Ionic Liquid Solvent Gas Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current separation techniques for process streams, such as distillation and ionic liquid membranes, face challenges with high costs, inefficiencies, and limitations in capturing gaseous components with close boiling points or requiring significant capital expenditure, especially when dealing with fluid components like olefins and paraffins, acid gases, and other gases in industrial processes.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing an ionic liquid solvent to capture and recover gaseous components from process streams, including olefins, alkane, acid gases, and other gases, through absorption, dissolution, or complexation, with a regenerator to regenerate the solvent and release the captured gases, potentially using a membrane unit for additional separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional distillation is used to separate fluid components, then separation can be achieved, but the process becomes cost-prohibitive due to large number of stages and high reflux ratios required when components have close boiling points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the separation system by using ionic liquid solvents with specific properties (negligible vapor pressure, tunable selectivity) instead of conventional distillation parameters (reflux ratios, number of stages). This allows separation of components with close boiling points through selective absorption rather than repeated vaporization-condensation cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The ionic liquid solvent acts as an intermediary substance that selectively interacts with target gaseous components through absorption or complexation. This mediator enables separation without requiring the components to undergo phase changes multiple times, thereby reducing the number of stages needed.
2Manufacturing precision
If ionic liquid membranes are used for absorption, then separation can be achieved, but the process suffers from poor flux or requires significant capital expenditure for commercial applications due to membrane diffusion rate limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from membrane-based separation (relying on diffusion through solid/liquid barriers) to liquid-phase absorption (relying on bulk fluid dynamics and mass transfer). This allows higher throughput by utilizing the bulk flow characteristics of ionic liquids rather than being constrained by membrane diffusion rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the transport mechanism from diffusion-limited (membranes) to convection-enhanced mass transfer (liquid absorption). By using ionic liquids in a liquid-phase absorption process, the system achieves higher flux rates while maintaining selectivity through the solvent's chemical properties rather than physical barrier constraints.
3Manufacturing precision
If aqueous solutions of metal salts are used for absorption, then separation can be achieved, but water vapor pressure causes inefficient recovery requiring de-watering steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional aqueous absorbent (water-based) with an ionic liquid absorbent that has negligible vapor pressure. This substitution eliminates the problem of water vapor carryover into the recovered gas stream, removing the need for additional de-watering equipment and steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent fundamentally changes the solvent parameter from water-based (high vapor pressure) to ionic liquid-based (negligible vapor pressure). This parameter change eliminates vapor phase interference during recovery, allowing direct separation without contamination and eliminating the need for de-watering operations.
4Productivity
If ionic liquid solvents are used for capturing gaseous components, then separation efficiency is improved, but the process requires additional equipment for solvent regeneration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a solvent regeneration system that recovers and reuses the ionic liquid absorbent after it has captured gaseous components. The regenerator unit heats or depressurizes the loaded solvent to release the captured gas, then condenses and recycles the ionic liquid back to the absorber, creating a closed-loop system that improves efficiency while managing the added complexity through resource recovery.
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 approach enhances process efficiency by selectively capturing and recovering valuable gaseous components, reducing the need for costly recycling or flaring, and improving the purity and recovery rates of gases like ethylene and isobutane, while minimizing solvent loss and VOC emissions.
Implementation Method 1
capturing at least a portion of the gaseous component from the process stream by an ionic liquid solvent
Implementation Method 2
capturing at least a portion of the gaseous component from the process stream by an ionic liquid solvent
Implementation Method 3
capturing at least a portion of the gaseous component from the process stream by an ionic liquid solvent
Implementation Method 4
recovering at least a portion of a captured gaseous component from the ionic liquid solvent
Implementation Method 5
a regenerator to receive the captured stream, wherein the regenerator regenerates the ionic liquid solvent and emits the recovered gaseous component
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are systems and methods which provide a process stream comprising a gaseous component, capture the gaseous component from the process stream by an ionic liquid solvent of a separator, and recover a captured gaseous component from the ionic liquid solvent in a regenerator. A second gaseous component from the process stream may be captured by the ionic liquid solvent of the separator, and the second gaseous component may be recovered from the ionic liquid solvent in the regenerator. Alternatively, the second gaseous component from the process stream may be uncaptured by the ionic liquid solvent, and the uncaptured second gaseous component may be recovered from a membrane unit.