Corrugated Packing Device for Isothermal CO2 Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current carbon capture technologies, particularly absorption methods using alkanolamines like MEA, face significant energy penalties and efficiency hurdles due to heat management issues and exothermic reactions, leading to high energy consumption and solvent degradation, which hinder widespread adoption and economic viability.
Innovation Solution
A packing device for mass and heat transfer with corrugated mass and heat transfer plates and integrated heat exchange fluid channels, allowing for efficient heat management and isothermal operation, is developed. This device enhances gas-liquid interactions and includes a housing with heat exchange fluid channels to manage heat generated during the CO2 absorption process, optimizing the CO2 capture efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If absorption method using alkanolamines like MEA is used for CO2 capture, then CO2 capture efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases due to heat management issues and exothermic reactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the absorption function and heat exchange function into a single integrated packing structure. The corrugated plates serve dual purposes: providing surface area for gas-liquid contact (absorption) and containing channels for heat exchange fluid flow. This merging eliminates the need for separate heat exchangers and enables in-situ heat management within the absorption column, thereby improving CO2 capture efficiency while reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a heat exchange fluid as an intermediary substance that flows through channels in the packing structure. This intermediary fluid acts as a thermal mediator, absorbing or removing excess heat generated by exothermic absorption reactions without directly contacting the CO2 or MEA. By using this intermediary heat transfer medium, the system can maintain optimal absorption conditions while managing thermal energy, thus improving both capture efficiency and energy efficiency.
2Productivity
If heat is not effectively managed during CO2 absorption, then CO2 capture efficiency decreases due to temperature-related desorption issues, but adding external heat exchange equipment increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates heat exchange channels directly into the packing structure itself. The corrugated plates that provide absorption surface area also contain embedded channels for heat exchange fluid flow. This merging of absorption and heat exchange functions into a single component eliminates the need for external heat exchangers and complex heat management systems, thereby maintaining high CO2 capture efficiency while minimizing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The packing structure serves its own heat exchange needs through integrated channels within its own structure. The corrugated plates provide both the absorption surface area and the heat exchange pathways, enabling the absorption process to self-regulate its thermal conditions without requiring separate, externally-controlled heat management equipment. This self-service approach reduces system complexity while maintaining effective heat management for optimal CO2 capture.
3Productivity
If gas-liquid contact area is increased to enhance mass transfer, then CO2 absorption rate improves, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses corrugated (curved/wavy) plates instead of flat plates to increase the gas-liquid contact area. The corrugations create a larger effective surface area for mass transfer while maintaining open flow paths that reduce resistance to gas and liquid flow. The curved geometry of the corrugations allows fluids to follow the contours, increasing contact time and area without creating sharp edges or narrow passages that would cause high pressure drops.
Solution Approach 2:
The corrugated plates extend the contact surface area into the third dimension by creating wavy, multi-level surfaces rather than flat two-dimensional contact areas. This dimensional extension increases the effective gas-liquid interfacial area available for mass transfer while maintaining sufficient flow channels between plates to prevent excessive pressure buildup. The multi-dimensional corrugated structure provides both enhanced contact area and maintained flow accessibility.
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 significantly reduces the energy penalty and improves CO2 capture efficiency by effectively managing heat, reducing temperature-related desorption issues, and extending solvent lifespan, thereby enhancing the economic viability of carbon capture processes.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of mass and heat transfer plates each include opposing mass and heat transfer sides, the mass and heat transfer sides comprising interior heat transfer surfaces and exterior mass and heat transfer surfaces for contacting the at least one subject fluid, and an interior heat exchange fluid channel disposed between the interior heat transfer surfaces of the mass and heat transfer sides
Implementation Method 2
Absorption processes separate CO2 from flue gas by contacting it with a solvent whose chemical properties enable it to selectively capture CO2
Implementation Method 3
Enhancing gas-liquid interactions significantly enhances mass transfer, so increasing the gas-liquid contact area per unit volume is desirable
Implementation Method 4
The absorption reaction between MEA and CO2 can be represented by the following balanced reversible chemical equation: CO2+2NH2CH2CH2OH↔NHCH2CH2OH—COO−+NH2CH2CH2OH—H+
Data Source
AI summary
A packing device for mass and heat transfer with a subject fluid includes a housing having opposing ends, and subject fluid openings at each opposing end defining a subject fluid flow path for at least one subject fluid flowing through the packing device. A plurality of mass and heat transfer plates each include an interior heat exchange fluid channel disposed between interior heat transfer surfaces of the mass and heat transfer plates. A heat exchange fluid inlet and fluid outlet can supply and remove heat exchange fluid to the heat exchange fluid channels of the mass and heat transfer plates. The mass and heat transfer plates can be oriented to define there between fluid flow channels for the subject fluid. A method and system for mass and heat transfer with a subject fluid, and a method and system for the removal of CO2 from a gas stream are disclosed.