Tar and Water Removal in Gas Sampling Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for online analysis of gas composition, particularly in syngas from biomass pyrolysis or gasification, face challenges in removing tars, water, and solid particles, which can condense and block filters or capture target compounds like HCl, leading to inefficient analysis and high costs due to the need for heating the sampling line above 400°C.
Innovation Solution
A device with a container and multiple filters, where a tar-absorbing material like cotton or nylon filters out tars without capturing target compounds, and a water adsorbent material like zeolite removes moisture without reacting with acidic gases, ensuring efficient tar and water removal while maintaining the target compounds in the gas stream.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If organic solvents like acetone or isopropanol are used to remove tars from syngas, then tar removal is achieved, but hydrogen chloride (HCl) is captured in the gas sampling line and accumulates in the bubbler headspace
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tar removal function from the gas sampling line by introducing a separate cleaning device with a dedicated cleaning gas flow. This separates the tar removal process from the HCl sampling process, allowing tars to be removed without capturing HCl in the sampling line or bubbler headspace.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cleaning gas as an intermediary substance that carries tars away from the sampling line without interfering with HCl sampling. The cleaning gas acts as a mediator between the tar-laden syngas and the HCl analysis system, removing tars while leaving HCl intact for analysis.
2Reliability
If the pipeline is heated to above 400°C to prevent tar condensation, then tar condensation is prevented, but the cost of material and heating increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a cleaning gas flow that proactively removes tars before they can condense in the sampling line. This preventive cleaning approach eliminates the need for high-temperature heating to prevent condensation, reducing energy consumption and material costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal field (high-temperature heating) with a fluid field (cleaning gas flow) to achieve tar removal. Instead of using heat to prevent condensation, the system uses a flowing cleaning gas to physically carry tars away, substituting a mechanical/fluid approach for a thermal approach.
3Quantity of substance
If a solid filter like deactivated fused silica wool is used in the gas sampling probe, then solid particles are removed, but tar condensation on the filter blocks it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tar removal function from the solid filter by introducing a cleaning gas flow that removes tars upstream of the filter. This separates the tar removal function from the particle filtration function, preventing tar condensation on the filter while maintaining solid particle removal capability.
4Productivity
If the gas flow rate in the sampling line is kept low, then the analysis system operates efficiently, but hydrogen chloride (HCl) accumulates in the bubbler headspace because it is denser than syngas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts HCl from the bubbler headspace by introducing a cleaning gas flow that actively removes accumulated HCl. This prevents HCl buildup while maintaining low sampling flow rates for efficient analysis, separating the HCl removal function from the sampling function.
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 solution allows for effective online monitoring of gas composition by preventing tar and water condensation, avoiding filter blockages and chemical reactions, and maintaining the target compounds in the gas stream, thus enhancing the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of gas analysis.
Implementation Method 1
a first filter positioned between the inlet and the outlet of the container, through which the gas flows, intended to filter the tar, and the first filter comprising a tar-absorbing material
Implementation Method 2
a second filter positioned between the inlet and the outlet of the container, upstream or downstream of the first filter, through which the gas circulates and intended to remove water from the gas, and the second filter comprising a water adsorbent material
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device (60) for cleaning a gas (12) comprising a plurality of compounds, a first compound from the plurality of compounds being tar, said device comprising: a container (13) with an inlet (14) and an outlet (15), the gas (12) circulating through the container (13) from the inlet (14) to the outlet (15); and a first filter (11) positioned between the inlet (14) and the outlet (15) of the container (13), through which the gas (12) circulates, for filtering the tar, said first filter (11) comprising an absorbent material. The cleaning device (60) can also comprise a second filter (17) positioned between the inlet (14) and the outlet (15) of the container (13), upstream or downstream of the first filter (11), through which the gas circulates (12), for removing the water from the gas (12), said second filter comprising a water-adsorbent material.