Membrane and Cryogenic Separation System for CO₂ and H₂S Purification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current membrane technology for removing CO2 and H2S from gas streams is capital-intensive and inefficient due to the need for multiple membrane steps and large compressors, which increases costs and reduces effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A system combining a primary membrane system with a cryogenic separation system, including a conditioner and fractionator, to process the CO2- and H2S-enriched permeate stream, reducing the need for additional membrane steps and compression by using cryogenic separation to achieve high purity CO2 and H2S streams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple membrane steps are used to separate CO2 and H2S from gas streams, then separation purity is improved, but device complexity and capital cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the CO2-enriched stream by cooling it to cryogenic temperatures, transforming it from a gas phase separation problem to a condensed phase separation problem. This allows single-stage membrane separation to achieve high purity by changing the operating temperature parameter, avoiding the need for multiple membrane stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition by cooling the CO2-enriched permeate stream to below its dew point, causing CO2 to condense into liquid or solid form. This phase change enables efficient separation in a single membrane stage, as the condensed CO2 can be easily separated from the gas phase, eliminating the need for multiple membrane modules.
2Productivity
If large compressors are used to maintain pressure in membrane systems, then gas flow rate is improved, but energy consumption and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By cooling the CO2-enriched stream to cryogenic temperatures, CO2 condenses into liquid or solid phase, which dramatically reduces its volume and compressibility. This phase transition eliminates the need for large compressors to maintain flow rate, as the condensed phase can be handled with minimal compression, significantly reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter to cryogenic levels, which fundamentally alters the physical properties of CO2 including its density and compressibility. This parameter change allows the system to achieve high productivity with minimal compression energy, as the cold, condensed CO2 stream is much easier to handle than warm gas phase CO2.
3Quantity of substance
If secondary membrane systems are used to recover hydrocarbons from permeate stream, then hydrocarbon recovery is improved, but device complexity and compression requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cryogenic cooling to condense CO2 into liquid or solid form, which separates it from hydrocarbons that remain in gas phase. This phase-based separation achieves high hydrocarbon recovery in the gas stream without requiring secondary membrane systems or additional compression stages, simplifying the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts CO2 from the permeate stream by condensing it at cryogenic temperatures, leaving hydrocarbons behind in the gas phase. This extraction method achieves high hydrocarbon recovery without requiring complex secondary membrane systems or multiple compression stages, as the condensed CO2 can be easily separated and removed.
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 reduces the number of membrane modules and compression requirements by 50% or more, lowering capital costs and improving efficiency in gas stream processing, allowing for more effective separation and purification of CO2 and H2S.
Implementation Method 1
The membranes typically separate the gas into two streams, a CO2- and H2S-enriched low pressure stream as permeate and a CO2- and H2S-depleted high pressure stream as a product gas
Implementation Method 2
a cryogenic separation system to receive the compressed stream, the cryogenic separation system including a conditioner followed by a fractionator
Implementation Method 3
the fractionator produces a CO2- and H2S liquid stream and a hydrocarbon gas stream
Data Source
AI summary
An acid gas purification system is described herein that includes a primary membrane system with a CO2- and H2S-enriched permeate stream effluent and a hydrocarbon stream effluent; a first compression stage arranged to receive the CO2- and H2S-enriched permeate stream and produce a compressed stream; and a cryogenic separation system to receive the compressed stream, the cryogenic separation system including a cooler followed by a fractionator, wherein the fractionator produces a CO2- and H2S liquid stream and a hydrocarbon gas stream.