CO2 Capture System Using Vacuum Stripping for Energy Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for removing carbon dioxide from gas streams, such as those in power plant flue gases, face inefficiencies due to high operational temperatures in stripper systems, which affect energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A CO2 capture system that uses a lean ionic ammonia solution from a regeneration system to react with a flue gas stream in an absorber vessel, producing a rich ammonia solution, which is then processed in a water wash vessel and stripper under partial vacuum conditions, utilizing a cooling system to reduce temperatures and enhance energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stripper systems operate at predetermined temperatures to remove ammonia from water, then ammonia removal effectiveness is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the stripper system by operating under partial vacuum conditions instead of atmospheric pressure. This parameter change allows the stripper to achieve effective ammonia removal at lower temperatures, thereby improving energy efficiency while maintaining reliability. The vacuum operation reduces the boiling point of water, enabling temperature reduction in the stripper system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of water (liquid to vapor) in the stripper system to remove ammonia. By operating under partial vacuum, the phase transition occurs at lower temperatures, reducing the energy required for the process while maintaining effective ammonia separation from the water stream.
2Reliability
If cooling systems reduce flue gas temperature to enhance CO2 capture efficiency, then CO2 capture effectiveness is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function with the existing flue gas processing system by integrating the cooling system into the overall CO2 capture workflow. The cooled flue gas from the cooling system is directly fed to the absorber vessel for CO2 capture, combining temperature reduction and CO2 removal operations in a coordinated sequence that enhances effectiveness while managing system complexity through functional integration.
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 system effectively reduces operational temperatures in stripper systems, improving energy efficiency and enabling more efficient CO2 capture from flue gas streams, thereby enhancing the overall energy efficiency of the CO2 removal process.
Implementation Method 1
absorption of CO2 from a gas stream can be achieved by contacting a chilled ionic ammonia solution (or slurry) with a flue gas stream that contains CO2
Implementation Method 2
the flue gas stream from a cooling system... The cooling system reduces the temperature of the flue gas stream
Implementation Method 3
the stripper being operable in at least partial vacuum conditions
Data Source
AI summary
A power generation plant (112), a method, and a CO2 capture system (122) for removing carbon dioxide (104) from a flue gas stream (106) are disclosed. As shown in FIG. 2, a CO2 capture system (122), comprises an absorber vessel (202), a water wash vessel (210), and a stripper (214). The CO2 capture system (122) can be configured to introduce both a lean ionic ammonia solution (204) from a regeneration system (124) and a flue gas stream (106) from a cooling system (120) and to provide a rich ionic ammonia solution (206) to a regeneration system (124), wherein the introduction of the lean ionic ammonia solution (204) to the flue gas stream (106) produces a flue gas substantially devoid CO2 (224). The water wash vessel (210) can be configured to receive the flue gas substantially devoid CO2 (224) and produce ammoniated water (212) by introducing water (218) to the flue gas substantially devoid CO2 (224). The stripper (214) can be configured to receive the ammoniated water (212) and to remove ammonia (216) from the ammoniated water (212) thereby producing a cleaned flue gas stream (116), the stripper (214) being operable in at least partial vacuum conditions.