Gas Stream Component Removal Using Phase Transition and Dehydration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for separating vapors from gases are energy inefficient and have poor recovery rates, making them ineffective for many industrial applications.
Innovation Solution
A method involving direct and indirect contact processes using a dehydrating solution and refrigeration cycles to cool and separate components from gas streams, producing a dry gas stream and a slurry stream, where the component is removed as a solid product through desublimation, freezing, or condensation, and then separated and recycled for further processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional vapor-gas separation techniques are used, then separation can be achieved, but energy efficiency is poor and recovery rates are low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transitions (condensation, freezing, desublimation) of the target component from gas phase to liquid or solid phase through controlled cooling. This allows efficient separation by transforming the component's physical state rather than relying on conventional energy-intensive methods like adsorption or membrane separation, thereby improving both separation efficiency and energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes temperature parameters systematically through multiple cooling stages (condensation zone, freezing zone, desublimation zone) to achieve progressive separation. By controlling temperature gradients and phase transition points, the process optimizes both separation effectiveness and energy utilization, resolving the contradiction between productivity and energy efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional separation methods are applied, then some separation is achieved, but recovery rates are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a multi-stage phase transition process where the target component progressively changes from gas to liquid to solid states through controlled cooling zones. This systematic phase transformation enables high-purity product recovery by separating the component at different phase boundaries, minimizing losses and achieving both high manufacturing precision and high recovery rates simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements continuous cooling and separation through interconnected condensation, freezing, and desublimation zones. This continuous process ensures complete recovery of the target component without interruption or loss, maintaining both high product purity and high recovery rate by continuously extracting the component throughout the process rather than in discrete steps.
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 method achieves high purity of the solid product and efficient energy recovery, improving the separation efficiency and reducing energy inefficiencies in gas separation processes.
Implementation Method 1
The dehydrating solution stream removes a portion of water present in the carrier gas stream
Implementation Method 2
Removing the portion of the component may include desublimating, freezing, condensing, depositing, or a combination thereof of the portion of the component out of the dry gas stream as a solid product
Implementation Method 3
Removing the portion of the component may include desublimating, freezing, condensing, depositing, or a combination thereof of the portion of the component out of the dry gas stream as a solid product
Implementation Method 4
Removing the portion of the component may include desublimating, freezing, condensing, depositing, or a combination thereof of the portion of the component out of the dry gas stream as a solid product
Implementation Method 5
The solid product is separated from the contact liquid, producing a substantially pure solid product stream and the cold contact liquid stream
Implementation Method 6
the substantially pure solid product stream may be melted by indirect contact with an overhead stream, producing a first liquid product stream
Implementation Method 7
The slurry stream and a first recycle stream may be cooled by indirect contact with a first refrigerant in a contact liquid cooler
Implementation Method 8
The distillation feed stream may be separated into the overhead stream and a bottoms stream in a distillation column
Implementation Method 9
A first portion of the second liquid product stream may be warmed with the cooled third liquid product stream across the recuperative heat exchanger, producing a final product stream. A portion of the wet solution stream may be cooled across the recuperative heat exchanger, producing a cold solution stream. The cold solution stream may be combined with a dehydrator pre-feed stream, producing the dehydrating solution stream. A warm refrigerant may be cooled to produce the first refrigerant using a first reverse Rankine refrigeration cycle.
Data Source
AI summary
In a first aspect, the disclosure provides a method for removing a component from a gas stream. A carrier gas stream is cooled by direct contact with a dehydrating solution stream. The dehydrating solution stream removes a portion of water present in the carrier gas stream and produces a dry gas stream and a wet solution stream. A portion of the component is removed from the dry gas stream by direct contact with a cold contact liquid stream. A depleted gas stream and a slurry stream are produced. Removing the portion of the component may include desublimating, freezing, condensing, depositing, or a combination thereof of the portion of the component out of the dry gas stream as a solid product. The slurry stream may include the solid product and a contact liquid. The solid product is separated from the contact liquid, producing a substantially pure solid product stream and the cold contact liquid stream.