger 250 can be fluidly connected for recovering and admitting first water stream 104w to a reservoir 270. Fourth heat exchanger 250 can be fluidly connected for recovering and admitting eighth stream 251 to sorptive separator 260 during a first sorbing step of the sorptive separation process. Sorptive separator 260 comprising a solid sorbent, sorbs a first component, for example CO2, on and / or in the sorbent from the fifth stream 241 during a second sorbing step and eighth stream 251 during a first sorbing step thereby forming a first product stream 263 during a first sorbing step and a third product stream 262 during a second sorbing step depleted in the first component relative to first stream 101 . During a regenerating step of the sorptive separation process, flash drum 220 can be fluidly connected for admitting steam stream 221 into sorptive separator 260 for desorbing the first component from the sorbent for forming a second product stream 261 enriched in the first component relative to first stream 101 .
[0118] In an embodiment, a sixth heat exchanger 280 can be fluidly connected to sorptive separator 260 for recovering second product stream 261 from sorptive separator 260 and for recovering water from second product stream 261 thereby forming a first condensate stream 281 w. First product stream 263, second product stream 261 , and third product stream 262 can be recovered from integrated sorptive gas separation system 200b. The first sorbing step, second sorbing step and regeneration step occur sequentially and are repeated.
[0119] In an embodiment, sorptive separator 260 comprise a plurality of zones where the zones are fl uidical ly separate from each other within sorptive separator 260, a first zone (not shown in Fig. 2) for sorbing the first component, for example, CO2, on and / or in the sorbent during a first sorbing step from eighth stream 251 with a first partial pressure (or first concentration) of the first component; a second zone (not shown in Fig. 2) for sorbing the first component on and / or in the sorbent during a second sorbing step from fifth stream 241 with a second partial pressure (or second concentration) of the first component, where the first partial pressure (or first concentration) of the first component can be less than the second partial pressure (or second concentration) of the first component or where the second partial pressure (or second concentration) of the first component can be greater than the first partial pressure (or first concentration) of the first component, and a third zone (not shown in Fig. 2) for desorbing the first component where steam stream 221 contacts the sorbent and desorbs the first component from the sorbent. In an embodiment, a first conditioning stream 103 can be admitted to the sorptive separator 260 for removing water from the sorbent during a conditioning step of the sorptive separation process, forming a fourth product stream 265 prior to repeating the first sorption step. A sorptive separation process comprises at least a first sorbing step, a desorbing or regenerating step, and a first conditioning step, in sequential order where the steps can be repeated sequentially. First conditioning stream 103 can have a partial pressure of water which can be lower than a partial pressure of water of the sorbent within the sorptive separator 260 during a regenerating step, and can be, for example, an air stream, a heated air stream, the first product stream, the third product stream, a sixth product stream, or a combination thereof after a fraction of water has been removed from the first, third or sixth product streams.
[0120] In an embodiment, fourth product stream 265 can be directed to a fifth heat exchanger 290 such as a DCC or condenser, to recover water and form a second condensate stream 292w and a sixth product stream 291 having a relative humidity which can be less than a relative humidity of fourth product stream 265 or fourth product stream 265 can be exhausted to a downstream process or further conditioning prior to release to the atmosphere.
[0121] In embodiments, third product stream 262 can be spit into a first portion third product stream 262a and a second portion third product stream 262b, where second portion third product stream 262b can be recycled to or admitted into sorptive separator 260 in a fifth zone (not shown in Fig. 2) as a second conditioning stream during a second conditioning step of a sorptive separation process which can occur between the first conditioning step and the first sorbing step. A fifth product stream 264 can be recovered from sorptive separator 260 and recovered from integrated sorptive gas separation system 200b or admitted into fifth heat exchanger 290. For example, a sorptive separation process comprises at least a first sorbing step, a regenerating step, a first conditioning step and a second conditioning step, in sequential order where the steps can be repeated. One benefit of the second conditioning step can be to reduce leakage, cross-contamination, or carry-over of O2 between the regenerating step and the first sorbing step as the third product stream has a reduced O2 concentration. The second portion of the third product stream 262b can be admitted into sorptive separator 260 and integrated to form a fifth product stream 264. In one aspect, fifth product stream 264 and fourth product stream 265 are admitted into fifth heat exchanger 290 to recover water and form liquid water second condensate stream 292w and sixth product stream 291 or exhausted to a downstream process or further conditioning prior to release to the atmosphere.
[0122] In an embodiment, the flow of first HEX water stream 219w and third HEX water stream 218w can be controlled and adjusted so that the heat in the first HEX hot water stream 224a and third HEX hot water stream 224w are sufficient to provide the energy of vaporization of steam stream 221 exiting flash drum 220. Most of the water in return water stream 217w can be recovered from flash drum 220 with less than 20% of the water can be sourced from supplemental water stream 271w to replace the water exiting flash drum 220 as steam stream 221 . For example, in the case of a water loop with a temperature change of 10 °C between water entering and exiting flash drum 220, the flow ratio by weight between the loop flow and steam flows would be about 50 to 1 .
[0123] A pump and back pressure controller as well as supplemental water stream 271 w from a reservoir 270 are used to control the circulation rate of the water as well as the pressure in part of the heat exchange circuit to minimize dual phase flow in the heat exchangers.
[0124] In alternative embodiments, flash drum 220 operates at sub-ambient pressure to generate steam at a low pressure, while cooling water in the flash drum.
[0125] In embodiments, the pressure in flash drum 220 can be controlled by a pump or a fan 258, or a pump or a fan 268. The pump or fan 268 can be located downstream of sorptive separator 260 or the pump or fan 258 can be located upstream of sorptive separator 260, depending upon the vacuum desired in the sorptive separator 260 during a regenerating step.
[0126] The process steps described above can be combined or separated into different process units.
[0127] In an alternative embodiment, the heat exchange and steam generation in first heat exchanger 225 and flash drum 220, or in first heat exchanger 225, third heat exchanger 227, and flash drum 220 can be combined and carried out simultaneously using a liquid-gas heat exchanger, for example, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) as shown in Fig. 1 as liquid-gas heat exchanger 230 in place of a flash drum with a separate water-gas heat exchanger. This arrangement reduces pumping energy use for the liquid.
[0128] Process Control Embodiments:
[0129] In an embodiment, a split ratio of flow between second steam 201 and sixth steam 212 can be controlled by an automated device using O2 concentration and / or CO2 concentration of second stream 201 to compute and adjust the quantity of gas necessary to provide sufficient oxygen flux to the in-line combustor or duct burner.
[0130] In an embodiment, a split ratio between a second stream and a sixth stream can be calculated with the formula below: [Formula 1 ] where the SR can be the steam ratio for the quantity of steam used per mole ratio of CO2 recovered in the sorbent regenerating step, the heat of combustion of the auxiliary fuel can be expressed per mol of 02, the [CO2] and
[0002] are the concentrations in CO2 and O2 in the first stream 101 .
[0131] Ideally A would be one and B zero, however not all of the O2 can be used and some minimal flow can also be desired for operating the device.
[0132] The molar steam ratio can be typically 2 to 3.5 while the heat of combustion per mole of O2 can be typically between 350 to 450 kJ / mol. For most flue gas or combustion gas stream compositions there can be enough O2 in the flue gas such as first stream 101 and second stream 201 for use as an oxidant source for the inline combustor to produce the heat desired for sorbent regeneration in an integrated sorptive gas separation process.
[0133] This quantity of fuel and O2 can be a minimum quantity desired to provide energy for steam generation for the system. The quantity of the second stream relative to the sixth stream can be preferably higher in order to ensure the full combustion of the fuel and or to control the temperature of the effluent of the in-line combustor or duct burner. Supplemental air, oxygen enriched air or oxygen can also be provided to the duct burner or in-line combustor to increase the output of the in-line combustor or duct burner when the application of Formula 1 yields a split ratio greater than 1 and when the oxygen concentration of the flue gas can be insufficient to generate sufficient heat and thereby steam for the regeneration of the sorbent in the sorptive separation process.
[0134] The system of the present invention includes heat exchangers and low pressure steam generation device or devices placed downstream of the in-line combustor or duct burner and upstream of the sorptive separator.
[0135] Pipelines for transporting carbon dioxide typically limit the allowable concentration of oxygen in a carbon dioxide stream, for example, less than about 20ppm O2, to prevent corrosion.
[0136] The practice of the invention includes methods for fast start up, steady state operation optimization of fuel consumed by the in-line combustor and an ability to follow fast transients. In an embodiment, a control process for the integrated sorptive gas separation system for adjusting the split ratio of the first stream and the sixth stream, the quantity of fuel injected and the pressure of the flash drum, the control process can comprise:
[0137] (a) measure CO2, O2 concentrations, flow rate and temperature from a multi-component gas stream or a first stream;
[0138] (b) compute cycle speed and steam desired for a sorptive separator;
[0139] (c) compute fuel consumption for a in-line combustor or a duct burner in the integrated sorptive gas separation system and O2 requirement;
[0140] (d) adjust diverter to provide sufficient O2 flux or concentration to the in-line combustor or duct burner;
[0141] (e) admit fuel into the in-line combustor or duct burner after a desired temperature can be achieved;
[0142] (f) start operation of sorptive separator;
[0143] (g) heat water using effluent stream from the in-line combustor or duct burner (third stream), after a desired temperature of the water (first HEX hot water stream and / or third HEX hot water stream) can be achieved, admit water to flash drum; (h) recover steam from flash drum and admit into sorptive separator during a desorbing or regenerating step of a sorptive separation process;
[0144] (i) adjust temperature of the cooling loop of the heat exchanger for the second product stream or sixth heat exchanger to dry the second product stream to produce a purified second product stream;
[0145] (j) recover first product stream and second product stream from integrated sorptive gas separation system;
[0146] (k) measure temperatures of at least one of the first and second product streams, wait for temperatures to stabilize;
[0147] (l) compute purified second product stream flow and compute recovery rate and energy use per Mt of first component recovery;
[0148] (m) repeat steps (a) through (I) as desired.
[0149] In an embodiment, a process control method can include direct or indirect measurement of the incoming CO2 and O2 concentrations within the multi-component gas stream or first stream, estimating the quantity of CO2 captured per unit time or CO2 flux and adjusting the cycle speed of the sorptive separator to provide the desired sorbent to CO2 ratio to produce a high recovery rate of the CO2. The CO2 flux can be also used to compute the quantity of steam desired and the quantity of energy desired to produce the steam after utilizing recycled waste heat. The quantity of oxygen to react with the quantity of fuel to add per unit time can be then estimated and converted into a split ratio for the flue gas. During steady state operation, the CO2 effluent purity and flow rate are used to verify that the desired recovery rate can be achieved. If not, the process control parameters for the system are adjusted until the target recovery can be realized. Typically, the sorbent cycle speed can decrease and the quantity of steam produced can be increased if the recovery can be insufficient. If the recovery rate can be too high, slowing the cycle and reducing the quantity of steam produced reduces the cost of carbon dioxide capture.
[0150] Valve operation for controlling the split ratio of the second stream for the in-line combustor or duct burner and a bypass stream or sixth stream can be proposed as well as the control of fuel flow to the in-line combustor using temperature feedback. The inventive system can be retrofitted onto an existing plant using fossil fuel or biofuel combustion with air or enriched air. When biomethane can be used as the fuel source for the in-line combustor, the requirement for separating the CO2 from the methane can be reduced or eliminated since the CO2 added with the fuel can be included in the third, fourth and fifth streams and provided to a sorptive separator.
[0151] A more compact steam generation system integrating multiple functions can be advantageous from both a CAPEX perspective and the space requirement or form factor perspective. The invention has the potential to eliminate a post O2 treatment module for the second product stream for producing purified CO2, while can also reduce the quantity of nitrogen in the system by up to 25% and thereby reduces the size and / or cost of the fans and the sorptive separator. The reduction in steam consumption also reduces the desire to recover water from product streams.
[0152] System Embodiments
[0153] Referring to Fig. 1 , in system embodiments, a multi-component gas source 100, for example, a primary combustor such as a gas turbine or boiler, or a process gas stream source, can be fluidly connected to admit a multi-component gas mixture or stream as a first stream 101 , into an integrated sorptive gas separation system 200a, and an in-line combustor 210 via a diverter 205. In embodiments, the inline combustor 210 can be a duct burner and can be configured substantially within a first fraction of the first stream 101 or a second stream 201 . Diverter 205 can be used for distributing, controlling and / or forming second stream 201 and a sixth stream 212 from first stream 101 . In-line combustor 210 can be fl uidically connected to diverter 205 and a liquid-gas heat exchanger 230, and a fuel source (not shown in Fig. 1 ). Second stream 201 can be admitted and used as an oxidant for in-line combustor 210, where a gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon fuel including but not limited to, for example, natural gas, propane, butane, methane, or gasoline, can form a fuel stream 202 which can be admitted into in-line combustor 210. In-line combustor 210 mixes and combusts at least a portion of second stream 201 with fuel stream 202 to produce heat and a third stream 211 and can be preferably a duct burner and / or a catalytic-type combustor described herein but need not be. In a preferred embodiment, in-line combustor 210 comprises a catalyst of: platinum, palladium, ruthenium, iridium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, and / or copper, and, in embodiments, the catalyst can be coated or impregnated onto a monolith with a metallic or ceramic support structure. In-line combustor 210 can be fluidically connected to admit third stream 211 into liquid-gas heat exchanger 230 for transferring heat to a cold circuit (not shown in Fig. 1 ) of liquid-gas heat exchanger 230, for example, a heat recovery steam generator, thereby converting third stream 211 into a fourth stream 226. A water source (not shown in Fig. 1 ) can be fluidically connected to admit at least a portion of a first water stream 104w into the cold circuit of liquid-gas heat exchanger 230, where heat from third stream 211 and a hot circuit (not shown in Fig. 1 ) of liquid-gas heat exchanger 230 transfers heat and increases a temperature of water stream 104w and / or an inflow water stream 271w to a temperature equal to or greater than about 85°C, about 90°C, or about 95°C, for forming steam and a steam stream 221 in liquid-gas heat exchanger 230 or a flash drum integrated into liquid-gas heat exchanger 230. The pressure of hot water in liquid-gas heat exchanger 230 can be passively or actively controlled to reduce a pressure within the flash drum.
[0154] In an embodiment, liquid-gas heat exchanger 230 can be fluidically connected to recover and admit fourth stream 226 into a second heat exchanger 240 such as, a direct contact cooler, but need not be. A temperature and a water content of fourth stream 226 can be reduced within second heat exchanger 240 to form a fifth stream 241 . Second heat exchanger 240 can be fluidically connected to a water source (not shown in Fig. 1 ) for admitting a portion of first water stream 104w into second heat exchanger 240 for cooling of fourth stream 226 and forming a coolant stream 240w. Second heat exchanger 240 can be fluidically connected for recovering and admitting coolant stream 240w to a reservoir 270. Second heat exchanger 240 can be fluidically connected to a sorptive separator 260 for recovering and admitting fifth stream 241 into a sorptive separator 260 for sorbing and separating a first component, for example CO2, from fifth stream 241 during a sorbing step and thereby forming a first product stream 262 depleted in the first component relative to first stream 101 . Sorptive separator 260 comprises at least one solid sorbent and employs at least one sorptive swing separation mechanism and process, for example, a pressure swing and / or a moisture swing process. First product stream 262 can be recovered from sorptive separator 260 and integrated sorptive gas separation system 200a.
[0155] In an embodiment, sorptive separator 260 can be fluidically connected to recover steam stream 221 from liquid-gas heat exchanger 230. During a regenerating or desorbing step, sorptive separator 260 can be fluidically connected to admit a regeneration stream or steam stream 221 into sorptive separator 260 to desorb the first component from the sorbent, producing a second product stream 261 enriched in the first component relative to the first stream 101 . Second product stream 261 can be recovered from sorptive separator 260 and integrated sorptive gas separation system 200a, and conveyed to a downstream process 300.
[0156] In an embodiment, integrated sorptive gas separation system 200a further comprises reservoir 270 fluidically connected to recover an outflow water stream 231 w from liquid-gas heat exchanger 230 and admit inflow water stream 271 w to liquid-gas heat exchanger 230. In another aspect, integrated sorptive gas separation system 200a further comprises a water control valve (not shown in Fig. 1 ) to control the flow and / or pressure of inflow water stream 271w.
[0157] In an alternative embodiment, liquid-gas heat exchanger 230 can be fluidically connected to a sorptive separator 260 for recovering and admitting fourth stream 226 into sorptive separator 260 for sorbing and separating a first component, for example CO2, from fourth stream 241 during a sorbing step.
[0158] Referring to Fig. 2, in an integrated sorptive gas separation system 200b liquid-gas heat exchanger 230 in integrated sorptive gas separation system 200a in Fig. 1 can be removed from integrated sorptive gas separation system 200b and replaced by a first heat exchanger 225 and a third heat exchanger 227, for example, a liquid-to-gas heat exchanger. The integrated sorptive gas separation system 200b comprises a diverter 205, an in-line combustor 210, a first heat exchanger 225, a third heat exchanger 227, a flash drum 220, a sorptive separator 260. In further embodiments, integrated sorptive gas separation system 200b further comprise one or more of a second heat exchanger 240, a fourth heat exchanger 250, a reservoir 270, a fan 258, a fan 268, a fifth heat exchanger 290, and a sixth heat exchanger 280. In an embodiment of an integrated sorptive gas separation system, first heat exchanger 225, third heat exchanger 227 and a flash drum 220 are fl uidical ly connected by a liquid loop to circulate a working fluid, for example, water and steam. Flash drum 220 operates at a pressure equal to or less than about 120 kPa absolute, preferably about 100 kPa absolute, more preferably about 80 kPa absolute, for forming steam fraction upon pressure equilibration with the vapor fraction in flash drum 220. The steam produced can be recovered to maintain a substantially constant pressure in flash drum 220 while a substantially constant flow of a hot aqueous liquid to and a quantity of the liquid within flash drum 220 can be maintained to provide the necessary heat of vaporization for flash drum 220. The first stream 101 can be split or divided into second stream 201 and a sixth stream 212 through diverter 205 which can be passively or actively controlled and / or operated. Second stream 201 can be introduced into an inline combustor 210 and used as an oxidant source to produce additional heat. In-line combustor 210 can be preferably a duct burner and / or a catalytic-type combustor described herein but need not be. A hydrocarbon gas or liquid can be mixed into second stream 201 and reacted in in-line combustor 210 to form a third stream 211 with increased heat, exergy, CO2 and water concentrations and decreased oxygen concentration relative to second stream 201. Third stream 211 can be directed to first heat exchanger 225 where at least a portion of the heat from third stream 211 can be used to heat an aqueous solution in the liquid loop fluidly connected to flash drum 220 operated at low pressure and forming steam below 120 kPa absolute, preferably below 100 kPa most preferably below 80 kPa absolute pressure, fourth stream 226, now at a reduced temperature relative to third stream 211 , exits first heat exchanger 225 and can be introduced to second heat exchanger 240 or a separate stage of first heat exchanger 225 to further decrease the temperature of and remove water in fourth stream 226 thus forming fifth stream 241 . Sixth stream 212 exits diverter 205 fluidically connected to supply sixth stream 212 to a heating circuit of third heat exchanger 227. A seventh feed stream 228 from the heating circuit of third heat exchanger 227 can be then directed to a fourth heat exchanger 250 or an additional heat exchange stage of third heat exchanger 227, to further decrease the temperature of and to remove water from seventh stream 228 for forming an eighth stream 251 . Flash drum 220 produces a steam stream 221 . Flash drum 220, second heat exchanger 240 and fourth heat exchanger 250 are fl uidical ly connected to a sorptive separator 260 comprising a plurality of zones where the zones are fl uidical ly separate from each other within sorptive separator 260, a first zone (not shown in Fig. 2) for sorbing the first component, for example, carbon dioxide from eighth stream 251 with a first partial pressure (or first concentration) of the first component, a second zone (not shown in Fig. 2) for sorbing the first component from fifth stream 241 with a second partial pressure (or second concentration) of the first component, where the first partial pressure (or first concentration) of the target component can be less than the second partial pressure (or second concentration) of the first component or where the second partial pressure (or second concentration) of the target component can be greater than the first partial pressure (or first concentration) of the first component, and a third zone (not shown in Fig. 2) where steam stream 221 contacts the sorbent containing the first component in an adsorbed or absorbed condensed form to produce a second product stream 261 enriched in the first component relative to first stream 101 . Sorptive separator 260 can be fluidically connected to a sixth heat exchanger 280 and, in embodiments, a fifth heat exchanger 290, for example, direct contact coolers, to remove water from at least second product stream 261 and from a fourth product stream 265. A reservoir 270 for water can be used to provide a buffer for at least one of coolant stream 240w, coolant stream 250w, first condensate stream 281 w, and second condensate stream 292w for forming at least a fraction of the water admitted to flash drum 220 for conversion into steam, second product stream 261 can be then recovered from sixth heat exchanger 280 and integrated sorptive gas separation system 200b and sent to a downstream process 300 which can comprise compression and / or injection into a well, or conditioning and utilization of the purified CO2.
[0159] Examples:
[0160] In a first example, two integration cases are compared for sorptive gas separation of CO2 from a flue gas stream produced by an external or primary combustor and supplied to a conventional integrated sorptive gas separation process and system and a novel integrated sorptive gas separation process and system. The flue gas stream can be derived from combustion of natural gas combustion with the following composition: 7% CO2, 16% H2O, 5% O2, 72% N2. The two configurations are presented in Fig. 3.
[0161] Referring to Fig. 3, either an auxiliary boiler FE600 or a duct burner are used to produce heat and to generate steam for regeneration of the sorbent in a sorptive separator CD260. The purified CO2 or second product stream produced by a sorptive separator CD260 can be a stream C106. For simplicity, only streams containing CO2 or steam for regeneration are shown in Fig. 3. The use of a low- pressure steam generation system, for example, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) or flash drum with a separate heat exchanger, enables a significant increase in recovered waste heat and can be shown in Fig. 3 as a separate steam source IB300.
[0162] Case 1 , in the reference case a conventional integrated sorptive gas separation process and system with a sorptive separator using low pressure steam regeneration and a typical conventional auxiliary boiler using an air and natural gas mixture to produce heat and to generate steam.
[0163] Case 2, in the novel case, a novel integrated sorptive gas separation process and system with a sorptive separator using low pressure steam regeneration, a duct burner with an HRSG unit operating at sub-ambient pressure to produce heat and to generate steam. In this case, substantially all of the oxygen used in the duct burner can be supplied by the flue gas stream supplied to the integrated sorptive gas separation system and the effluent stream produced by the duct burner has the following composition: 8.69% CO2, 17.08% H2O, 2.5% O2, 71.72% N2. The cost of operation (Opex) can be estimated assuming a $5 / MMBTU price for natural gas and $0,085 per kWh for electricity.
[0164] Table 1 presents the flows of the different streams for both integration schemes. Table 1 : comparison of case 1 and case 2 stream volume and overall performance for example 1 . The integration of the flash steam generation at sub-ambient pressure enables about of the steam to be produced from recovered waste heat in the process including heat release in the CO2 compression train. This benefit in turn results in less fuel consumed to produce the net quantity of steam. Additionally, with the duct burner combined with a low pressure operating HRSG on the steam side, the conversion of chemical energy into steam can be greater than 99% in the novel integration case versus less than 95% with the traditional auxiliary boiler due to heat loss carried by the additional flue gas created by the auxiliary boiler. This also reduces the net quantity of fuel consumed in the integrated sorptive gas separation process.
[0165] The total quantity of CO2 captured or processed can be also reduced by about 10% to achieve the same net emission abatement from the primary source. Using process simulation software, modeling predicts a reduction in NG consumption of about 37% between reference case 1 (prior art) versus the innovative case 2 with duct burner, and a reduction in Opex or operating expense of about 20% at a NG price of 5 $ / MMBTU and an electricity price of $0,085 per kWh.
[0166] Another important benefit of the novel method can be a reduction in cooling duty used to recover water after the sorptive separator of about 44% relative to the reference case.
[0167] It can be important to note that the total cost of CO2 capture in USD per metric ton can be computed on the basis of the total CO2 captured including the emission added by the CO2 capture system. The benefit the present invention can be about a 14% reduction in the cost of CO2 per metric tonne instead of a 4% reduction on the basis of total carbon removed.
[0168] This be simulation assumes that the performance of the sorptive gas separation system remains constant between the two different influent or feed streams while adjusting the size of the separation system to account for the reduction in total CO2 emissions to abate. Additional savings due to the increased partial pressure of CO2 in the sorption step are expected that can lead to further reductions of the sorbent volume and a reduction in steam required and a further reduction in the Opex for CO2 separation.
[0169] In a second example, the effect of directing the split CO2 feed into the sorptive separator at different steps can be evaluated.
[0170] In a first scenario or Case 3, the duct burner effluent post DCC can be introduced into the sorptive separator after the bypassed primary flue gas with respect to the sorptive separator with a moving contactor. In the second scenario duct effluent and bypassed primary flue gas are mixed before entering the sorptive separator.
[0171] Table 2a and 2b present the results of the simulation of these different cases and in order of feed gas addition.
[0172] To facilitate comparison, only the order of addition of the streams or the mixing of the feed stream with CO2 was altered from case to case. Case 4 considers the first and second feed streams being mixed before being directed into sorptive separator 260. Case 5 can be when the order of addition of the first and second feed streams are reversed versus the sorbent contactor exposure sequence. The sorbent used in the model can be CALF20.
[0173] For example 1 the focus on the performance impact of this strategy vis a vis more efficient heat integration and steam generation system, while for example 2 the core sorption separation capture process performance gains for a selected sorbent are considered which results in an increased adsorption capacity at increased CO2 partial pressure in the feed gas.
[0174] Table 2a - feed flows and compositions for all cases in example 2. Case 4 blends stream 310 and 320 in feed step.
[0175] CO2recovery
[0176] CO2 purity
[0177] CO2 stream 02
[0178] PPm
[0179] Steam Ratio Wt / Wt
[0180] Productivity TDP
[0181] Table 2b: comparison of key performance indicators for the cases of example 2.
[0182] It can clearly be seen that in addition to greatly decreasing O2 concentration in the CO2 product, the preferred sequence exemplified in case 3 also utilizes less steam per MT of CO2 produced and has an improved recovery and productivity (lower energy cost for the steam). This illustrates the multiple benefits of integrating the two flues gas stream separately into the sorption separation process versus blending of these streams prior to entering the sorptive separator.
[0183] As the pipeline O2 purity requirement can be as low as 20ppm, post recovery O2 removal down to this level can be strongly dependent on O2 concentration in the product.
[0184] This indicates that the economic benefit from example 1 are in fact understated as this example has assumed no change in the separation process performance.
Claims
CLAIMS:1 . An integrated sorptive gas separation process for separating a first component from a combustion gas stream, the process comprising:(a) introducing the combustion gas stream as a first stream into a sorptive gas separation system, supplying at least a portion of the first stream to form a second stream, introducing the second stream and a fuel stream into an in-line combustor, the first stream includes a concentration of oxygen of greater than 2% and a first stream temperature, mixing the first stream or the second stream with the fuel stream to produce a mixed oxidant-fuel stream, igniting or reacting the mixed oxidantfuel stream, producing a third stream with a lower concentration of oxygen relative to the concentration of oxygen in the first stream and wherein the temperature of the third stream can be increased by at least 100°C relative to the first stream temperature ;(b) introducing the third stream into a liquid-gas heat exchanger, introducing a first water stream into the liquid-gas heat exchanger, producing and recovering a first steam stream from the liquid-gas heat exchanger, and producing a fourth stream;(c) introducing the fourth stream into a sorptive separator; sorbing at least the first component on a sorbent in the sorptive separator, producing a first product stream depleted in the first component relative to the first stream or the second stream; introducing the first steam stream into the sorptive gas separator, desorbing at least the first component from the sorbent, producing a second product stream enriched in the first component relative to the first stream or second stream, and recovering the second product stream from the sorptive separator.
2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising in step (b), increasing a temperature of the first water stream to produce a heated water stream, introducing the heated water stream into a flash drum to produce the first steam stream.
3. The process of claim 2, further comprising in step (b) increasing the temperature of the first water stream to greater than 60°C.
4. The process of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising after step (c), desorbing water from the sorbent by at least one of contacting the sorbent with a purge gas, exposing the sorbent to a vacuum, and heating the sorbent.
5. An integrated sorptive gas separation process for separating a first component from a combustion gas stream, the process comprising:(a) mixing a fraction of the combustion gas stream from an external or primary combustor as a first stream or a second stream with a fuel stream, reacting greater than 98% of the fuel stream with oxygen in the first stream or second stream in an in-line combustor, producing heat and forming a third stream enriched in carbon dioxide and a depleted in oxygen relative to the first stream or the second stream;(b) introducing the third stream and a first water stream comprising water at a pressure greater than 120 kPa into a liquid-gas heat exchanger, forming a fourth stream and a heated water stream with a temperature greater than 60°C, recovering the heated water stream from the liquid-gas heat exchanger at a pressure of less than 120 kPa, introducing the heated water stream into a flash drum, producing a first steam stream at a pressure of less than 120 kPa, cooling the heated water stream for producing a liquid-gas heat exchanger recycle fluid stream, recovering at least a fraction of the liquid-gas heat exchanger recycle fluid stream and the first steam stream from the flash drum and introducing the liquid-gas heat exchanger recycle fluid stream into the liquid-gas heat exchanger;(c) introducing the fourth stream into a sorptive separator with a sorbent, sorbing at least the first component on the sorbent, and forming a first product stream depleted in the first component relative to the first stream or second stream;(d) introducing the first steam stream into the sorptive separator, sorbing water from the first steam stream on the sorbent, desorbing the first component from the sorbent, forming a second product stream, and recovering the second product stream from the sorptive separator;(e) desorbing water from the sorbent by at least one of contacting the sorbent with a purge gas, exposing the sorbent to a vacuum, and heating the sorbent, and(f) repeating steps (a) to (e).
6. The process of claim 5, wherein the repeating steps (a) to (e) can be at a frequency of at least one of once per minute and to recover greater than 80% of the first component in the first stream.
7. The process of any one of claims 1 , 5, or 6, further comprising: prior to step (c), introducing the fourth stream into a second heat exchanger and reducing the temperature of the fourth stream, condensing water from the fourth stream for forming a condensate stream, forming a fifth stream and a condensed stream, and introducing the fifth stream into the sorptive separator.
8. The process of any one of claims 1 , 5, or 6, wherein the first component can be carbon dioxide.
9. The process of any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: controlling at least one of the temperature of the third stream, the flow rate of the liquidgas heat exchanger liquid supply stream or heated water stream introduced into the liquid-gas heat exchanger or flash drum, and the pressure of steam recovered from the flash drum for controlling the quantity of steam recovered from the flash drum.
10. The process of any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising: recovering the first steam stream from the liquid-gas heat exchanger or flash drum at a rate equal to or greater than 0.8 kg of steam per kg of carbon dioxide separated from the first stream or second stream and with a pressure in a range of 70 kPa to 120 kPa.11 . The process of any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising: transferring heat from the third stream in the liquid-gas heat exchanger for generatingthe first steam stream at a rate of equal to or greater than 0.8 kg of steam per kg of carbon dioxide in the first stream or second stream.
12. The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the in-line combustor can be a duct burner.
13. The process of any one of claims 1 , 5, or 12, wherein the in-line combustor can be a catalytic combustor.
14. The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the in-line combustor can be a duct burner comprising a catalytic combustor placed down-stream of a homogeneous combustion zone of the in-line combustor.
15. The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the in-line combustor can be a duct burner with a catalytic pilot placed upstream or inside of a homogenous combustion zone of the in-line combustor and a catalytic combustor placed down stream of the homogeneous combustion zone.
16. The process of any one of claims 1 , 5, 12, 13, 14, or 15, further comprising generating electrical power from the heat generated from the in-line combustor.
17. The process of any one of claims 1 , 5, 12, 13, 14, or 15, further comprising adjusting a fuel-air equivalence ratio in the in-line combustor in a range of 0.8 to 0.99.
18. The process of any one of claims 1 , 5, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 17, further comprising adjusting the flow of fuel stream and the flow of the first stream or the second stream to the in-line combustor to increase the heat in the third stream for generating equal to or greater than 0.8 kg of steam per kg of carbon dioxide in the firststream or the second stream, when cooling the third stream to a temperature in a range of 65°C to 110°C.
19. The process of any one of claims 1 , 5, 6, 10, and 11 , wherein the first stream or second stream can be depleted in carbon dioxide relative to the third stream and the third stream can be depleted in oxygen by equal to or greater than 20% volumetric concentration relative to the first stream.
20. The process of any one of claims 1 to 19, further comprising controlling at least one of the second stream and the fuel stream for combustion within the in-line combustor to achieve a volumetric concentration of oxygen in the third stream, the volumetric concentration of oxygen can be equal to or less than 4 vol%.21 . The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the second product stream with a concentration of carbon dioxide equal to or greater than 80% volume on a dry basis.
22. The process of claim 1 or 5, further comprising introducing the first steam stream into the sorptive separator at a pressure equal to or less than about 0.9 Bar absolute.
23. The process of any one of claims 1 to 22, further comprising controlling a flow of the first steam stream introduced into the sorptive separator to a ratio of equal to or greater than 1 kg of steam per kg of carbon dioxide separated in the sorptive separator.
24. The process of claim 1 or 5, wherein the sorbent can be a solid and a physisorbent or a chemisorbent.
25. The process of claim 24, wherein the physisorbent can be a metalorganic framework (MOF), CALF-20, or a derivative of CALF-20.
26. The process of claim 25, wherein the metal-organic framework comprising a ligand for the metal and the ligand can be 1 ,2,4-triazole, 3-methyl-triazole and / or any other 3-susbstitued triazole or mixtures thereof.
27. The process of claim 25, wherein the metal-organic framework comprising triazole or methyl triazole ligands.
28. The process of claim 24, wherein the chemisorbent can be an amine-based sorbent.
29. The process of claim 24, wherein the chemisorbent can be an ion exchange resin.
30. The process of claim 24, wherein the chemisorbent can be a porous-silica-impregnated amine.31 . The process of claim 24, wherein the chemisorbent can be a porous-silica-grafted amine.
32. The process of any one of claim 28, wherein the amine-based sorbent comprising a hydrogen replaced with an alkyl, hydroxyl-alkyl, and other like substituent.
33. The process of any one of claims 28 to 32, wherein the sorbent is comprised of amidine.
34. The process of any one of claims 1 or 5, further comprising dividing the first stream into the second stream and a sixth stream.
35. The process of claim 34, further comprising controlling the dividing of the first stream into the second stream and a sixth stream for achieving a temperature of the third stream of greater than 300°C.
36. The process of claim 34, further comprising admitting the sixth stream into the liquid-gas heat exchanger.
37. An integrated sorptive gas separation system for separating carbon dioxide from a combustion gas stream, the system comprising:(a) an external or primary combustor fl uidical ly connected to recover a primary oxidant stream and a primary fuel stream, the primary combustor produces the combustion gas stream for use as a first stream;(b) an in-line combustor fl uidically connected to recover a portion of the first stream from the primary combustor and to recover a fuel stream from a fuel source, the in-line combustor combusts the portion of the first stream as an oxidant for combustion with the fuel stream and forms a third stream;(c) a liquid-gas heat exchanger fl uidical ly connected to recover the third stream from the in-line combustor and to recover a first water stream, the liquidgas heat exchanger transfers heat from the third stream to the first water stream, forming a fourth stream and a heated water stream;(d) a flash drum fluidical ly connected to recover the heated water stream from the liquid-gas heat exchanger, the flash drum for generating a first steam stream from the heated water stream at a pressure less than 120 kPa absolute;(e) a second heat exchanger fl uidical ly connected to recover at least a fraction of the fourth stream from the liquid-gas heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger for forming a fifth stream;(f) a sorptive separator comprising a sorbent and fl uidical ly connected to recover the fifth stream from the second heat exchanger and the first steam stream from the flash drum, the sorbent can be a solid, the sorptive separator forms a first product stream and a second product stream, and(g) a blower configured upstream or downstream of the sorptive separator, the blower fluidical ly connected to recover the first steam stream from the flash drum or recover the second product stream from the sorptive separator, the blower controls the pressure of the first steam stream in the flash drum.
38. An integrated sorptive gas separation process, the process comprising:(a) supplying a multi-component gas stream with a first component as a first stream, dividing the first stream into a second stream and a sixth stream, the sixth stream with a first oxygen concentration and a first quantity of heat;(b) admitting the second stream to an in-line combustor for use as an oxidant, admitting a fuel stream into the in-line combustor, combusting the oxidant and the fuel stream to produce a third stream, the third stream with a second oxygen concentration and a second quantity of heat;(c) admitting the third stream, the sixth stream, and a first water stream into a liquid-gas heat exchanger, transferring at least a portion of the first quantity of heat from the sixth stream and at least a portion of the second quantity of heat from the third stream to the first water stream, converting the first water stream to a first steam stream, converting the third stream to a fourth stream;(d) admitting the fourth stream into a sorptive separator comprising a sorbent, sorbing the first component on or in the sorbent, producing a first product stream depleted in the first component relative to the first stream, and recovering the first product stream from the sorptive separator, and(e) admitting the first steam stream into the sorptive separator and desorbing at least a portion of the first component sorbed on or in the sorbent, producing a second product stream enriched in the first component relative to the first stream, and recovering the second product stream from the sorptive separator.
39. The process of claim 38, further comprising controlling at least one of the mass flow of the second stream, the mass flow of oxygen in the second stream, the mass flow of oxygen for combustion in the in-line combustor, and the mass flow offuel for combustion in the in-line combustor to produce the third stream with the second oxygen concentration.
40. The process of claim 39, wherein the process of controlling the mass flow of the second stream or the mass flow of oxygen in the second stream can be performed by adjusting the second stream and the sixth stream relative flows.41 . The process of claim 40, wherein the relative flows of second stream and sixth stream are actively controlled by adjusting a mechanical throttle valve or a fan; or passively controlled by a pressure drop in at least one of a conduit for the second stream and a conduit for the sixth stream.
42. The process of any one of any one of claims 38 to 41 , wherein the second oxygen concentration can be at least one of less than the first oxygen concentration and less than 4 vol% oxygen.
43. The process of any one of any one of claims 38 to 42, further comprising in step (c), converting the sixth stream to at least a portion of at least one of the fourth stream or the fifth stream.
44. The process of any one of any one of claims 38 to 43, further comprising admitting the fourth stream into a second heat exchanger, and converting the fourth stream to the fifth stream by reducing a temperature of the fourth stream to less than 80°C.
45. The process of claim 38, wherein at least one of the converting the first water stream to the first steam stream and / or admitting the first water stream into the liquid-gas heat exchanger can be performed at a pressure below atmospheric pressure or 100 kPa absolute.
46. The process of claim 38, wherein the second quantity of heat can be greater than the first quantity of heat.
47. The process of claim 38, wherein the first component can be carbon dioxide and the multicomponent gas stream can be a combustion gas stream or a flue gas stream.
48. An integrated sorptive gas separation process, the process comprising:(a) supplying a combustion gas stream with a first component as a first stream, dividing the first stream into a second stream and a sixth stream, the sixth stream with a first oxygen concentration and a first quantity of heat;(b) admitting the second stream to an in-line combustor for use as an oxidant, admitting a fuel stream into the in-line combustor, combusting the oxidant and the fuel stream to produce a third stream, the third stream with a second oxygen concentration and a second quantity of heat;(c) admitting the third stream and a first water stream into a first heat exchanger, transferring at least a portion of the second quantity of heat from the third stream to the first water stream forming a second water stream, and converting the third stream to a fourth stream;(d) admitting the sixth stream, at least one of a third water stream and a fourth water stream into a third heat exchanger, transferring at least a portion of the first quantity of heat from the sixth stream to the at least one of the third water stream and the fourth water stream and forming a fifth water stream, converting the sixth stream to a seventh stream;(e) combining the second water stream with the fifth water stream for forming a sixth water stream, admitting the sixth water stream into a flash drum, forming a first steam stream and a seventh water stream;(f) admitting the at least one of the fourth stream, a fifth stream, the seventh stream and an eighth stream into a sorptive separator comprising a sorbent, sorbing the first component on or in the sorbent, producing a first product streamdepleted in the first component relative to the first stream, and recovering the first product stream from the sorptive separator, and(g) admitting the first steam stream into the sorptive separator and desorbing at least a portion of the first component sorbed on or in the sorbent, producing a second product stream enriched in the first component relative to the first stream, and recovering the second product stream from the sorptive separator.
49. The process of claim 48, further comprising controlling at least one of the mass flow of the second stream, the mass flow of oxygen in the second stream, the mass flow of oxygen for combustion in the in-line combustor, and the mass flow of fuel for combustion in the in-line combustor to produce the third stream with the second oxygen concentration.
50. The process of claim 49, wherein the controlling the mass flow of the second stream or the mass flow of oxygen in the second stream can be performed by dividing of the first stream into the second stream and the sixth stream.51 . The process of claim 50, wherein the dividing can be actively controlled by adjusting a mechanical throttle valve or a fan; or passively controlled by a pressure drop in at least one of a conduit for the second stream and / or a conduit for the sixth stream.
52. The process of any one of claims 48 or 49, wherein the second oxygen concentration can be at least one of less than the first oxygen concentration and / less than 4 vol% oxygen.
53. The process of any one of claims 48 to 52, further comprising admitting the fourth stream into a second heat exchanger, and converting the fourth stream to the fifth stream by reducing a temperature of the fourth stream to less than about 80°C.
54. The process of any one of claims 48 to 53, further comprising admitting the seventh stream into a fourth heat exchanger, and converting the seventh stream to the eighth stream by reducing a temperature of the seventh stream to less than about 80°C.
55. The process of any one of the claims 48 to 54, further comprising converting the sixth water stream to the first steam stream in the flash drum at a pressure below atmospheric pressure or 100 kPa absolute.
56. The process of claim 48, wherein the second quantity of heat can be greater than the first quantity of heat.
57. The process of claim 48, wherein the first component can be carbon dioxide.
58. The process of any one of claims 48 to 57, further comprising operating the sorptive separator having at least a first sorbing step, a second sorbing step and a regenerating step, where the first sorbing step, second sorbing step, and regenerating step occur sequentially, wherein admitting the seventh stream or the eighth stream into the sorptive separator occurs during the first sorbing step and admitting the fourth stream or the fifth stream occurs during the second sorbing step.
59. An integrated sorptive gas separation process, for separating a first component from a muti-component gas stream, the process comprising:(a) introducing the multi-component gas stream as a third stream into a liquid-gas heat exchanger and forming a fourth stream, introducing a first water stream into the liquid-gas heat exchanger and raising the temperature of the first water stream to greater than 60°C, and producing a first steam stream at sub-ambient pressure;(b) introducing the fourth stream into a second heat exchanger and reducing a temperature of the fourth stream, and forming a fifth stream;(c) introducing the fifth stream into a sorptive separator, sorbing at least the first component on the sorbent and forming a first product stream depleted in the first component relative to the third stream;(d) introducing the first steam stream into the sorptive separator, adsorbing a fraction of the steam stream on the sorbent and desorbing the first component from the sorbent, forming a second product stream and recovering the second product stream from the sorptive separator, and(e) desorbing water from the sorbent by at least one of contacting the sorbent with a purge gas, exposing the sorbent to a vacuum, and heating the sorbent.
60. The process of claim 59, further comprising repeating steps (a) to (e).61 . The process of claim 60, wherein the repeating steps (a) to (e) can be at a frequency of at least one of once per minute and to recover from the second product stream greater than 80% of the first component in the third stream.
62. The process of any one of claims 59 to 61 , further comprising in step (a) maintaining the first water stream at a pressure greater than 120 kPa absolute in the liquid-gas heat exchanger, recovering a heated water stream from the liquid-gas heat exchanger at a pressure of less than 120 kPa absolute, introducing the heated water stream into a flash drum and producing the first steam stream, recovering at least a fraction of the heated water stream from the flash drum, and admitting at least a fraction of the heated water stream to the liquid-gas heat exchanger.
63. The process of claim 59, wherein the multi-component gas stream can be a flue gas stream or a combustion gas stream, and the first component can be carbon dioxide.
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