CO2 Capture in Bio-Fermentation Facilities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing facilities such as corn milling, ethanol, and biogas plants generate significant greenhouse gas emissions, and existing hydrocarbon reduction technologies do not have a dedicated process to effectively reduce these emissions.
Innovation Solution
A bio-fermentation facility with a fermentation unit, gas conditioning unit, and sequestration compression unit that captures and compresses CO2-rich streams using commercially available absorbing media and dehydration units, and sends the compressed CO2 to underground geological formations or other sequestration sites, reducing overall emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If CO2 capture and sequestration systems are implemented, then greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, but facility complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple CO2 capture streams (fermentation unit emissions and process heater emissions) into a single integrated capture system. The fermentation unit CO2-rich gas and process heater flue gas are merged and treated together through the absorber and regenerator system, reducing the number of separate treatment trains while achieving comprehensive emissions reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The capture system is designed to handle multiple sources of CO2 emissions (fermentation unit and process heaters) through a universal absorption-regeneration-sequestration process. The same absorber, regenerator, and compression infrastructure processes both fermentation CO2-rich gas and flue gas from heaters, creating a multi-functional emissions reduction system.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If dedicated CO2 capture processes are implemented, then emissions reduction effectiveness improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs temperature and pressure changes to drive the CO2 absorption and desorption processes. The absorber operates at lower temperatures to favor CO2 absorption, while the regenerator uses heated stripping gas (from process heater integration) at elevated temperatures to release captured CO2. Pressure changes during compression and sequestration further enable the cycle, allowing effective emissions reduction through thermodynamic parameter manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the waste heat from process heaters, which would otherwise be discarded, into a useful resource for the CO2 capture process. The flue gas from process heaters is directed to the absorber as a hot stripping gas, providing the thermal energy needed for CO2 desorption in the regenerator. This transforms a harmful emission (flue gas) into a beneficial process utility, reducing both emissions and external energy requirements.
3Reliability
If multiple emission streams are treated separately, then treatment specificity is maintained, but system efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate CO2-rich gas streams from the fermentation unit and process heaters into a unified treatment system. Both streams are combined and processed through the same absorber column, regenerator, and compression system, improving overall system efficiency by consolidating infrastructure while maintaining effective CO2 capture from both sources.
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
The solution effectively reduces greenhouse gas emissions by capturing and sequestering CO2, achieving a 50% turndown capacity while maintaining a high capture rate, and can be powered by existing steam or gas turbines, with the potential for recycled CO2 to be reused within the facility.
Implementation Method 1
The capture unit includes an absorber and a commercially available absorbing media for CO2 (amine, ammonia, ionic fluids, sodium carbonate, methanol, potassium chloride, and any other available industrial solvents) for absorbing CO2
Implementation Method 2
The sequestration compressor may include a dehydration unit
Implementation Method 3
the flue gas from the gas conditioning unit may be sent to a cooler to lower the temperature prior to compression
Implementation Method 4
The sequestration compression unit may be configured to compress and convey at least one CO2-rich stream towards a sequestration site
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, facilities, and methods for bio fermentation-based facilities, such as corn milling, ethanol, breweries, and biogas, are disclosed herein. The CO2 rich streams from the fermentation unit and the process heaters/boilers are sent to a sequestration site or pipeline via a capture unit and sequestration compressor, thereby reducing the overall emissions from the facility.