Acid Gas Absorbent Preheating via Heat Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies, particularly post-combustion methods using amine-based absorbents, face challenges in energy efficiency due to high heat duty requirements in the recycling process, leading to increased energy consumption and vaporization of the absorbent during regeneration.
Innovation Solution
The system employs heat integration by preheating acidic gas-absorbed absorbents using low-temperature condensate water and processed gas, reducing the energy needed for heating and cooling through a network of heat exchangers, thereby minimizing the heat duty of the reboiler.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If amine-based absorbent is used for carbon dioxide absorption in post-combustion technology, then carbon dioxide capture efficiency is improved, but heat duty requirement for absorbent regeneration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by preheating the rich absorbent stream before it enters the stripping column using heat exchangers that recover heat from the hot lean absorbent stream and processed gas. This preliminary heating reduces the additional heat duty required in the stripping column for absorbent regeneration, while maintaining the carbon dioxide capture efficiency achieved by the amine-based absorbent.
2Productivity
If high temperature heating is applied for absorbent recycling, then carbon dioxide separation is improved, but absorbent vaporization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by maintaining a continuous heat exchange process where the hot lean absorbent stream continuously preheats the rich absorbent stream in heat exchangers. This continuous heat recovery process ensures that the heating action is sustained throughout the absorbent recycling loop, improving carbon dioxide separation while minimizing absorbent vaporization through efficient heat utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the temperature profile of the absorbent stream through controlled preheating in heat exchangers. By gradually increasing the temperature of the rich absorbent before it enters the stripping column, the process achieves effective carbon dioxide separation while avoiding excessive temperature spikes that would cause absorbent vaporization.
3Loss of energy
If heat integration is implemented to reduce energy consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing a heat integration system where the process streams themselves provide the heating and cooling requirements. The hot lean absorbent stream automatically serves as the heating medium for the rich absorbent stream in the heat exchangers, and the processed gas also contributes to preheating. This self-service heat integration reduces external energy consumption while maintaining manageable system complexity through direct heat exchange between process streams.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces energy consumption and heat duty in the recycling process, enhancing the efficiency of acidic gas separation and collection while maintaining the effectiveness of the absorbent regeneration.
Implementation Method 1
preheating acidic gas-absorbed absorbents using low-temperature condensate water and processed gas, reducing the energy needed for heating and cooling through a network of heat exchangers
Implementation Method 2
a reboiler that heats the recycle absorbent having low temperature supplied from the stripping column
Implementation Method 3
preheating the processed gas that underwent heat exchange with the second portion of the acidic gas-absorbed absorbent after discharged out of the stripping column, by thermal exchange with a condensate produced in a condenser by cold condensation
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a system and method of separating and collecting acid gas such as carbon dioxide in which the energy consumption in a stripping column for regenerating an absorbent may be reduced. In the system and method, the energy consumption may be reduced using heat generated during the acidic gas separation and collection processes. In the system and method, a low-temperature condensate from a condenser may be preheated by heat exchange with a high-temperature processed gas, and then supplied into the stripping column, thereby to reduce the heat duty of a reboiler and the energy consumption in the condenser for cooling. A partial flow of a carbon diode-absorbed absorbent from an absorber column may be preheated by heat exchange with high-temperature processed gas from an upper portion of the stripping column, and then supplied into the stripping column, thereby to further reduce the heat duty of the reboiler.