Flue Gas Filtration Before Compression to Prevent Compressor Fouling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies for compressing flue gases from carbon-containing fuel combustion face issues with solid particle contamination, leading to clogging and reduced compression performance, especially in centrifugal compressors, due to high dust content exceeding 1 mg/m3, which requires frequent maintenance and degrades equipment efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the filtration of flue gases to achieve a solid particle concentration of less than 1 mg/m3 using cartridge filters or static filtration, followed by compression and purification to eliminate impurities, utilizing centrifugal compressors and heat exchangers to maintain efficiency and prevent fouling, with optional desulfurization and cooling steps to manage water content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional dust collection technologies (electrostatic filters, bag filters, cyclones, scrubbers) are used to reduce dust content, then dust content is reduced to levels a thousand times lower than conventional levels, but dust content remains greater than 1 mg/m3 which causes clogging and performance degradation in compression equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing a dedicated filtration step immediately before the compression stage. The flue gas is filtered to achieve a solid particle concentration of less than 1 mg/m3 before entering the centrifugal compressor, preventing dust-related clogging and performance degradation that would otherwise occur during compression operations.
2Power
If centrifugal compressors are used to compress flue gases, then compression capability is achieved, but solid particles cause clogging in intermediate refrigerants and reduce thermal capabilities of heat exchangers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing a dedicated filtration step immediately before the compression stage. The flue gas is filtered to achieve a solid particle concentration of less than 1 mg/m3 before entering the centrifugal compressor, preventing dust-related clogging and performance degradation that would otherwise occur during compression operations.
3Productivity
If compression operations are performed with dust content above 1 mg/m3, then compression process can proceed, but frequent maintenance stoppages are required due to clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing a dedicated filtration step immediately before the compression stage. The flue gas is filtered to achieve a solid particle concentration of less than 1 mg/m3 before entering the centrifugal compressor, preventing dust-related clogging and performance degradation that would otherwise occur during compression operations.
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 process effectively reduces solid particle concentrations to below 500 μg/m3, minimizing compressor imbalances and heat exchanger fouling, leading to improved compression performance, reduced maintenance needs, and enhanced energy efficiency by using effective heat exchangers and scrubbing towers, resulting in a cleaner CO2-enriched gas stream for sequestration.
Implementation Method 1
filtration of the flue gases so as to achieve a solid particle concentration of less than 1 mg/m3
Implementation Method 2
compression of the flue gases filtered at step a)
Implementation Method 3
utilizing centrifugal compressors and heat exchangers to maintain efficiency
Implementation Method 4
purification of the flue gases compressed at step b) so as to at least partly eliminate one of the impurities
Data Source
AI summary
A process for the combustion of a carbon-containing fuel, wherein the flue gases are filtered so as to achieve a solid particle concentration of less than 1 mg/m3 before compression, purification and sequestration or transport is presented.