Acidic Gas Removal via Absorption Agent Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing acidic gas components from gas mixtures, such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, require large quantities of absorption agents, leading to high investment and operating costs due to the need for additional regeneration and recycling processes.
Innovation Solution
The method involves subdividing the loaded absorption agent into two streams, where one stream is decompressed to reclaim useful gas and the other is compressed and reused in a second absorption column to further extract acidic gas, optimizing the absorption process by maintaining high pressure for enhanced absorption capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the loaded absorption agent is decompressed in a recycle flash container to reclaim useful gas, then the useful gas is recovered, but the acidic gas content in the recycled gas becomes high requiring additional treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The loaded absorption agent stream is divided into two separate streams: a first stream fed to the recycle flash container for useful gas recovery, and a second stream fed to a second absorption column for acidic gas removal. This segmentation allows independent treatment of useful gas recovery and acidic gas removal, resolving the contradiction between productivity and harmful factors.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If an additional smaller absorption column is used to separate acidic gas from recycled gas, then acidic gas removal is improved, but the total quantity of absorption agent required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second stream of loaded absorption agent is reused in the second absorption column to treat the recycled gas. The absorption agent effectively serves itself by being redirected to treat the acidic gas-containing stream, eliminating the need for additional fresh absorption agent and avoiding increased total absorption agent quantity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If large quantities of absorption agent are circulated through the system, then acidic gas removal capacity is increased, but investment and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The absorption agent circulation is segmented into two paths: one for useful gas recovery and one for acidic gas removal. This allows the system to maintain adequate acidic gas removal capacity while using the same total quantity of absorption agent, avoiding increased investment and operating costs associated with larger circulation quantities.
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 the overall absorption agent requirements while achieving efficient removal of acidic gases, thereby lowering costs and increasing the capacity of existing systems without altering the absorption agent cycle.
Implementation Method 1
A physically acting absorbing medium is contacted in an absorption column with the pressurized gaseous mixture so that the acidic gas is absorbed at least partially
Implementation Method 2
the loaded absorption agent is decompressed to form a recycled gas that contains the useful gas and the acidic gas
Data Source
AI summary
A pressurized gaseous mixture acidic gas and a useful gas is directly in a first absorption column with a physically acting absorption agent. Then the absorption agent loaded with the acid gas and useful gas is subdivided into first and second streams. The first stream is fed directly to a recycle flash container and there decompressed to reclaim the useful gas, extract the acidic gas from the absorption agent, and form a recycled gas containing the useful gas and acidic gas. The second stream is through a second absorption column to the recycle flash container. Some of the recycled gas from the recycle flash container is compressed and fed through the second absorption column so as to therein directly contact the second stream, and then the recycle gas that has passed through the second absorption column and contacted the second stream is returned to the gaseous mixture.