Adsorption system and method

Abstract

A system or method thereof for contaminant removal from a fluid stream, comprises: a housing defining an inner volume, wherein the housing is configured to provide a flow path of a fluid through a volume from an inlet of the housing to an outlet of the housing; an adsorption bed comprising one or more adsorption material disposed within a first portion of the inner volume; one or more support material disposed within a second portion of the inner volume, wherein the second portion is downstream of the first portion with respect to the flow path; and a separator disposed between the one or more adsorption material and the one or more support material.

Description

ADSORPTION SYSTEM AND METHODCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Serial No.63 / 791,208 filed April 18, 2025, and entitled " Adsorption System and Method," which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The disclosure relates generally to adsorption systems and methods, and more particularly, to utilized vessels, support material and adsorbent material.BACKGROUND

[0004] Significant amounts of methane and carbon dioxide are generated during natural bacterial decomposition of organic materials within landfills, anaerobic digesters, wastewater treatment plants, and the like. Fluids generated during natural bacterial decomposition generally contain methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, and small amounts (e.g., less than 1%) of hydrogen sulfide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrogen, and inorganic compounds.

[0005] Recovery of fluids generated during natural bacterial decomposition to produce renewable energy sources may be achieved via purification processes such as thermal swing adsorption (TSA) and pressure swing adsorption (PSA), which utilize molecular sieve beds for adsorption. Specifically, such processes utilize adsorption by the molecular sieve beds to extract fluid components (e.g., contaminants) from a feed stream and then regeneration of the molecular sieve beds to purge the extracted components. Regeneration of the molecular sieve beds may include increasing a temperature of the beds (as in a TSA process) or decreasing a pressure on the beds (as in a PSA process) to cause release of the adsorbed components. The results of such purification may include methane-rich fluid streams that may be injected into natural gas streams. With the ever-increasing implementation of purification systems to provide such fluids, it is now recognized that there is a corresponding need forefficient and effective purification system design, purification system recyclability, and improved purification performance.SUMMARY

[0006] In some embodiments, a system for contaminant removal from a fluid stream, comprises: a housing defining an inner volume, wherein the housing is configured to provide a flow path of a fluid through a volume from an inlet of the housing to an outlet of the housing; an adsorption bed comprising one or more adsorption material disposed within a first portion of the inner volume; one or more support material disposed within a second portion of the inner volume, wherein the second portion is downstream of the first portion with respect to the flow path; and a separator disposed between the one or more adsorption material and the one or more support material.

[0007] In certain embodiments, a method of manufacturing a pressure swing adsorption vessel, comprises: providing a housing of the pressure swing adsorption vessel comprising an inlet and an outlet configured to provide a vertical flow path through an inner volume of the housing; providing one or more adsorption materials into a first portion of the inner volume of the housing; providing a separator in the inner volume of the housing and downstream of the first portion with respect to the vertical flow path; and providing one or more support materials into a second portion of the inner volume of the housing, wherein the second portion is downstream of the separator with respect to the vertical flow path.

[0008] In some embodiments, a method of operating a pressure swing adsorption vessel, comprises: directing a compressed gas to an inlet of a nitrogen removal adsorption bed; directing the compressed gas along a first vertical flow path through a first portion of the nitrogen removal adsorption bed, wherein the first portion comprises one or more adsorption material; directing the compressed gas from the first vertical flow path through a separator and then along a second vertical flow path through a second portion of the nitrogen removal adsorption bed, wherein the second portion comprises one or more support material; resisting disturbance of the one or more adsorption material via the separator; and directing the compressed gas from the second vertical flow path to an outlet of the nitrogen removal adsorption bed.

[0009] In certain embodiments, a system for contaminant removal from a fluid stream, comprises: a housing defining an inner volume, wherein the housing is configured toprovide a flow path of a fluid through a volume from an inlet of the housing to an outlet of the housing; an adsorption bed comprising one or more adsorption material disposed within a first portion of the inner volume; and one or more support material disposed within a second portion of the inner volume, wherein the second portion is downstream of the first portion with respect to the flow path.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] For a detailed description of various exemplary embodiments, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) vessel including an adsorption bed with a bottom layer of support material in a first portion of the vessel and support material filling a second portion of the vessel to a tangent line according to some embodiments.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a PSA vessel with an adsorption bed filling a first portion of the vessel and with support material substantially filling a second portion of the vessel according to some embodiments.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a PSA vessel with multiple adsorption materials, a bottom layer of support material in a first portion of the vessel, and a support material substantially filling a second portion of the vessel according to some embodiments.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram related to the manufacturing of a PSA vessel with adsorbent and support material(s) in the inner volume of the housing and a separator between the adsorbent and support material(s) according to some embodiments.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram related to the process of operation of a PSA vessel, according to some embodiments.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The following discussion is directed to various exemplary embodiments. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the examples disclosed herein have broad application, and that the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to suggest that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.

[0017] Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. Thisdocument does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not function. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features and components herein may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in interest of clarity and conciseness.

[0018] In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to... .” As used herein, the phrases “consist(s) of” and “consisting of” are used to refer to exclusive components of a composition, meaning only those expressly recited components are included in the composition; whereas the phrases “consist(s) essentially of” and “consisting essentially of” are used to refer to the primary components of a composition, meaning that only small or trace amounts of components other than the expressly recited components (e.g., impurities, byproducts, etc. ) may be included in the composition. For example, a composition consisting of X and Y refers to a composition that only includes X and Y , and thus, does not include any other components ; and a composition consisting essentially of X and Y refers to a composition that primarily comprises X and Y, but may include small or trace amounts of components other than X and Y. In embodiments described herein, any such small or trace amounts of components other than those expressly recited following the phrase “consist (s) essentially of” or “consisting essentially of” preferably represent less than about 5.0 weight percent (wt%) of the composition, more preferably less than about 4.0 wt% of the composition , even more preferably less than about 3.0 wt% of the composition, and still more preferably less than about 1.0 wt% of the composition. Use of broader terms such as comprises, includes, having, etc. should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as consisting of, consisting essentially of, comprised substantially of, etc. Use of the term "optionally" with respect to any element of a claim is intended to mean that the subject element is required, or alternatively, is not required. Both alternatives are intended to be within the scope of the claim. When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements.

[0019] The term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct engagement between the two devices, or through an indirect connection that is established via other devices, components, nodes, and connections. As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and the like are intended to convey that the value being described may be within a relatively small range of the property value, as those of ordinary skill would understand. In particular, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and the like mean within 10% (i.e., plus or minus 10%) of the recited value, within 5% (i.e., plus or minus 5%) of the recited value, within 2% (i.e., plus or minus 2%) of the recited value, within 1% (i.e., plus or minus 1%) of the recited value, or even closer (e.g., within known tolerances associated with the property value), of the given value.

[0020] As used herein, the term “and / or” can mean one, some, or all elements depicted in a list. As an example, “A and / or B” can mean A, B, or a combination of A and B.

[0021] Unless the context dictates the contrary, all ranges set forth herein should be interpreted as being inclusive of their endpoints, and open-ended ranges should be interpreted to include only commercially practical values. In addition, with respect to all ranges disclosed herein, such ranges are intended to include any combination of the mentioned upper and lower limits even if the particular combination is not specifically listed. All lists of values should be considered as inclusive of intermediate values unless the context indicates the contrary. Where numerical ranges or limitations are expressly stated, such express ranges or limitations should be understood to include iterative ranges or limitations of like magnitude falling within the expressly stated ranges or limitations (e.g., from about 1 to about 10 includes, 2, 3, 4, etc.; greater than 0.10 includes 0.11, 0.12, 0.13, etc.).

[0022] As used herein, the term “rich” can mean at least about 70%, about 80%, about 90%, or about 96%, by mole, or about 70% to about 96%, by mole, of one component, such as methane, in a stream based on the total fluid volume of that stream.

[0023] As used herein, term “adsorbent material" can be referred to as “adsorbent” and the term “support material” can be referred to as “support” or “supports”.

[0024] As used herein, the term "regenerative unit" refers to a system including one or more adsorbent vessels, which are vessels that contain respective adsorbent beds. Adsorbent beds (e.g., molecular sieve beds), which may also be referred to as adsorption beds or regenerative adsorption beds, facilitate removal of undesirablecomponents from a fluid stream by preferentially binding the desirable components to solid adsorption material contacted by the fluid stream under first conditions and then purging the undesirable components from the solid adsorption material under second conditions. In some embodiments, the adsorption beds or regenerative adsorption beds may instead facilitate removal of desirable components from a fluid stream by preferentially binding the undesirable components to solid adsorption material contacted by the fluid stream under first conditions and then purging the desirable components from the solid adsorption material under second conditions. As such, the media may be selective of one component over a second component. Specifically, for example, an adsorbent bed of a regenerative unit may be cycled between an adsorption mode of operation under adsorption conditions (e.g., high pressure for a PSA process, low temperature for a TSA process) and a desorption mode of operation under desorption conditions (e.g., low pressure for a PSA process, high temperature for a TSA process). By cycling between adsorption and desorption modes of operation, the undesirable components can be selectively rejected from a fluid stream. The regenerative unit may include a TSA unit, a PSA unit, or a combination thereof. The adsorption beds may be considered regenerative because they can capture certain components (e.g., until a certain capacity is reached) and then purge the captured components to regenerate their available capacity for capture. In accordance with present embodiments, two or more adsorbent vessels may be employed such that one can operate in an adsorbent mode while the remaining vessel or vessels undergo a regeneration process.

[0025] As used herein, the term "membrane separation stage" refers to a system including one or more semi-permeable membranes configured to remove a first set of components from a second set of components of a fluid stream. For example, the semi-permeable membranes may permit the first set of components to permeate a fiber of the one or more semi-permeable membranes based on molecular properties of the components. The first set of components may be collected in a permeate stream. The second set of components may not pass through the semi-permeable membranes and may be directed to one or more subsequent purification stages.

[0026] As used herein, the phrase "based on" as related to a component generating a first fluid "based on" a second fluid, refers to the component generating the first fluid from the second fluid, but not always solely from the second fluid. For example, the component (e.g., a vessel) may generate the first fluid using the second fluid and oneor more additional streams (e.g., recycle streams) by, for example, providing mixing of the second fluid with the one or more additional streams (e.g., within the vessel). As another non-limiting example, an additional component may generate a third fluid from the second fluid, and the component may receive the third fluid from the additional component. In such an example, the component generates the first fluid based on the second fluid and / or the third fluid.

[0027] As used herein, a component (e.g., a vessel, conduit, joint, filter, membrane, bed) that is "positioned along", with respect to a flow path, indicates that the component receives a fluid along the flow path and / or provides, generates, directs, or otherwise modifies a fluid along the flow path. A component that is described as "positioned upstream" relative to a feature, with respect to a flow path, indicates that at least a portion of the associated fluid flows from the component directly or indirectly to the feature. A component that is described as "positioned downstream" relative to a feature, with respect to a flow path, indicates that at least a portion of the associated fluid is received by the component after passing through the feature.

[0028] As used herein, a "flow path" refers to a conduit or route of one or more fluids. A flow path may be formed between multiple components. For example, a first component may provide a first fluid to a second component and the second component may generate a second fluid from the first fluid. As such, a flow path exists between the first component and the second component. Such a flow path may include one or more conduits, one or more valves, one or more joints, one or more direct connections between vessels, and / or the like.

[0029] The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for fluid component rejection (e.g., nitrogen rejection from methane), including systems and methods involving processing of byproducts from chemical processes occurring in landfills, anaerobic digesters, wastewater treatment plants, and the like. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for reducing fluidization in vessel beds (e.g., adsorbent beds in corresponding adsorbent vessels) of fluid component rejection systems, such as the vessel beds utilized in associated purification components (e.g., TSA and PSA units). As such, present embodiments may reduce demands on purification components, improve efficiency of operation of such components, and improve performance of such components (e.g., improve yields of methane- rich fluid from landfill gas or the like).

[0030] In some embodiments, controlling or mitigating high flow rates of gas through (e.g., entering) an adsorption vessel of a PSA prevents disturbance due to high flow rates through the adsorption bed or otherwise causes at least a portion of the adsorption material to fluidize in the adsorption vessel. Removal of the adsorption material from the adsorption vessel and even deformation of a structure of the adsorption bed may reduce the efficiency of the PSA unit and / or potentially cause unpredictable PSA operations. As such, some embodiments are directed to arrangements of support material and adsorption material within the adsorption vessel to resist or prevent undesired disturbance of and / or removal of the adsorption material from the adsorption vessel.

[0031] As briefly discussed above, a purification system in some embodiments (e.g., gas handling system, gas extraction system, and / or gas purification system) may utilize various components for removal of certain gases (e.g., nitrogen) from landfill gas to, ultimately, produce a methane-rich fluid (e.g., containing greater than about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, or about 96% or more mole % of methane). For example, the purification system may utilize a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit to extract a relatively large amount of a constituent (e.g., nitrogen) from streams produced by other components of the purification system (e.g., streams produced based on the landfill gas). The PSA may include one or more adsorption vessels that are at least partially filled with an adsorption material (e.g., molecular sieve) defining an adsorbent bed. It is now recognized that it may be desirable to control or mitigate high flow rates of gas through (e.g., entering) an adsorption vessel of a PSA unit since high flow rates may disturb the adsorption bed or otherwise cause at least a portion of the adsorption material to fluidize in the adsorption vessel. Removal of the adsorption material from the adsorption vessel and even deformation of a structure of the adsorption bed may reduce the efficiency of the PSA unit and / or potentially cause the PSA unit to operate unpredictably. As such, presently disclosed embodiments are directed to arrangements of support material and adsorption material within the adsorption vessel to resist or prevent undesired disturbance of and / or removal of the adsorption material from the adsorption vessel.

[0032] In some embodiments, PSA material (e.g., support material, adsorption material) is arranged to prevent or reduce a likelihood of a portion of the PSA material (e.g., adsorption material) being displaced within and / or removed from components of the PSA unit due to relatively high velocities of the gas through the PSA unit (e.g., highvelocities of gas entering an adsorption vessel of the PSA unit). The disclosed techniques include positioning a support material (e.g., an alumina-containing support material, a ceramic material, a carbide-containing material, and the like) downstream of adsorption material in an adsorption vessel of the PSA unit. The support material generally fills a remaining volume of the adsorption vessel that is not occupied by the adsorption material (e.g., one or more regenerative adsorption materials). In this arrangement, the support material may press against the boundaries of the adsorption vessel to prevent the support material and adsorption material from lifting due to velocities of the gas flowing through the PSA unit. The support material(s) may leverage the vessel walls to create a downward force against the adsorption material(s), thereby preventing the adsorption material(s) from being removed from the adsorption vessel due to the flow rate of the methane-rich stream entering the adsorption vessel. Accordingly, the support material may block or prevent the adsorption material from being disturbed and / or exiting the adsorption vessel. Further, by preventing the adsorption material from being disturbed or otherwise moving freely within a corresponding adsorption bed, the positioning of the support material may resist or prevent fluidization of the adsorption material and / or mechanical impacting (e.g., crushing) of the adsorption material. In this way, disclosed techniques may also prevent contamination of fluids produced using the purification system due to the presence of fluidized or crushed adsorption material.

[0033] In some embodiments, the PSA unit may include a separation layer, such as a mesh screen, a wire screen, and / or the like, that may resist or prevent the support material mixing with the adsorption material. The separation layer may be gas permeable, such that fluid flowing into and through the associated adsorption vessel may continue to flow therethrough (e.g., exit via an outlet port of the adsorption vessel). Accordingly, the disclosed techniques may improve the efficiency of a fluid purification system by increasing a threshold flow rate that may be utilized for a PSA unit and / or preventing contamination due to adsorption material fluidization orcrushing. It should be noted that, compared to the adsorption material, the support material may be relatively inert with respect to fluids provided to the PSA unit.

[0034] In some embodiments, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a PSA vessel 300 (e.g., a vessel housing a nitrogen removal adsorption bed). As shown, the PSA vessel 300 includes a housing 302 that houses, holds, encapsulates, or otherwise stores an adsorption bed 304 (e.g., a regenerative adsorption bed) including (e.g., formed from)one or more adsorption material 306 (e.g., regenerative adsorption material), and a support material 308. Further, the PSA vessel 300 may include a separation device 322, which may also be referred to as a separator, that is positioned downstream of the adsorption bed 304 and upstream of the support material 308 relative to a first flow path 328 of a fluid that flows through the PSA vessel 300. To facilitate discussion of the PSA vessel 300, FIG.1 includes a longitudinal axis 310 and a lateral axis 312. It should be noted that the PSA vessel 300 may be one of several vessels in a fluid purification system.

[0035] In certain embodiments, the housing 302 includes a total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume) defined by a first portion 316 (e.g., a first volume) and a second portion 318 (e.g., a second volume). The first portion 316 and the second portion 318 may be substantially filled. For example, the first portion 316 may be substantially filled with the one or more adsorption material 306 and include a suitable amount of the one or more adsorption material 306 to remove fluids from the methane-rich stream 140. The second portion 318 may be substantially filled with the support material 308. As such, by substantially filling both the first portion 316 and the second portion 318 of the total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume), there is less volume for the one or more adsorption material 306 to move or otherwise be disturbed by the flow rate of the methane-rich stream 140 (or a methane-containing gas stream generated based on the methane-rich stream 140) entering the PSA vessel 300. In this way, the support material 308 may prevent quantities of the adsorption material 306 from being removed from the PSA vessel 300. Although two portions (e.g., the first portion 316 and the second portion 318) are shown, it should be noted that the PSA vessel 300 may include additional portions that are filled with additional adsorption materials 306, for example.

[0036] In some embodiments, the adsorption material 306 may be any suitable adsorption material, including an alumina-containing adsorption material (e.g., activated alumina), an iron oxide-containing adsorption material, a carbon-containing adsorption material (e.g., activated carbon), blended media, hydrogels, silica-containing material (e.g., amorphous silica), zeolite, or a combination thereof. The adsorption material 306 is capable of adsorbing certain gas components and, thus, removing such gas components (e.g., water, hydrogen sulfide, CO2) from a gas flow including various components. Specifically, the adsorption material 306 may remove methane and CO2. In some embodiments, the adsorption material 306 may include millimeter-sized particles, microparticles (e.g., having a greatest dimension that isabout 1 micron (pm) to about 5 millimeter (mm), or a combination thereof. The PSA vessel 300 could hold, encapsulate, or otherwise store one or more types of adsorption material 306, as discussed in more detail below. It should be noted that the adsorption material 306 forms a layer that may be supported by a bottom layer of support material 308 (e.g., ceramic media). The support material 308 of the bottom layer may be substantially similar to the support material 308 above the separator 322 in form and / or function.

[0037] In certain embodiments, the PSA vessel 300 holds, encapsulates, or otherwise stores a single type of adsorption material 306. This may be advantageous by limiting potential reactions between the types of adsorption material 306 and simplifying the adsorption process. This may also be advantageous when the compressed gas could potentially react negatively to certain types of the adsorption materials 306.

[0038] In some embodiments, it may be advantageous for the PSA vessel 300 to hold, encapsulate, or otherwise store more than one type of adsorption material 306 in layers. This layered approach to forming the adsorption bed 304 may improve efficiency of the adsorption by providing two or more different adsorption materials 306 (e.g., materials that preferentially adsorb CO2 and methane) to complete the adsorption process in stages. This may make the process more efficient and save space in the process by reducing the required size of the PSA vessel 300 and / or the adsorption bed 304. Controlling flow through such a bed, in accordance with present embodiments, may limit disruption of this calibrated layering arrangement by resisting or preventing repositioning of the different types of the adsorption material 306 by otherwise uncontrolled fluid flow. In yet another embodiment, it may be advantageous to mix more than one type of adsorption material 306. The mixture may be mixed equally or unequally, based on the cost of the adsorption material 306 or the level of efficiency the mixture ratio provides, or a combination of the factors.

[0039] In some embodiments, the support material 308 may be any suitable support material, including alumina-containing support material, a carbide-containing support material, ceramic-containing support material, or a combination thereof. For example, the support material 308 may be an alumina-silica-containing support material or ceramic media. The support material 308 may include millimeter-sized particles (e.g., having a greatest dimension that is between about 1 mm to about 500 mm). For example, the support material 308 may have a diameter greater than or equal to about 1 mm, about 5 mm, about 10 mm, about 20 mm, about 25 mm, about 30 mm, about40 mm, about 50 mm, or about 100 mm; or about 1 mm to about 100 mm. The support material 308 may have a relatively high crushing resistance to prevent the support material 308 from being crushed due to impact resulting from flow rate of gas through the support material 308.

[0040] For example, in certain embodiments when the support material 308 is a particle, each particle may have a crush strength greater than or equal to about 0.1, about 0.2, about 0.5, about 1, about 5, about 10, or about 20 kilonewtons (kN), or about 0.1 to about 20 kN, about 1 to about 10 kN, or about 1 to about 5 kN. In some embodiments, it may be advantageous for the support material 308 to have a relatively high thermal resistance. For example, the support material 308 may be capable of operating at temperatures up to about 300, about 400, about 500, about 750, or about 1 ,000 °C, or about 300 to about 1 ,000 °C.

[0041] As discussed herein, the support material 308 in some embodiments prevents the adsorption material 306 from being disturbed due to the flow rate of gas entering the adsorption bed 304. In some embodiments, the support material 308 may be arranged above the adsorption material 306 with respect to gravity. That is, the PSA vessel 300 may have a vertical arrangement (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 310) such that the support material 308 is disposed above the adsorption material 306 with respect to gravity. As such, the support material 308 applies a downward force 320 (e.g., substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 310) that prevents or at least resists disruption of the adsorption bed 304 (e.g., substantial rearrangement and movement of the one or more adsorption material 306 within the adsorption bed 304) and exiting of the one or more adsorption material 306 from the adsorption bed 304 and / or PSA vessel 300. The relative positioning and composition of the support material 308 counters forces related to the velocity of the methane-rich stream 140 entering the PSA vessel 300 to facilitate maintenance of the adsorption bed 304. Although described as having a vertical arrangement, it should be noted that the PSA vessel 300 may also have a horizontal arrangement.

[0042] In certain embodiments, an adsorption step of a PSA process using the PSA vessel 300, the methane-rich stream 140 enters the PSA vessel 300 via an inlet port 324 and a corresponding methane-depleted fluid 332 exits via the outlet port 326. The inlet port 324 and / or the outlet port 326 may be a valve, orifice, aperture, vent, or other opening. In the illustrated embodiment, the methane-rich stream 140 moves along the first flow path 328 (e.g., a vertical flow path), which directs the methane-rich stream140 through the adsorption bed 304, which is formed by the one or more adsorption material 306. Then, the methane-rich stream 140 (e.g., now at least partially purified, with a significant portion of methane removed) moves through the support material 308 along the second flow path 330. The methane-rich stream 140, ultimately, exits out of the outlet port 326 along a second flow path 330 as the methane-depleted fluid 332 that includes relatively low amounts of methane (e.g., about 80% nitrogen and about 20% methane). As shown, the inlet port 324 and the outlet port 326 are disposed at different longitudinal positions (e.g., with respect to the longitudinal axis 310). For example, the inlet port 324 is disposed at a first longitudinal position and the outlet port 326 is disposed at a second longitudinal position. The second longitudinal position is downstream of the first longitudinal position with respect the combined flow path formed by the first flow path 328 and the second flow path 330. It should be noted that although the first flow path 328 and the second flow path 330 are illustrated as linear flow paths, such a depiction is merely intended to represent the general direction of flow. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the first flow path 328 and / or the second flow path 330 would disperse the methane-rich stream 140 outwards from the illustrated lines depicting direction (e.g., outwardly from the illustrated linear first flow path 328 in a direction having a component along the lateral axis 312), which allows for contact with the adsorption bed 304 and dispersion through the support material 308. The methane-depleted fluid 332 may be directed to one or more additional components of the PSA vessel 300 before, ultimately, being output by the PSA vessel 300 as the methane-depleted fluid 332.

[0043] In some embodiments, the adsorption material 306 and the support material 308 are generally arranged along the first flow path 328 and the second flow path 330. As shown, the adsorption material 306 is packed into (e.g., substantially fills) the first portion 316 (e.g., a first volume) of the PSA vessel 300 that extends from an upstream position 334 to a downstream position 336 of the PSA vessel 300 (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 310). The first portion 316 may be about 50% or greater of the total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume) of the PSA vessel 300. For example, the first portion 316 may be greater than or equal to about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, or about 80%; or 50% to about 80% about of the total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume) of the PSA vessel 300. The support material 308 may substantially fill a second portion 318 of the PSA vessel 300. The total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume) of the PSA vessel 300 may be defined by the first portion 316 and the second portion 318. In some embodiments,the second portion 318 may correspond to greater than or equal to about 50%, about 40%, about 30%, about 20%, about 10% or about 1%; or about 50% to about 1% of the remaining volume of the PSA vessel 300.

[0044] As discussed above, the support material 308 in certain embodiments may impart a downward force 320 onto the one or more adsorption material 306. The downward force 320 may at least partially counteract an upward force (e.g., substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 310) applied by the one or more adsorption material 306 due to the flow rate of the methane-rich stream 140 that is feeding into the adsorption bed 304. In some embodiments, the support material 308 may be a relatively higher density than the adsorption materials 306. The support material 308 may also occupy a separate volume of the adsorption bed 304 such that when gas enters the PSA vessel 300, the adsorption material 306 does not lift upwards. The support material 308 may be heavier than the adsorption material 306, it may be denser than the adsorption material 306, it may be less compressible than the adsorption material 306, or it may be a combination thereof. A high velocity of the flow of the methane-rich stream 140 may be any flow greater than or equal to about 300 standard cubic feet per minute. The support material 308 may be a material with a density greater than or equal to about 0.1, about 0.5, about 1 , about 1.5, about 2, about 2.5, about 3, about 3.5, about 4, about 4.5, about 5, about 5.5, or about 6 times the density of the one or more adsorption material 306, or the support material 308 may be a material with a density greater than about 0.1 to about 6, about 2 to about 4, or about 3 to about 4 times the density of the one or more adsorption material 306.

[0045] In some embodiments, the specific packing densities will depend on the type of adsorption material 306 used, as each media has a different adsorption efficiency. However, in certain embodiments, it may be advantageous for the specific packing density of the adsorption material 306 to be greater than or equal to about 400 kg / m3, about 500 kg / m3, about 600 kg / m3, or about 700 kg / m3; or about 400 kg / m3to about 700 kg / m3. In some embodiments, it may be advantageous for the density of the adsorption material 306 to be from about 400 kg / m3to about 700 kg / m3. The specific packing density of the adsorption material 306 can influence the velocity of the methane-rich stream 140 through the adsorption bed 304 and the efficiency of the adsorption process. For example, if the specific packing density is less than a threshold packing density, this may result in relatively higher flow rates (e.g., and less adsorption of fluids by the adsorption material 306) of the methane-rich stream 140through the adsorption bed 304. The more densely the adsorption bed 304 is packed, the more adsorption material 306 is available to complete the adsorption process. However, when the adsorption material 306 is packed too densely, this may prevent the methane-rich stream 140 from flowing between the adsorption material 306. As a result, the adsorption bed 304 may become less efficient.

[0046] In some embodiments, it may be advantageous to have a lower packing density with more adsorption material 306 in a larger PSA vessel 300. A lower packing density with more adsorption material 306 in a taller PSA vessel 300 may allow for a higher velocity of compressed gas to flow through the adsorption material 306, which may allow for a faster adsorption step. Such a compressed gas can be at a pressure of about 20 pounds per square inch absolute (psia) to about 200 psia, about 50 psia to about 150 psia, or about 75 psia to about 125 psia. Correspondingly the pressure can be about 140 kilopascals (kPa) to about 1 ,400 kPa, about 350 kPa to about 1 ,000 kPa, or about 500 kPa to about 900 kPa. While it is possible that a lower packing density would make the less densely packed adsorption material 306 more susceptible to lifting in a traditional PSA vessel, the amount and positioning of support material 308 in the present disclosure operate to reduce or prevent the possibility of the adsorption material 306 lifting and leaving the PSA vessel 300.

[0047] In certain embodiments, it may be advantageous to have a higher packing density of the adsorption material 306. A higher adsorption material packing density may allow for more contact of the methane-rich stream 140 with the adsorption material 306 in a smaller space. This saves space in the overall process, while still allowing for a more efficient adsorption step. Further, the higher packing density of the adsorption material 306 with the support material 308 on top of it can reduce or prevent the possibility of the adsorption material 306 lifting and leaving the PSA vessel 300. Thus, certain embodiments may prevent reducing the efficiency of the PSA vessel 300 and contaminating the methane-depleted fluid 332, which accompany the loss of the adsorption material 306 from the PSA vessel 300.

[0048] In some embodiments, the support material 308 may be packed in a number of different densities, depending on the requirements of the PSA vessel 300. Specific packing densities can depend on the type of adsorption material 306 used as well as the type of support material 308 used, as each type of adsorption material 306 and support material 308 have a different density. Therefore, the packing density of the support material 308 may need to be higher than the adsorption material 306 to ensurethe adsorption material 306 does not lift. In some embodiments, it may be advantageous for the specific packing density of the support material 308 to be greater than or equal to about 600 kg / m3, about 700 kg / m3, about 800 kg / m3, about 900 kg / m3, about 1 ,000 kg / m3, about 1,100 kg / m3, about 1,200 kg / m3, or about 1,300 kg / m3. In certain embodiments, the specific packing density of the support material 308 may be about 600 kg / m3to about 1,300 kg / m3, about 600 kg / m3to about 1,000 kg / m3, about 600 kg / m3to about 900 kg / m3, or about 600 kg / m3to about 800 kg / m3. For example, if the adsorption material is packed at about 400 kg / m3, the adsorption material 306 has a high density, and the density of the support material 308 is high, it may be advantageous and cost effective for the packing density of the support material 308 to be about 600 kg / m3to prevent the adsorption material 306 from lifting, contaminating the methane-depleted fluid 332, and decreasing the efficiency of the adsorption bed 304. Conversely, if the adsorption material 306 is packed at about 700 kg / m3, the adsorption material 306 has a low density, and the density of the support material 308 is low, it may be advantageous for the packing density of the support material 308 to be about 900 kg / m3to prevent the adsorption material 306 from lifting, contaminating the methane-depleted fluid 332, and decreasing the efficiency of the adsorption bed 304.

[0049] As discussed above, the PSA vessel 300 in some embodiments may include a body portion 340 with a top portion 342 and bottom portion 344. The body portion 340 may be cylindrical, rectangular, conic, generally prismatic, or a combination. In some embodiments, the body portion 340 may be a rectangular prism. In other embodiments, the body portion 340 may be mostly cylindrical with one corner, almost as though forming a tear drop. The top portion 342 (e.g., curved top portion) and the bottom portion 344 (e.g., curved bottom portion) may have a curved shape (e.g., a dome shape) or a rectangular shape). The housing 302 may be comprised of any suitable metal, such as a carbon steel, a stainless steel, a high nickel content alloy, a titanium alloy, a copper alloy, or other metals and alloys such as gold alloys, palladium alloys, platinum alloys. The PSA vessel 300 may be made with one of these materials, or it may be made with a combination of these materials.

[0050] In certain embodiments, the height 346 (e.g., top portion height) of the top portion 342 may range from a third of the total height 348 of the PSA vessel 300 to a hundredth of the total height of the PSA vessel 300. The height (not shown) of the bottom portion 344 may have a similar range of height 346 to the top portion 342.However, the height 346 of the top portion 342 may be different than the height of the bottom portion 344. The support material 308 may partially fill the top portion 342. For example, the support material 308 may fill greater than or equal to about 40%, about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80%, or about 90%, or about 50% to about 90% of the top portion 342. As described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2, the support material 308 may substantially fill the top portion 342. In some embodiments, the top portion 342 may be the second portion 318. As such, the height 346 of the top portion 342 may also define the height of the second portion 318 (e.g., second volume).

[0051] In some embodiments, it may be advantageous to fill the PSA vessel 300 to just above a tangent line 350 of the top portion 342 with the support material 308. As used herein, the tangent line 350 refers the point on the top portion 342 above the weld seam 338 where the curve of the first portion 316 begins. In some embodiments, about 60% to about 80% of the top portion 342 may be filled with the support material 308. At least in some instances, filling the PSA vessel 300 with the support material 308 such that the support material 308 is above the tangent line 350 (e.g., within a threshold range of about 5 centimeter (cm), about 10 cm, about 15 cm, or about 20 cm) may reduce the likelihood of the adsorption material 306 escaping from the PSA vessel 300. That is, the PSA vessel 300 may be filled with enough support material 308 to provide enough downward or opposing force (e.g., the downward force 320) to prevent the adsorption material 306 from escaping or otherwise being disturbed due to the velocity of methane-rich stream 140 entering the PSA vessel 300 via the inlet port 324. This may be advantageous to improve efficiency of the PSA vessel 300 by preventing the adsorption material 306 from being removed. In turn, preventing the removal of the adsorption material 306 may help maintain a stable adsorption rate by the adsorption material 306.

[0052] As shown, in certain embodiments, the PSA vessel 300 includes a stovepipe 352. The stovepipe 352 may include a flange and a spool piece. The spool piece may be attached to the flange. As shown, the stovepipe 352 is located at the apex of the top portion 342, however it should be noted that the stovepipe 352 may be located anywhere on the top portion 342. The top portion 342 may include a filtration screen 354 (as depicted in FIG. 2), such as a v-wire screen. The filtration screen 354 may allow fluid to flow through the filtration screen 354 while trapping solid particles on its surface. The filtration screen 354 may be buried in the support material 308. In the illustrated embodiment, the filtration screen 354 fits through the outlet port 326 and ispartially embedded in the support material 308. However, in some embodiments, the filtration screen 354 may extend further out of the outlet port 326, further into the support material 308, or both. In some instances, there may also be a filtration screen 354 disposed in the inlet port 324. Further, the stovepipe 352 may be filled with the support material 308. As the adsorption material 306 settles in the PSA vessel 300, the filtration screen 354 may remain buried in the support material 308.

[0053] In certain embodiments, it may be advantageous to fill the top portion 342 and the stovepipe 352 with the support material. To illustrate this, FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the PSA vessel 300 where the top portion 342 (e.g., including the stovepipe 352) is completely or substantially filled with support material 308. As shown, the PSA vessel 300 includes a bottom portion 344, an inlet port 324, an adsorption material 306, a top portion 342, an outlet port 326, a separator 322, a support material 308, and a stovepipe 352. Even in embodiments with high velocity methane stream flow rates, the top portion 342 that is substantially filled with the support material 308 to the top of the stovepipe 352 may reduce the likelihood of the adsorption material 306 fluidizing, which may decrease the likelihood of the adsorption media escaping from the PSA vessel 300. For example, about 90%, about 91 %, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, or about 100%; or about 90% to about 100% or about 93% to about 97% of the inner volume of the adsorption bed 304 is filled with the one or more adsorption material 306 and the support material 308. In embodiments in which the top portion 342 of the PSA vessel 300 is substantially filled with support material 308, the support material 308 may press against the boundaries of the vessel to prevent the support material 308 and adsorption material 306 from lifting. The support material 308 may leverage the vessel walls to create a downward force 320 against the adsorption materials 306.

[0054] In some embodiments, the one or more adsorption material 306 may fill the adsorption bed 304 such that the first portion 316 ends at a longitudinal position (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 310) that corresponds with the weld seam 338, as depicted in FIG. 2 or 3. In some embodiments, the first portion 316 may end below or slightly above the weld seam 338. The weld seam 338 may provide a convenient installation location for the separator 322 which separates the first portion 316 from the second portion 318. In certain embodiments, the separator 322 may be located at the weldseam 338. Further, filling the adsorption bed 304 with adsorption material 306 may be simplified if the adsorption material 306 ends at or slightly below the weld seam 338.

[0055] In some embodiments, the PSA vessel 300 may include a separator 322 that is disposed between first portion 316 and the second portion 318. As discussed in more detail herein, the separator 322 may be a mesh device that does not substantially reduce the flow rate of the fluid flowing within the PSA vessel 300. However, the separator 322 may act as a physical barrier for the one or more adsorption material 306, thereby preventing the one or more adsorption material 306 from moving into the second portion 318 and / or being removed from the PSA vessel 300. In some embodiments, the separator 322 (e.g., a separation layer, a mesh layer, a dispersing device, a wire mesh) may be a wire screen, mesh material, or otherwise a partially permeable material that permits or otherwise does not substantially reduce a flow rate of fluid flowing through the one or more adsorption material 306 and / or the support material 308 (e.g., the flow paths discussed below). The separator 322 may be a variety of weaves, lattice patterns, arrangements, or configurations, as well as combinations thereof. In other embodiments, there may be multiple layers of the separators 322 on top of each other. This may be advantageous to help support the weight of the support material 308 on the separators 322. In some instances, this may also create smaller openings for the methane-rich stream 140 to flow through if the different separators 322 lay on each other wherein the cross section of wire for one separator 322 lays over most of the opening of another separator 322.

[0056] In some aspects, it may be advantageous to substantially fill the first portion 316 with layers of multiple adsorption materials 306. For example, the methane-rich stream 140 may include contaminants (e.g., VOCs) that could poison or otherwise reduce the lifetime of certain types of first adsorption material 306a (e.g., carbon-containing adsorption material). As such, it may be useful to provide a second adsorption material 306b upstream of the first adsorption material 306a (e.g., along the first flow path 328 or otherwise below the first adsorption material 306a). The second adsorption material 306b may remove a suitable amount of the contaminants from the methane-rich stream 140 before it flows through the first adsorption material 306a, thereby preventing the first adsorption material 306a from being poisoned.

[0057] FIG. 3 illustrates some embodiments of the PSA vessel 300 that includes multiple layers of adsorption materials 306a, 306b, 306c in the first portion 316. Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the PSA vessel 300 is a nitrogen removalunit (NRU). In the illustrated embodiment, the PSA vessel 300 (e.g., NRU) includes a carbon-containing adsorption material 400 (e.g., a first adsorption material 306a) and a guard layer 402 (e.g., a second adsorption material 306b). The guard layer 402 may remove potential contaminants from a fluid flow (e.g., the methane-rich stream 140) before the fluid flow contacts the carbon-containing adsorption material 400. This may improve the efficiency of the PSA vessel 300 (e.g., NRU) since the guard layer 402 may prevent the carbon-containing adsorption material 400 from adsorbing the contaminants that may otherwise poison the carbon-containing adsorption material 400. To remove a sufficient amount of contaminants, the bottom about 50%, about 40%, about 30%, about 10%, or about 5%, or about 50% to about 5% of the first portion 316 of the PSA vessel 300 (e.g., NRU) may include the guard layer 402. In some embodiments, the relative ratio of the carbon-containing adsorption material 400 to the guard layer 402 may be less than or equal to about 20: 1 , about 10:1, about 8:1, about 6:1, about 4:1, or about 2:1, or about 20:1 to about 2:1. The relative amount of the guard layer 402 may be based on the type and persistence of the contaminant to be removed. In other words, it may be useful to use a higher amount of guard layer 402 for a larger amount of contaminant. In any case, the addition of a guard layer 402 may result in a longer lifetime and reduced maintenance costs for the carbon-containing adsorption material, and thus a higher efficiency for long-term methane recovery.

[0058] Further, in certain embodiments, the first portion 316 may also include a highly selective media 404 (e.g., a third adsorption material 306c) at the top of the first portion 316. The highly selective media 404 may be a zeolite (e.g., ionic liquid zeolite (ILZ)) that more preferentially binds methane, as compared to nitrogen. The carbon-containing adsorption material 400 may prime the methane-depleted fluid 332 for passage through the highly selective media 404 by removing the bulk of the methane from the methane-depleted fluid 332 before the methane-depleted fluid 332 passes through the highly selective media 404. As such, the highly selective media 404 may be disposed above or otherwise downstream of the carbon-containing adsorption material 400 so that the carbon-containing adsorption material 400 may adsorb the bulk of methane. The highly selective media 404 may be in the top about 10%, about 20%, about 30%, about 40%, or about 50% or about 10% to about 50% of the first portion 316. In some embodiments, the highly selective media 404 may be coupled to the separator 322 or may be generally disposed on top of the other adsorption materials 306 in the first portion 316. The addition of a highly selective media 404 tothe top of the first portion 316 may increase methane recovery, save power through reduced rinse flow, and save money by eliminating a rinse compressor on large scale plants.

[0059] Additionally, in some embodiments, it may be advantageous to include a support material 308 in the bottom of the first portion 316 near the inlet port 324. The inclusion of a support material in the bottom of the first portion 316 may limit excess open space (e.g., void space) in the first portion 316, which may reduce lift of the adsorption materials 306. Further, the support material 308 may support the guard layer 402. The support material 308 may be an alumina-silica-containing support material. In some embodiments, the support material 308 in the first portion 316 may be larger in size than the support material 308 in the second portion 318. This may be advantageous due to the placement of the support material 308 in the first portion 316 being near the inlet port 324. In other embodiments, the support material 308 in the bottom of the first portion 316 may be substantially the same size as the support material 308 in the second portion 318.

[0060] Certain embodiments include a method of manufacturing the PSA vessel 300. Although described in a particular order, it should be noted that certain steps (also referred to as blocks, which represent steps in the process flow diagram) described below may be performed in a different order than what is described. To illustrate the method of manufacturing, FIG. 4 shows a manufacturing process 500 to produce or otherwise manufacture the PSA vessel 300, including the adsorption bed 304 (e.g., formed from the adsorption material 306) and the support material 308 arranged for support and containment purposes.

[0061] At block 502, the manufacturing process 500 in some embodiments includes providing a housing 302 of the PSA vessel 300, wherein the housing 302 at least partially forms the outer bounds of the PSA vessel 300 without associated internal aspects (e.g., the adsorption bed 304). As discussed with reference to FIG. 1, the housing 302 may include a top portion 342, a body portion 340, and a bottom portion 344. In some embodiments, the PSA vessel 300 may be provided with each part attached (e.g., the top portion may be coupled to the body portion, and the body portion may be coupled to the bottom portion). In some embodiments, the top portion 342 may be welded to the body portion 340 of the housing 302, thereby forming a weld seam 338 along the total height 348 of the housing 302, as described in FIG. 1.

[0062] At block 504, the manufacturing process 500 in certain embodiments includes providing one or more adsorption material 306 to the total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume) to fill the first portion 316 within the housing 302. As discussed herein, it may be advantageous to provide the one or more adsorption material 306 such that the one or more adsorption material 306 fills a portion of the total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume) defined by and within the housing 302. This total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume) of the one or more adsorption material 306 defines the adsorption bed 304. In some embodiments, the one or more adsorption material 306 added to the total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume) may be a suitable amount to remove a threshold range of fluids (e.g., nitrogen) during operation of the PSA vessel 300. The amount of material to be provided may be based on one or more factors including packing density, adsorption efficiency, and the like. The amount could be sufficient to fill the first portion such that the first portion is greater than or equal to about 50%, about 60%, or about 70%, etc. of the total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume) of the PSA vessel 300. It may be advantageous to provide more adsorption material 306 to remove more fluid from the stream. The one or more adsorption material 306 may include a guard layer 402, a carbon-containing adsorption material 400, and / or a highly selective media 404.

[0063] It is presently recognized in some embodiments that the volume forming the first portion 316 may be designated based on the packing density of the adsorption material 306, the surface area of particles of the adsorption material 306, the adsorption efficiency of the adsorption material 306, pressure within the PSA vessel 300, temperature within the PSA vessel 300, or a combination thereof. For example, providing the one or more adsorption material 306 to the total volume 314 (e.g. inner volume) may include providing a sufficient amount of the one or more adsorption material 306 to fill up to about a third, about a half, about three fourths, or about seven eighths of the total height 348 of the housing 302, depending on what is needed to adsorb the desired amount of a contaminant under operating conditions. In some embodiments, it may be advantageous to provide the one or more adsorption material 306 such that the one or more adsorption material 306 fills the height with a packing density greater than or equal to about 400 kg / m3, about 500 kg / m3, about 600 kg / m3, or about 700 kg / m3; or about 400 kg / m3to about 700 kg / m3. In this way, there may be a sufficient amount of the one or more adsorption material 306 to remove certain fluids or chemical components from a fluid flow.

[0064] At block 506, the manufacturing process 500 in certain embodiments includes providing a separator 322 in the housing, downstream of the one or more adsorption materials 306. In some embodiments, the separator 322 is a wire mesh. This separator 322 may assist the support material 308 in preventing the adsorption material 306 from lifting by providing a barricade for the adsorption material 306. For example, the separator 322 may prevent the support material 308 from submerging itself in and mixing with the adsorption material 306. This may prevent the support material 308 from crushing the adsorption material 306, which may reduce the efficiency of the PSA vessel 300 and contaminate the methane-depleted fluid 332.

[0065] In some embodiments, the separator 322 may be provided at a height corresponding to the weld seam 338. This may be advantageous by providing a way to weld the top portion 342 to the bottom portion 344, with minimal welding required. While the top portion 342 and bottom portion 344 may be welded together, the separator 322 may float freely on or above the adsorption material 306. The weld between the top portion 342 and bottom portion 344 may limit both assembly costs and limit the number of weak points in the PSA vessel 300.

[0066] In some aspects, the separator 322 may be provided downstream of the adsorption material 306 and upstream of the weld seam 338. For example, the separator 322 may be about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, or about 10%; or about 1% to about 10%, about 2% to about 8%, or about 3% to about 7% of the height of the body portion 340 upstream of the weld seam 338. This may be advantageous when the top portion 342 is filled to the tangent line 350 with support material 308. The separator 322 residing upstream of the weld seam 338 may provide for the opportunity to use more support material 308 while maintaining an open space between the top of the support material 308 and the boundaries of the PSA vessel 300 without needing to alter the size of the PSA vessel. Indeed, when the separator 322 is farther upstream, there is more volume downstream of the separator for the support material 308 to reside in. This embodiment may allow for future variation in the type and amount of support material 308 and the flowrate of methane-rich stream 140 through the PSA vessel 300 by providing for more options in support material 308 configurations.

[0067] At block 508, the manufacturing process 500 in some embodiments includes providing the support material 308 to the volume defined by or otherwise disposed within the housing 302. In some embodiments, providing the support material 308 mayinclude providing a sufficient amount of the support material 308 to fill up to a portion of the top portion 342. For example, the portion may be greater than or equal to about 80%, about 90%, about 95%, or about 99% or about 80% to about 99% of the top portion 342. In other embodiments, the support material 308 may fill up a smaller portion of the curved top portion. For example, the portion may be about 60% to about 80%, by volume, of the top portion 342. Certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a method of operating the PSA vessel 300. Although described in a particular order, it should be noted that certain steps (also referred to as blocks, which represent steps in the process flow diagram) described below may be performed in a different order than what is described. To illustrate the method of operation, FIG. 5 shows an operating process 600 to operate or otherwise use the PSA vessel 300.

[0068] At block 602, the operating process 600 in certain aspects includes directing a compressed gas to an inlet (e.g., the inlet port 324 as described in FIG. 1) of an PSA vessel 300 containing an adsorption bed 304. In some embodiments, the compressed gas may flow through the inlet at a relatively high velocity. At least in some instances, increasing the flow rate may improve the efficiency of adsorption via the adsorption bed 304. For example, if a compressed gas enters the inlet at a higher velocity, it may interact with the adsorption material 306 forming the adsorption bed 304 at a higher rate, thus completing the adsorption process at a higher rate.

[0069] At block 604, the operating process 600 in some embodiments includes directing the compressed gas along a first flow path 328 of the PSA vessel 300 through the adsorption bed 304. As described with reference to FIG. 1 , the first flow path 328 flows through the first portion 316 that includes the adsorption material 306 and may also include a bottom layer of support material 308. The first flow path 328 may be generally sufficient such that greater than or equal to about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80%, or about 90%, by mole, or about 50% to about 90%, by mole, of methane is removed from the methane-rich stream 140. For example, the first portion 316 of the total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume) may include greater than or equal to about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80%, or about 90%; or about 50% to about 90% of the total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume). As such, the first flow path 328 may travel through greater than or equal to about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80%, or about 90%; or about 50% to about 90% of the total volume 314 (e.g., inner volume). As described with reference to FIG. 3, the PSA vessel 300 may include multiple layers, including a guard layer 402, a bottom layer of support material 308, and / or a carbon-containing adsorption material 400. As such, the first flow path 328 may travel through the guard layer 402 before traveling through the carbon-containing adsorption material 400. In some embodiments when the PSA vessel 300 includes a highly selective media 404, the first flow path 328 may also travel through the highly selective media 404.

[0070] At block 606, the operating process 600 in certain embodiments includes directing the compressed gas along a second flow path 330 of the PSA vessel 300. As described with reference to FIG. 1, the second flow path 330 flows through the second portion 318 that includes the support material 308. As discussed herein, the second portion 318 may include a suitable amount of support material 308 to prevent any substantial fluidization of the adsorption material 306 from the PSA vessel 300 due to the flow rate of the methane-rich stream 140. The methane-rich stream 140 is now primarily other fluids, as a percentage of methane, by mole, was removed from the methane-rich stream 140 along the first flow path 328. While the compressed gas flows along the second flow path 330, fluids within the compressed gas flow may not be removed as the support material 308 may be relatively inert as compared to the adsorption material 306.

[0071] At block 608, the operating process 600 in some embodiments includes resisting disturbance of the adsorption material 306 and blocking movement of the support material 308 into the adsorption material 306. As described herein, the support material 308 may leverage the vessel walls to create a downward force against the adsorption material, thereby preventing the adsorption material from being removed from the adsorption vessel due to the flow rate of the methane-rich stream entering the adsorption vessel. In some embodiments, the separator 322 may facilitate resisting the disturbance of the adsorption material 306. For example, the separator 322 may assist the support material 308 in preventing the adsorption material 306 from lifting by providing a barricade for the adsorption material 306. For example, the separator 322 may prevent the support material 308 from submerging itself in and mixing with the adsorption material 306. This may prevent the support material 308 from crushing the adsorption material 306, which may reduce the efficiency of the PSA vessel 300 and contaminate the methane-depleted fluid 332.

[0072] At block 610, the operating process 600 in certain embodiments includes directing the compressed gas to an outlet port 326 of the PSA vessel 300. In some embodiments, the compressed gas may have a concentration of about 80% nitrogenand about 20% methane, with small amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide present. This may be advantageous by ensuring the compressed gas has a desired composition as it exits the adsorption bed 304.

[0073] While only certain features and embodiments have been illustrated and described, many modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art, such as variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, such as temperatures and pressures, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, and so forth, without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or resequenced according to alternative embodiments. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the disclosure.

[0074] Having described various systems, methods, and processes, certain embodiments can include, but are not limited to:

[0075] In a first aspect, a system for contaminant removal from a fluid stream comprises: a housing defining an inner volume, wherein the housing is configured to provide a flow path of a fluid through a volume from an inlet of the housing to an outlet of the housing; an adsorption bed comprising one or more adsorption material disposed within a first portion of the inner volume; one or more support material disposed within a second portion of the inner volume, wherein the second portion is downstream of the first portion with respect to the flow path; and a separator disposed between the one or more adsorption material and the one or more support material.

[0076] A second aspect can include the system of the first aspect, wherein the one or more support material comprises an alumina-containing support material, a carbide-containing support material, a ceramic-containing support material, or a combination thereof.

[0077] A third aspect can include the system of the first or second aspect, wherein the first portion is substantially filled with the one or more adsorption material and the second portion is substantially filled with the one or more support material.

[0078] A fourth aspect can include the system of any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the first portion comprises greater than or equal to about 50% of the inner volume of the housing.

[0079] A fifth aspect can include the system of any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the one or more adsorption material comprises an activated alumina, an iron oxide, an activated carbon, a blended media, hydrogels, an amorphous silica, a zeolite, ora combination thereof.

[0080] A sixth aspect can include the system of any one of the first to fifth aspects, comprising a stove pipe as an additional outlet of the housing, wherein the stove pipe is downstream of the one or more support material with respect to the flow path; and wherein the one or more support material at least partially fill the stove pipe.

[0081] A seventh aspect can include the system of any one of the first to sixth aspects, further comprising a stove pipe, wherein the stove pipe is downstream of the one or more support material with respect to the flow path.

[0082] An eighth aspect can include the system of any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the one or more support material disposed within the second portion has a crush strength greater than or equal to about 0.1 kN and greater than or equal to about 600 kg / m3.

[0083] In a ninth aspect, a method of manufacturing a pressure swing adsorption vessel comprises: providing a housing of the pressure swing adsorption vessel comprising an inlet and an outlet configured to provide a vertical flow path through an inner volume of the housing; providing one or more adsorption materials into a first portion of the inner volume of the housing; providing a separator in the inner volume of the housing and downstream of the first portion with respect to the vertical flow path; and providing one or more support materials into a second portion of the inner volume of the housing, wherein the second portion is downstream of the separator with respect to the vertical flow path.

[0084] A tenth aspect can include the method of the ninth aspect, wherein providing the one or more adsorption material comprises filling the inner volume up to an interface between the first portion and the second portion of the housing.

[0085] An eleventh aspect can include the method of the ninth or tenth aspect, wherein the separator is a wire mesh.

[0086] A twelfth aspect can include the method of any one of the ninth to eleventh aspects, wherein providing the one or more adsorption materials into the first portion of the inner volume comprises substantially filling the first portion with the one or more adsorption materials.

[0087] A thirteenth aspect can include the method of any one of the ninth to twelfth aspects, wherein providing the one or more support materials into the second portion comprises substantially filling the second portion of the housing.

[0088] A fourteenth aspect can include the method of any one of the ninth to thirteenth aspects, wherein the one or more support materials comprises an alumina-containing support material, a carbon-containing support material, a ceramic-containing support material, ora combination thereof.

[0089] A fifteenth aspect can include the method of any one of the ninth to fourteenth aspects, wherein the housing comprises a stovepipe at a distal end of the housing, and wherein providing the one or more support materials comprises filling at least a portion of the stovepipe.

[0090] In a sixteenth aspect, a method of operating a pressure swing adsorption vessel comprises: directing a compressed gas to an inlet of a nitrogen removal adsorption bed; directing the compressed gas along a first vertical flow path through a first portion of the nitrogen removal adsorption bed, wherein the first portion comprises one or more adsorption material; directing the compressed gas from the first vertical flow path through a separator and then along a second vertical flow path through a second portion of the nitrogen removal adsorption bed, wherein the second portion comprises one or more support material; resisting disturbance of the one or more adsorption material via the separator; and directing the compressed gas from the second vertical flow path to an outlet of the nitrogen removal adsorption bed.

[0091] A seventeenth aspect can include the method of the sixteenth aspect, wherein resisting disturbance of the one or more adsorption material comprises the one or more support material preventing the one or more adsorption material from fluidizing in the nitrogen removal adsorption bed.

[0092] An eighteenth aspect can include the method of the sixteenth or seventeenth aspect, wherein the one or more support material comprises a ceramic-containing support material.

[0093] A nineteenth aspect can include the method of any one of the sixteenth to eighteenth aspects, wherein the separator comprises a mesh disposed between the one or more adsorption material and the one or more support material.

[0094] A twentieth aspect can include the method of any one of the sixteenth to nineteenth aspects, comprising purging captured nitrogen from the pressure swing adsorption vessel via a third flow path.

[0095] In a twenty-first aspect, a system for contaminant removal from a fluid stream comprises: a housing defining an inner volume, wherein the housing is configured to provide a flow path of a fluid through a volume from an inlet of the housing to an outlet of the housing; an adsorption bed comprising one or more adsorption material disposed within a first portion of the inner volume; and one or more support material disposed within a second portion of the inner volume, wherein the second portion is downstream of the first portion with respect to the flow path.

[0096] A twenty-second aspect can include the system of the twenty-first aspect, wherein the one or more support material comprises an alumina-containing support material, a carbide-containing support material, a ceramic-containing support material, or a combination thereof.

[0097] A twenty-third aspect can include the system of the twenty-first or twenty-second aspect, wherein the first portion is substantially filled with the one or more adsorption material and the second portion is substantially filled with the one or more support material.

[0098] A twenty-fourth aspect can include the system of any one of the twenty-first to twenty-third aspects, wherein the first portion comprises greater than or equal to about 50% of the inner volume of the housing.

[0099] A twenty-fifth aspect can include the system of any one of the twenty-first to twenty-fourth aspects, wherein the one or more adsorption material comprises an activated alumina, an iron oxide, an activated carbon, a blended media, hydrogels, an amorphous silica, a zeolite, or a combination thereof.[00i00]A twenty-sixth aspect can include the system of any one of the twenty-first to twenty-fifth aspects, further comprising a separator disposed between the one or more adsorption material and the one or more support material.[OO1O1]A twenty-seventh aspect can include the system of any one of the twenty-first to twenty-sixth aspects, comprising a stove pipe as an additional outlet of the housing, wherein the stove pipe is downstream of the one or more support material with respect to the flow path; and wherein the one or more support material at least partially fill the stove pipe.[OO1O2]A twenty-eighth aspect can include the system of any one of the twenty-first to twenty-seventh aspects, further comprising a stove pipe, wherein the stove pipe is downstream of the one or more support material with respect to the flow path.

[0103] While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, modifications thereof can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or teachings herein. The embodiments described herein are exemplary only and are not limiting. Many variations and modifications of the systems, apparatus, and processes described herein are possible and are within the scope of the disclosure. For example, the relative dimensions of various parts, the materials from which the various parts are made, and other parameters can be varied. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited to the embodiments described herein, but is only limited by the claims that follow, the scope of which shall include all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the steps in a method claim may be performed in any order. The recitation of identifiers such as (a), (b), (c) or (1), (2), (3) before steps in a method claim are not intended to and do not specify a particular order to the steps, but rather are used to simplify subsequent reference to such steps.

[0104] AISO, techniques, systems, subsystems, and methods described and illustrated in the various implementations as discrete or separate may be combined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, or methods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Other items shown or discussed as directly coupled or communicating with each other may be indirectly coupled or communicating through some interface, device, or intermediate component, whether electrically, mechanically, or otherwise. Other examples of changes, substitutions, and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in the art and could be made without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein.

[0105] Each and every claim is incorporated into the specification as an aspect of the present disclosure. Thus, the claims are a further description and are an addition to the aspects of the present disclosure. The discussion of a reference herein is not an admission that it is prior art to the presently disclosed subject matter, especially any reference that may have a publication date after the priority date of this application. The disclosures of all patents, patent applications, and publications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference, to the extent that they provide exemplary, procedural or other details supplementary to those set forth herein. In the event of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, is intended to control.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A system for contaminant removal from a fluid stream, comprising:a housing defining an inner volume, wherein the housing is configured to provide a flow path of a fluid through a volume from an inlet of the housing to an outlet of the housing;an adsorption bed comprising one or more adsorption material disposed within a first portion of the inner volume;one or more support material disposed within a second portion of the inner volume, wherein the second portion is downstream of the first portion with respect to the flow path; anda separator disposed between the one or more adsorption material and the one or more support material.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more support material comprises an alumina-containing support material, a carbide-containing support material, a ceramic-containing support material, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portion is substantially filled with the one or more adsorption material and the second portion is substantially filled with the one or more support material.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises greater than or equal to about 50% of the inner volume of the housing.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more adsorption material comprises an activated alumina, an iron oxide, an activated carbon, a blended media, hydrogels, an amorphous silica, a zeolite, or a combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a stove pipe as an additional outlet of the housing, wherein the stove pipe is downstream of the one or more support material with respect to the flow path, and wherein the one or more support material at least partially fill the stove pipe.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a stove pipe, wherein the stove pipe is downstream of the one or more support material with respect to the flow path.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more support material disposed within the second portion has a crush strength greater than or equal to about 0.1 kN and greater than or equal to about 600 kg / m3.

9. A method of manufacturing a pressure swing adsorption vessel, the method comprising:providing a housing of the pressure swing adsorption vessel comprising an inlet and an outlet configured to provide a vertical flow path through an inner volume of the housing;providing one or more adsorption materials into a first portion of the inner volume of the housing;providing a separator in the inner volume of the housing and downstream of the first portion with respect to the vertical flow path; and providing one or more support materials into a second portion of the inner volume of the housing, wherein the second portion is downstream of the separator with respect to the vertical flow path.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the one or more adsorption material comprises filling the inner volume up to an interface between the first portion and the second portion of the housing.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the separator is a wire mesh.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the one or more adsorption materials into the first portion of the inner volume comprises substantially filling the first portion with the one or more adsorption materials.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the one or more support materials into the second portion comprises substantially filling the second portion of the housing.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more support materials comprises an alumina-containing support material, a carbon-containing support material, a ceramic-containing support material, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the housing comprises a stovepipe at a distal end of the housing, and wherein providing the one or more support materials comprises filling at least a portion of the stovepipe.

16. A method of operating a pressure swing adsorption vessel, the method comprising:directing a compressed gas to an inlet of a nitrogen removal adsorption bed;directing the compressed gas along a first vertical flow path through a first portion of the nitrogen removal adsorption bed, wherein the first portion comprises one or more adsorption material;directing the compressed gas from the first vertical flow path through a separator and then along a second vertical flow path through a second portion of the nitrogen removal adsorption bed, wherein the second portion comprises one or more support material;resisting disturbance of the one or more adsorption material via the separator; anddirecting the compressed gas from the second vertical flow path to an outlet of the nitrogen removal adsorption bed.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein resisting disturbance of the one or more adsorption material comprises the one or more support material preventing the one or more adsorption material from fluidizing in the nitrogen removal adsorption bed.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more support material comprises a ceramic-containing support material.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the separator comprises a mesh disposed between the one or more adsorption material and the one or more support material.

20. The method of claim 16, comprising purging captured nitrogen from the pressure swing adsorption vessel via a third flow path.

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